As a service provider for Europe-wide truck transport, responsiveness is fundamental to Tirolia Spedition's business. And responsiveness starts with a highly flexible IT infrastructure.
In the transport and logistics industry, accessibility and speed are decisive factors in business. At Tirolia Spedition, 95% of callers get through – measurable. This is made possible by a consistently digital infrastructure consisting of a terminal server environment, XPhone softphone, call dashboard, and team panel. Managing Director Michael Lukasser shows why modern communication in transport and logistics is the decisive competitive advantage today.
Speed is crucial
Anyone who meets Michael Lukasser quickly understands why his company is called "Speedition." The Tirolia managing director responds to emails promptly, is exceptionally easy to reach by phone, and sees new tools and developments not as a disruption to operations, but as an opportunity to improve processes. "Our industry is all about speed. The speed with which we have to react is becoming more and more of a decisive factor. "
The term "Speedition" was coined back in 1990. What began as a bold slogan at the time is now a strategic necessity. As a service provider for Europe-wide truck transport, responsiveness is the basis of the business. And speed starts with a highly flexible IT infrastructure.
Softphone & terminal server: technological basis for modern freight forwarding
That's why the company decided to implement a central terminal server environment more than 20 years ago. Instead of decentralized PCs, the approximately 100 employees work with centrally administered all-in-one clients. "You invest in the servers and have one place where you administer them instead of 100 individual PCs," explains Lukasser. "For us, it was a decision based on efficiency."
This architecture made working from home possible early on, simplified maintenance, and ensured stability for database-intensive applications. However, it posed a challenge for telephony: a classic desk phone does not fit into this concept. A softphone was needed. "At the time, the challenge was to find a softphone that would run efficiently in our terminal server environment."
Warum XPhone Connect
Requirements of the logistics and transportation industry
Solution with softphone in the terminal server environment
- More international communication
-
Higher telephone volume
-
Hybrid working models
-
Digitized processes
-
Expectation of immediate response
- Increased availability
- ERP integration for incoming calls
- Transparent team availability
- Mobile extension
- Central administration
- Reduced hardware
When C4B announced the development of the XPhone softphone in 2016, Tirolia reacted immediately. "We got involved in the alpha phase and, of course, not everything worked at that stage. But we were determined to have it. Today, the softphone has become indispensable because it gives us extreme flexibility." The telephone system is now controlled entirely via the softphone.
The telephone system at Tirolia now only performs a gateway function. "The next step for us will be to connect the XPhone Call Controller (XCC) directly to the provider infrastructure." This would allow XPhone to continue running on its own server without the need for a telephone system. "Less hardware in the workplace saves costs and maintenance – and makes our work a little more efficient."
"With XPhone, we achieve an availability rate of 95%. That's a clear competitive advantage in our industry."
Availability in freight forwarding: Why 95% makes all the difference
Tirolia employees make several thousand phone calls every day. In an industry where orders are often placed at short notice and problems need to be solved immediately, the telephone is the central tool. "If one of our business partners needs something and I'm not available, they get frustrated. We are service providers. And availability is the most valuable asset we have."
Many companies talk about service. Tirolia measures it.
"With XPhone, we achieve an availability rate of 95%. That's a clear competitive advantage in our industry." Lukasser knows the industry and knows how quickly inquiries go to the competition if no one answers the phone. While in many transport companies calls go unanswered or are blindly forwarded, Tirolia relies on the XPhone Team Panel feature. Employees can see in real time
- whether a responsible dispatcher is currently on the phone,
- which colleague is free
- and who is in a meeting or on the road and for how long.
"This enables us to achieve a level of service that is extremely important as a service provider and puts us one step ahead of the competition," says Lukasser.
Call dashboard with ERP integration
Direct links in applications
For Lukasser himself, the call dashboard is one of the key tools. And he uses it every day. As soon as a call is answered, the XPhone Connect dashboard opens. Company name, contact person, relevant ERP data—everything is visible immediately from the start of the call. "If a customer calls and says they have a shipment, I can jump from the call dashboard to the right application with a single click and open the corresponding entry," explains Lukasser.
Interface to operations
ERP and CRM integration is achieved via standard connectors such as ODBC or CSV. The dashboard can be configured using drag-and-drop. HTML customization and support are available for special cases. The result: telephony becomes a direct interface to operational business.
Request an individual quote
Whether you opt for a license purchase or a software subscription, service packs or a tailored integration – we’ll be happy to prepare an individual quote for XPhone Connect.
Home office or outdoor office: flexibility with the terminal server
The technical infrastructure with the terminal server really shows its strength when it comes to flexible working models. Hybrid models were established at Tirolia early on. Around a quarter of the team works partly from home. The open-air office is a visible sign of the company's open-minded approach.
"The idea came about because there was a constant desire to open the windows in the open-plan office. But we are in the middle of the countryside here, and if I open the windows, I have 27 people with hay fever and 5,000 flies inside. Some people find it too cold, others too hot. That's why we created a space for people who like to work in the fresh air."
Employees remain fully integrated into corporate communications. Technically, this works seamlessly:
- Login to the terminal server
- XPhone softphone active
- Connect headset
- Full access to email and telephony
The communication structure remains intact even when on the move: the XPhone client in the smartphone app ensures that you can still be reached on your office extension even when you are mobile. "When I'm at a trade fair, my colleagues can see my presence status as if I were in the office." For transport companies with an international focus, this mobility is a decisive factor.
AI in freight forwarding: technology as a tool, people as decision-makers
Tirolia experimented with digital approaches early on. Back in 2014, it introduced "Speedplace," an online price inquiry system that took users from quotation to order placement in less than a minute. AI projects were tested, even though they were not particularly promising at this early stage.
Do you sometimes have to get carried away to move forward? "Yes," says Lukasser. "The important thing is to realize when a particular direction is a dead end and then not be afraid to get out." He adds: "But it's entirely possible to come back to a failed project later, when the time is right."
The fact that he never tires of trying new things is due to his conviction that technology is a means of increasing efficiency. "At the same time, freight forwarding is and remains a people business. We are service providers. And that's where the team and personal contact with business partners are crucial."
In his opinion, automating processes creates space for this very personal communication. "The personal touch, combined with our teamwork and modern tools, makes us a tad faster than the competition – and that's what makes us Speedition."
"For us, the biggest advantage of XPhone is that it optimally covers the various components: softphone, mobile client, TeamDesk, and Team Panel. This package is what makes it stand out."
