Slick Full Case Study
Slick & Xeo
Scaling New Businesses
Background
Xeo’s client is a serial entrepreneur who founded an automotive service startup based in Maryland. The company
operates a fleet of trucks and provides automotive services to fleets across the United States. Despite being
a relatively new entrant in the market, the startup has quickly expanded its footprint by opening locations
nationwide.
Challenge
The company faced several operational challenges as it scaled. Firstly, they needed a comprehensive platform
to capture and manage vehicle data. This system had to track maintenance issues for each vehicle.
Additionally, the company required an efficient dispatching system to manage its fleet of trucks and vans.
This system needed to accurately compute the workload on each shift and track which employees and vehicles
were assigned to each shift.
Solution
•
Dispatching First, Xeo developed a comprehensive dispatch board that revolutionized
the scheduling processes. This system clearly represented labor distribution and workload, helping dispatchers
match staffing to the workload. Furthermore, Xeo integrated with Google Maps to optimize routing and
automatically import drive times into the schedule.
•
Monitor Financial Performance Labor costs account for the lion’s share of operating
expenses, and managers need practical tools to monitor and control these expenses. Therefore, Xeo integrated
with the client’s existing time card software. By correlating time card data with shift and labor cost
information, managers know precisely how profitable each shift is in real time, ultimately improving their
bottom line.
•
Billing Automation Previously, billing was a labor-intensive task that required manual
data entry and reconciliation. So, Xeo coded the system to push invoices into QuickBooks Online automatically.
This integration eliminated manual errors, reduced administrative workload, and accelerated the billing cycle.
Now that the company is transitioning from QuickBooks to NetSuite, a more comprehensive enterprise resource
planning (ERP) system, Xeo is preparing to update the billing integration to ensure a seamless
transition.
•
Inspections and Workflow Quality assurance is a significant challenge with technicians
working in remote parking lots across the country. Xeo built a customizable workflow and inspection system.
Administrators configure inspections and workflow tailored to the unique needs of each fleet. During the
shift, the software guides technicians through their work step-by-step. Techs record measurements and capture
videos and photos directly within the system. This multimedia capability allows for detailed documentation of
the vehicle’s condition. Additionally, the system automatically creates issues when measurements indicate that
remediation is necessary.
Xeo then built a monitoring module for the company’s maintenance chief, which provides access to all
media and data captured by technicians nationwide. This feature enables the maintenance chief to oversee and
verify work quality in real time, dramatically improving quality assurance.
•
Service Schedule Vehicle maintenance often depends on the age or mileage of the
vehicle. To manage this efficiently, Xeo developed a service schedule module that automatically downloads the
recommended service schedules provided by Motor, a third-party data provider. Xeo also integrated a telematics
solution to track each vehicle’s current odometer readings. This seamless integration allows the system to
accurately determine when maintenance is due based on the vehicle’s mileage.
•
Native App Recognizing that drivers also have valuable insights into the condition of
fleet vehicles, Xeo developed native applications for iPhone and Android devices. These applications allow
drivers and fleet managers to conduct inspections and report issues, improving communication between drivers
and maintenance personnel.
•
Fleet Dashboard To provide fleet managers with comprehensive visibility, Xeo developed
a robust dashboard. This feature helps managers quickly identify the most pressing issues at a glance. Less
urgent issues are forecasted based on each vehicle’s driving history. The dashboard provides a clear overview
of all scheduled maintenance and the status of each vehicle within the fleet. This transparency ensures that
all stakeholders are well-informed and can make timely decisions.
•
Service History Xeo also included a service history module to provide a holistic view
of vehicle maintenance. This feature allows fleet managers to input service records from third-party
maintenance shops, consolidating all maintenance data into a single source of truth. By centralizing this
information, fleet managers can easily track the complete service history of each vehicle regardless of
service provider, ensuring transparency and accuracy in maintenance records.
Results
These features continue to improve our client’s operations. Integrating real-time vehicle data, accurate
scheduling, and automated billing has led to substantial operational efficiencies. Understanding their
profitability per shift was a “game changer.”
Client Reflection
Our client has successfully closed the second round of funding, a testament to the business’s growth and the
value of the solutions implemented. We are grateful to have led the software development efforts and look
forward to adapting the system to new challenges and opportunities.
