Command Alkon builds digital answer to 250 million paper tickets

Sources: Command Alkon, Birmingham, Ala.; CP staff

A new Command Alkon electronic ticket management system allows contractors, haulers and suppliers to interact and work together by streamlining their order through goods acceptance processes. BuildIt equips users to order, receive and account for materials being delivered to the job site—all on a centralized platform that integrates with virtually any ticketing software.

“In North America alone, roughly 250 million tickets are handled each year by the heavy building materials industry. These tickets are often in multi-part forms that are manually key punched into other systems,” says Command Alkon Vice President, Business Development Steve Cox. “The industry is beginning to understand that we are all part of an ecosystem where participants impact and are impacted by each other. We need to modernize and transform to digital formats for better communication, collaboration and information exchange across all community participants. Digitization generates more timely and accurate data, enabling faster, more intelligent business decisions.”

BuildIt can eliminate dependence on paper tickets that are often illegible and easily misplaced, he adds. It was developed from the ground up for the heavy building materials ecosystem to address the challenges that current methods for tracking materials and truck assets create. Each electronic transaction ensures that both parties are viewing the same data, providing one version of the truth for every user. Buyers can more efficiently reconcile accepted goods and services against invoices, permitting quicker payment to suppliers and quicker month-end closings.

BuildIt integrates seamlessly with Command Alkon’s TrackIt GPS and telematics solution. Using TrackIt in conjunction with the new program permits real-time tracking of on-site third-party trucks and supplier deliveries; hence, parties know where their assets are at all times. BuildIt, moreover:

  • Brings ticketing information to life by tracking materials entering a jobsite to streamline the real-time delivery process;
  • Integrates the buying, receiving and accounting for materials to simplify the procure to pay process and speed reconciliation;
  • Offers real-time visibility of material quantities and job expenses;
  • Proactively provides customers with shipping status and expected delivery times for improved service.