Aljex Software Inc has rolled out ARC, short for Automated Rate Confirmation, a web-based technology that automates critical agreements and routine data exchange between brokers and carriers.
“At its core, an Aljex ARC is a self-dispatching web document that will change the way brokers and carriers do business,” said Tom Heine, Aljex chief executive officer.
ARC begins with an email from broker to carrier with a link to a classic rate confirmation in electronic form. But with ARC, the digital document contains only the information the carrier has to know in order to accept the load assignment—origin and destination cities, for example. Not included is competitive data, such as shipper name and contact information—at least until the shipment is accepted and the ARC is signed by the carrier.
To do that, the carrier signs the ARC electronically from a computer or smartphone. The electronic signature is routed through Aljex partner Sertifi, an e-signature service that quickly establishes the identity of the signer. Once verified, the signature and the document are legally binding.
As soon as the ARC has been signed and the signature validated, the broker receives an email notification along with a PDF of the signed confirmation. At the same time the shipment is updated, the confirmation is automatically uploaded into the scanned document directory in Aljex. The carrier also receives a new link that enables access to all the information on the ARC, including such facts as pick-up and delivery addresses, reference numbers, and contacts.
Going forward, the carrier uses the same links to update information on the load, information that automatically updates operational screens in Aljex. Any time the carrier provides an update, the broker receives an email to that effect.
ARC is now available to users of Aljex Vision. For more information, access www.aljex.com.
