Maybe you’ve heard, since we haven’t been too quiet about it, but MOGO (Mobile Office on the GO) turns ten this year! That means, ten years of successes, challenges, and wild stories from the field. Ben (Bummy) Baumgartner, Team Lead for MOGO Support, and Freddie Ridler, former MOGO team member and current Head of Business growth for RCC sat down to reminisce on some of the memorable MOGO moments and lay out the benefits this propane handheld provides to customers, propane businesses, and RCC.
MOGO handheld Benefits ALL
At RCC, we know that the MOGO propane handheld will benefit bobtail drivers, but it hasn’t always been easy to convince them of that. There is a finesse to gaining the trust of a driver that has been in a propane delivery truck for over 30 years. A resounding refrain from drivers now is that when the MOGO handheld was first put in their truck, they hated it. They thought it would take more time , be a hassle, and not work correctly. Now, Bummy states, “You couldn’t pry it out of their hands if you had to!”
“Your MOGO product matches your excellent customer service.”
- Bobtail driver and current MOGO user
At RCC, we have always prided ourselves on being an industry leader in customer support and service. So, this was a huge compliment from a driver regarding the hard work we put in to building the MOGO handheld. We know it can be challenging for the drivers to learn a brand-new system and get used to the change. This is why we strive to do on-site installations. There is a much higher success rate when we can get to know the drivers, walk them through the processes, and ride along with them on deliveries. “There are so many working parts in a truck. So many things that could go wrong that might not be MOGO’s fault, but they could easily place blame on MOGO.”
Bobtail Driver Benefits
The MOGO team often brings a full demonstration kit to all on-site installs. They find the best success with installs to be when the client can get the power supply and brackets fully mounted. Then, the team can come in and plug in the tablets and make sure everything is set up correctly. “The next day,” Bummy says, “I like to do a classroom style driver’s training with all of the drivers and the demonstration kit. The demonstration kit includes a register, a meter, a printer, and a mounting pole, just like in their trucks.” This way, Bummy can demonstrate tasks like how to change the paper in the printer, how to utilize the register with MOGO, and help them understand the cable connections that plug into the tablet.
“By the end of one training day, the drivers are almost always competent enough to use MOGO to do their job.”
- Bummy Baumgartner, MOGO team lead
These demonstrations help give the drivers a visual of what they are going to see in the truck, as well as the confidence they need to perform their duties with the MOGO in place. After the classroom style training, most drivers feel comfortable with the way MOGO works. They have the concept figured out. This is when the MOGO team hops in the bobtail with the drivers to go make deliveries and put MOGO to work. Drivers are almost always left feeling ready to go and loving the new technology being implemented at the end of the install and training.
Company Office Benefits
The MOGO team doesn’t just work with the drivers on implementation. On day two or three of the install, the installer heads into the company’s office. The employees learn how to run the upload, review sales, dispatch tickets, and use real-time communication with the tablet and the drivers.
Over time, propane companies have started realizing that MOGO saves them time, as well as money and staff. Through the use of route optimization, drivers that were delivering until 6:00 or 7:00pm are now done at 5:00pm. Route optimization is also saving them mileage and fuel, as well as wear and tear on their trucks. Also, deliveries and tickets synchronize straight to the office. Therefore, there is no need for an employee hand-keying in all of the entries each night or the next day. Right now, hiring employees can be a challenge. Companies are realizing that handheld tech can work to replace the need for extra employees.
Beyond saving time and money, MOGO can be customized to fit the needs of each individual company. MOGO has many custom switches that allow the software to be tailored to each company. Also, when it comes to customer invoices, MOGO ensures you will have the most professional invoice on the block. Options for customization include company logos, totalizers, contract balances, and custom messaging across the bottom. MOGO makes it crystal clear for customers what the propane company is doing on each delivery. This saves a lot of phone calls and questions to staff at propane companies.
Propane Customer Benefits
MOGO enables customers to receive same-day fuel deliveries. With Fuel Distribution System and Route Optimization, office staff can schedule a delivery while the driver is already on the road. This puts the customer into their route and can get them filled that day. Further, invoices can be emailed to the customer, allowing for contactless delivery. With custom switch options in MOGO, companies can ensure their invoices are easy to read and provide all necessary information.
Mogo over time
Over time, MOGO has grown in more ways than one. Two people comprised the MOGO team when Version 1 was developed in 2012. Now, in 2022, Version 4 is in the works and the team has grown to nine people!
The MOGO Team
- Kyle Sheehan – Department Manager (Minnesota)
- Ben Baumgartner – Team Lead (Minnesota)
- Quenton Davis – Senior Support (Alabama)
- George Ebbers – Support (Minnesota)
- Steve White – Support (Maine)
- Paul Gayton – Support (Montana)
- Darin Ditterich – Support (Minnesota)
- Carl Youngkrantz – Support (Minnesota)
- Champ Smith – Support (Mississippi)
The MOGO team spans the whole country. We are proud of this team. One of our favorite aspects is that two of our support team members are former MOGO users. This gives them valuable insight when assisting customers with challenges along the way. Early in November, the entire MOGO team came to Bird Island Headquarters for a Summit and team building week.
The true story is in the numbers. Today, MOGO functions in over 3,000 bobtail trucks across America. Drivers and companies alike are loving our software. They let us know everyday how we can improve it to function better for them. RCC employees work hard everyday taking support calls. We consult on best practices, ensure that hardware is working properly, and test enhancements in the software. We are excited to roll out Version 4, and we can’t wait to see what the next ten years have in store for MOGO!
Not currently using MOGO but interested in giving it a try?
Email us at [email protected] to set up a demo today!