6 reasons not to create your own dispatch app

As the benefits of digitizing fleet management and dispatch become increasingly clear, many fleet operators are starting to consider their options. They are testing apps, vetting programs, and digging into the software options in search of the one program that will best serve both their drivers and their customers. 

Some tech-savvy teams even toss around the idea of building an in-house solution, and we can see how that can be a tempting option! In theory, it promises limitless customizability and all kinds of perks. But, in practice, it’s much more con than pro. It’s a major drain on both human and financial resources, and it’s never as smooth as the professionally built software that’s on the market already.

Since our main goal is to save you time and money and to simplify your fleet operations, creating your own dispatch app just isn’t an idea we can get behind!

Save up to 30% in time and cost savings for your dispatching operations. Request a free demo of Tread’s truck dispatch software today.

6 reasons not to create your own app

If you have a driven, techy team, chances are that the idea of creating your own dispatch app has been floated around the board room once or twice. And, we understand why! In theory, having your very own app means having limitless customization options based solely on your needs. But, in reality, developing your own company app is a major undertaking. It requires funding, planning, training, careful management, and a lot of patience.

Here are 6 things to consider before you commit to building your own app:

1. Expenses

If you decide to create your own dispatch app, know that you’ll be faced with quite a few expenses. App building costs can range from $10,000 to $200,000 or more, which makes the low monthly cost of pre-built software feel like pennies! 

2. Troubleshooting

How will you manage if something goes awry? Most software companies offer top-notch customer service and troubleshooting— which you wouldn’t have access to if you create your own app. You’ll also need to be prepared to manage servers, micro-services, and other related infrastructure both during the build and on an ongoing basis afterwards.

3. Project planning

Taking on an app-building project means committing to managing the technical scope of the project, plus any ongoing development. You’ll need to plan for things like rollouts and employee behaviour change, and you’ll want to develop a future roadmap for project success.

4. Project management

To build an app, you need to find the right people for the job. And, trust us, hiring and managing developers and technical staff is an entirely different skill set then the one you use to hire and manage your other staff.

5. Integrations

Pre-built dispatch software easily and seamlessly integrates with other online tools. If you’re choosing to build your own software, you’ll need to find a way to integrate all of your other software and forecast the types of integrations you may need in the future.

6. Staff training

Your in-house app won’t have pre-made training videos, tools, and support. You’ll have to plan, implement and roll out training for any non-tech-savvy staff members and other users to ensure that you can consistently use the app the way it’s meant to be used.

The benefits of using dispatch software

We may not be big fans of you creating your own dispatch software, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use any apps at all! Dispatch management apps like Tread can help you save money, reduce clutter, and eliminate the stress of manual tracking and one-to-one dispatching. 

With benefits like fast scheduling, near-instant dispatching, streamlined deliveries, multilingual support, 100% accurate data collection, and no vehicle hardware installation required, it’s no wonder that more and more fleets are buying in.

Flexible scheduling and faster dispatch

Apps like Tread can cut the costs and time requirements for dispatching large fleets by up to 30%, allowing your team to get to work faster than ever. Instead of sending up to a hundred different messages and texts when dispatching your fleet, simply input key job information into your app and share all time-sensitive work information with your drivers in one click.

Safe and efficient deliveries

Use your dispatch management app to keep business running smoothly. Many apps offer in-app order forms, e-ticketing, and digital document capture. These features make transactions more transparent, which in turn makes deliveries safer and more efficient. They foster trust between your workforce and your customer, and by allowing users to sign tickets on their phones, they improve the customer experience overall.

In Tread’s case, order forms increase order accuracy by 15%, e-ticketing reduces disputes from 17% to 0, and this high level of automation speeds up payments overall.

Multilingual dispatch team support

Give your staff members the assistance they need, when they need it. Most dispatch apps offer services like remote training for dispatchers and truck fleet managers and on-the-job support for drivers in multiple languages.

This two-way communication between the app and your drivers also serves to monitor driver habits and increase compliance by sending driver and subcontractor performance reports back to the dispatch operator.

Real-time data collection

Most apps use GPS phone or hardware tracking to collect and report accurate, real-time data. Instead of using manual logs or google maps calculation, an app makes collecting data about vehicles, drivers, and drive times objective and error-free. This lets your company track which vehicles are on-route, which drivers tend to make personal stops, and when supplemental driver training needs to be offered.

Easy-to-use navigation

Truck dispatch applications are intuitive and easy to use. With the right app, you won’t have to worry about your drivers becoming frustrated by a complicated platform. You can share work orders and delivery routes in the click of a button, and drivers can access them with the same instant ease.

Use Tread instead

For most businesses, building a custom app is simply beyond the realm of possibility. It’s also not what you got into business to accomplish!

At Tread, we have a team of 20 engineers, designers and other staff who live and breathe tech. We innovate quickly, releasing new features weekly, based on customer feedback, and we make sure that you always have the tech solutions you need to do what you do best. We do the work that we’re proficient in, and we free you up to do what you do best.

Instead of wasting time, energy, and resources on building apps, use Tread’s truck dispatch management software, and focus your energy on building the world around you. Request a demo today!