The journey to paperless and efficient logistics

Metrosystem OÜ is a company specializing in pallet repair and sales. We spoke with Villem Massur, Sales Manager at Metrosystem, about how Metrotec OÜ has helped them keep their work processes efficient and optimized.

When did your cooperation begin, and how did you find Metrotec?

“Our cooperation started around 2011. I can’t recall exactly who contacted whom first, but I remember bringing our first vehicle to Veerenni Street to have the devices installed. At that time, our fleet was expanding, and we needed real-time visibility of vehicle locations and movements.” Back then, several GPS tracking providers were under consideration, and meetings were held with different companies.

“In the end, we chose Metrotec because communication felt right and their support was professional and reliable.”

What has been the greatest value so far?

“Daily work has become significantly easier.” Gone are the days of calling drivers with questions like: “Where are you? When will you arrive?” No more dialing numbers, waiting for answers, and wondering whether the driver is at the gas station or already at the client’s site.

“Just this Monday morning, a driver reminded me: ‘Hey, you called me on Friday…’”

Work has become much quicker and more efficient. With real-time maps showing where each driver is heading or has already been, there’s no need to call separately. It’s also easier to decide whether to fit another job into today’s schedule or if the calendar is already full. Using data from Metrotec, I can also make better future forecasts. Our Metrotec system is always open — we constantly monitor where and how our vehicles are moving.

How did you move to digital delivery notes?

We had been considering digital delivery notes and included them in our 2024 plans. Around the New Year, Metrotec contacted me to introduce their digital delivery notes and task management module. The timing was perfect, and we implemented the digital delivery notes solution.

The need to constantly print, collect, scan, send to clients, and archive paper delivery notes — which takes unnecessary storage space — disappeared.

Orders entered in Directo automatically move to the Metrotec platform, where we plan logistics and assign orders to vehicles. Drivers see the order details on their mobile devices, prepare the loads, deliver the goods, and collect signatures.

Signed digital delivery notes are automatically sent to the client’s email and are always available in our office.

Paper is no longer printed, time spent scanning and sending notes is saved, archive space is freed, and the process is modernized.

The previous process

Previously, even a client just 100 meters away required:

1. Printing a delivery note.
2. Driver collecting the note from the office.
3. Loading the order.
4. Client signing the note.
5. Returning the paper to the office.
6. Scanning, emailing, and archiving the signed note.

It was cumbersome and time-consuming — a process now fully automated.

How has the transition gone?

“We decided to start slowly and learn along the way. There’s no point in just clicking buttons for the sake of it. So far, it has worked very well. Delivery notes move automatically, and all drivers manage fine.

If questions arise, we can always contact Metrotec. Sometimes we joke that we are a ‘company of older people’ — we don’t want to make endless calls and deal with constant communication. We just want to assign tasks quickly and efficiently with a few clicks.”

How have partners accepted digital delivery notes?

In general, partners have accepted the system well. Some were skeptical at first: when drivers asked for signatures on their phones, the reaction could be: “What is this? I’m not signing anything here!”

Some clients were hesitant because the digital signature opens in a separate window — similar to online banking PIN codes — so they don’t see the original paper. Most of these concerns have been resolved.

Sometimes we joke that we’re a “company of older folks” — we’re done with endless phone calls and back-and-forth messages. We just want to assign tasks quickly and easily with a few clicks and get the work done.

There are also positive stories. Some clients express delight: “Ah, you’re the one without paper delivery notes — that’s great!” The client’s concern is immediately solved because the delivery note is automatically available via email, already digital and signed.

The biggest benefit? We instantly have a digital, signed record of the delivery.

How many people in your company use the Metrotec system?

Three people in the office and ten drivers use it. We’re not a transport company, but we want to make our work as convenient as possible.

Have competitors tried to lure you away?

Occasionally, yes, with better offers. But we’ve had Metrotec from the start — communication is smooth, and any issues are quickly resolved.

Our goal is to use as few different programs as possible in daily work. Metrotec lets us manage electronic delivery notes, organize logistics, assign tasks to drivers, and monitor vehicle locations and fuel consumption — all in one platform. As a small bonus, it also saves time by automatically downloading tachograph files.

Is competition strong in your sector?

There are several competitors in Estonia, but we’re the only company with official licenses to handle EUR/EPAL pallets. Large foreign companies aren’t interested in entering the market because pallets take up a lot of space, and long-distance transport isn’t practical. Abroad, similar companies exist, but they all operate within specific regions.

What are the biggest challenges in your industry?

• Overregulation and bureaucracy: Often, we must take actions that aren’t practical. For example, a perfectly good pallet may be classified as packaging waste at the seller’s request. The buyer must then treat it as a new product and bear all costs related to “market launch,” even though we do no physical work — just lots of reports across incompatible systems.
• ESG reporting requirements: We aren’t directly obligated to report, but many of our major clients are. That means we must collect, process, and provide production and transport data to help them meet ESG requirements.
• Driver shortage: Drivers are aging, and there aren’t enough young replacements.

What do your clients expect most from you?

Since pallets are a fairly standard product, clients primarily expect competitive prices and fast delivery.

Villem Massur
Sales Manager, Metrosystem

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