A Technology-Driven Company

Technology is the backbone of ACI’s delivery system, and the infrastructure that answers the questions:

• Were my publications and advertisements delivered to the right homes at the right time?
• What reporting mechanisms are provided to clients?
• How are consumers’ requests to receive or to stop publications handled?
• What drives route efficiencies and resulting cost savings?

While the use of GPS technology is becoming a commodity in alternate delivery, the manner in which ACI has applied and developed this technology is unique, innovative, and most importantly, effective. It is integrated throughout the company, with the common goal of driving and supporting operational excellence.

Route Creation and Efficiencies

The process starts with determining routes consisting of customers’ geographic and demographic targets utilizing household level data. ACI uses MapInfo to create “geo-fences”, which are street boundaries that define a route of contiguous neighborhoods. These routes are created with efficiencies in mind, to allow carriers to deliver the quantity needed within the time frames required. The geo-fenced routes are continually updated with starts and stops, and are the foundation for monitoring and verification.

Geo-Fenced Route with Selected Households Targeted for Delivery:

Delivery Verification and Validation

Among the innovations ACI has brought to the industry is GPS verification with 15-second tracking Intervals. The handheld GPS device collects and transmits key delivery data as a carrier is driving or walking their route every 15 seconds, including exact vehicle location, precise time, latitude/longitude and vehicle speed. If a carrier moves too quickly or bypasses a targeted address, an exception report is immediately generated, allowing for real-time course correction while carriers are still in the field. This enables ACI and their clients to visually verify the timeliness and thoroughness of 100% of their delivery.

Air-Trak Report while Delivery is in Progress:

Air-Trak Report Completion of Delivery:

For single-copy rack or bulk distribution, ACI’s barcode scanning technology tracks delivery at all single copy outlets. This gives publishers up-to-the-minute delivery status of every route, and instant notification of rack maintenance issues. The technology also has long-range implications such as improving both distribution performance and data integrity, as well as optimizing routing sequence and driver compensation.

Air-Clic Summary Report on Single-Copy Deliveries:

ACI layers on an additional step to their automated GPS tracking system – by monitoring all deliveries with manual verification conducted by independent company employees within 30 minutes of delivery. Utilizing ACI’s mobile data verification system, their in-field reports provide real-time web reporting on key delivery metrics, including product placement and accuracy of homes delivered. All data is archived for customer review.

Air-Clic Verification report:

Consumer Requests to Start or Stop Delivery

ACI leverages its customized MD.NET circulation system to update carrier route list changes reflecting starts and stops requests received by consumers. It automatically manages and tracks complaints at the route level, and provides delivery reports down to the district and route level on key delivery metrics.

MD.NET Stop notification report:

Client Reporting

Transparency and accountability are fundamental to ACI. Their software allows customers to view GPS data in a browser customized for the publishing industry. From any location, users have easy internet access to route verification data and automatic compliance reporting. Users can review multiple routes at one time, as well as analyze key benchmarks and results on demand. Because ACI’s system instantly reports via satellite and wireless networks, the data is real-time, helping ACI and their partners manage all aspects of sales and deliveries.