LogVar Oy is a logistics company based in Central Finland, established in 2019, specialising in bulk transport operations. The company’s founders have approximately 40 years of experience in the industry. LogVar has focused on providing comprehensive transportation services to its customers. The company is constantly developing larger entities in collaboration with customers, for which LogVar takes responsibility. Despite its young age, the company has taken a significant leap in growth.
On a weekly basis, there are 100–150 loads being transported, spread between several customers. Therefore, the paperwork requires precision, as billing is based on them. In the early days of the company, everything was managed with paper waybills and Excel spreadsheets. “The waybills came in various forms, some by mail, some by email. We had to print everything to sort them properly,” says Transportation Manager Pertti Matilainen . “Once all the waybills were ready, they were sorted by customer and even by customer location. This usually took a day, and it was done after office hours to avoid interruptions from phone calls. In manual work, any interruption could increase the chances of errors. Fortunately, my spouse understood why the kitchen and living room tables were covered with papers,” he continues, describing the challenges of managing the workload. Pertti also estimates that with the company’s growth, they would have needed to hire an additional employee just to handle this task.
LogiApps was implemented in the summer of 2022. Initially, it was tested with only one vehicle, but after a week of testing, it was implemented for all at once. The drivers quickly learned to use it, and the results were immediately visible at the office. The old phone chaos, where each load with its reference numbers was discussed over the phone with the drivers, and the drivers’ clarifying calls were all eliminated. “The more accurately we record the load information – such as precise details about the loading points – the fewer calls we receive from drivers asking for clarification. The only thing that required a little practice was taking pictures of the waybills. But now, usage is smooth, and the program ensures that all load-related aspects are documented before the driver can proceed with the next load,” says Matilainen.
A decision to get rid of old practices
In the early stages of implementation, all documents were still printed ‘just in case.’ But confidence grew quickly, and soon a decision of principle was made that nothing would be printed. Nothing has needed to be printed either; for instance, necessary documents for customers are quickly provided as PDF files via email. “And this has been reflected directly in printer ink cartridge consumption, which has dropped to a fraction of what it used to be.”
At the beginning, there was still some manual work involved, but building an interface with Ropo Capital’s systems eliminated even that. “Organising the waybills and hours of actual billing was a task that used to take a day. Now it only takes half an hour to an hour. When pricing is kept up to date, billing can practically be handled with just a couple of clicks. In addition to this, responses to both drivers’ and customers’ data enquiries are found very quickly. Everything is well stored in the same place,” Matilainen summarises.
The construction of the aforementioned interface happened quickly, and even after that, speed of the service has remained at a good level. There is one number for the contact person, and help is available immediately. “Even this morning, I made a two-minute call, and the issue was resolved right away. This is important because usually, whenever something comes up, it’s an urgent situation,” Matilainen mentions on the interview day. “Moreover, they listen to our improvement suggestions; currently, we are finalising the changes we requested for the yield determinations, which we can directly get from the system.”
“I wouldn’t give it up now.”
The answer on the title came immediately when asked if it was worth adopting LogiApps. “A really good tool. If I were to list the key benefits, they would be time-saving, clarity in handling matters, and keeping the information stored. Having the basics in order contributes to the growth of the business,” Matilainen mentions. “Time-saving is evident because in the evenings, there’s no need to do anything – unless one wants to – and during the day, one can focus on sales and arranging loads. The clarity in handling matters is evident, for example, information easily reaches everyone. The benefits of archiving are evident because all information, both for customers and drivers, is readily available, even on a vehicle and load-specific level.”
“I have nothing negative to say,” Matilainen concludes at the end of the interview.
LogVar Oy
Founded 2019 in Pihtipudas
Revenue €2.1 million
Five full-time employees
https://www.logvar.fi