Date: December 2024
Dear Command Alkon Stakeholders,
As I reflect on the success of our recent Elevate user conference, I am filled with gratitude for the energy, insights, and vision shared by our community. With over 500 participants, 50 breakout sessions, and 10 hours of hands-on support labs, Elevate was a vivid demonstration of our industry’s readiness to embrace the future. We discussed the rapidly changing technology landscape, its impact on the heavy building materials industry, and how we can prepare together for that future.
At Command Alkon, we believe the answer lies in innovation, partnership, and an unrelenting focus on customer success. I am excited to share some of the highlights and transformative developments from this past year as well as shaping the future of our company – and our industry.
Product Innovations: A Cloud-First Vision for Tomorrow
At Elevate, our Chief Product Officer, Ranjeev Teelock, reviewed our progress and shared the roadmap that accelerates our journey toward cloud-enabled, scalable solutions designed to empower your businesses. Key milestones are highlighted below. At your leisure, please watch this short video to see how we are delivering on our unified cloud experience with Command Cloud.
1. Dispatch for Ready Mix in Command Cloud
- A new, modern and intuitive user experience for cloud Dispatch has already shown transformative results to customers who have embraced the solution. As one of our customers noted, “We had someone who hadn’t even used the prior version already dispatching in a day.”
- Rapid Deployment Tools that streamline and simplify your conversion from Integra and COMMANDseries to cloud Dispatch.
- Upcoming additions to the current product include enhanced sales and quoting and management of accounts receivable, giving you greater control and operational visibility.
2. Dispatch for Aggregate and Asphalt in Command Cloud
- Consistent with our Command 3.0 strategy to focus our attention on the three industries we serve, last March we announced a significant investment to bring a modern, cloud experience to our aggregate and asphalt customers. With the soon-to-be-released Dispatch for Aggregate, including cloud-based Scale Ticketing, many of our aggregate customers will be able to take advantage of the entire Command Cloud product suite. Innovations will continue for both aggregate suppliers and asphalt producers throughout 2025 and beyond.
3. COMMANDbatch Innovations
- Our vision for the future of Plant Automation will greatly simplify the on-premises technology required for batching and with next-generation IoT, we will further expand plant innovations and enable autonomous plant operations for our COMMANDbatch and Marcotte Batch customers.
- The release of MIntelligent Feed for COMMANDbatch as well as a cloud-connected COMMANDbatch are the first of several planned innovations for the Command Cloud Plant Automation platform. Launching in early 2025, these two product innovations represent a leap forward in automation and efficiency for plant operations, delivering smarter decision-making and seamless integration within the Command Alkon cloud ecosystem.
4. TrackIt Innovations
- With the fresh, modern Command Cloud user experience, new dashboards, unified messaging, and advanced alert management, TrackIt is once again redefining product delivery tracking and driver performance.
- Our new Deliveries solution simplifies and enhances the eTicketing capabilities of MOBILEticket.
- The addition of Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIR) for all vehicle types ensures compliance and safety while simplifying operations.
5. Customer Portal Innovations
- Now in its 3rd major release, Customer Portal provides a seamless customer experience to request and track orders, see mixers on a map, review invoices, and message directly with the Dispatcher. Now with e-sign for deliveries, drivers can leave their tablet in the truck at the jobsite. By also using Payments in Command Cloud, customers can make payments seamlessly through the solution.
- By putting your company name and logo on the app and in the app stores, you can provide a branded mobile experience to your customers, differentiating you in your markets.
6. Payments in Command Cloud
- Fully integrated payment collection for credit cards, debit cards, and ACH from within Cloud Dispatch and Customer Portal greatly improves customer experience, enables Dispatching and AR efficiency, and speeds cash collection. Our payment processing partner also brings next-generation technology to traditional merchant services and is dramatically reducing the payment processing costs for many customers.
7. Sustainability Suite in Command Cloud
- Sustainability is at the core of our strategy. Our Command Cloud sustainability foundation, which will be available in early 2025, will provide a platform for tracking and managing your environmental footprint, helping you meet regulatory demands, win more contracts, increase profitability, and be a leader in the transition to a greener future.
8. Artificial Intelligence in Command Cloud
- Artificial Intelligence is no longer a distant innovation – it’s a practical tool driving real-world results across the heavy building materials industry. As noted above, our MIntelligent Feed solution is setting the standard for plant automation efficiency.
- We are also leveraging AI to enhance predictive analytics, optimize routes, and automate supply chain processes. By integrating AI-driven insights, our solutions will enable proactive decision-making, improve operational efficiency, and unlock more advanced customer data and intelligence. From virtual dispatch centers to automated customer assistance and sustainability tracking, AI will help you tackle challenges head-on while positioning your businesses for a more informed, more connected future.
These innovations reflect our philosophy of “Release Early, Release Often,” ensuring faster feedback loops, improved quality, and reduced time-to-market for features that meet your evolving needs.
Customer Operations: Elevating Support and Service Excellence
Our Chief Customer Officer, Brett Bertz, shared during the Elevate keynote exciting advancements in our approach to customer engagement, with a renewed focus on speed, efficiency, and continuous improvement:
1. Transforming Customer Support
- Investments in expertise, digital tools, including self-help options and AI-driven support, have significantly improved our speed in answering your calls and reducing the time to resolve your issues.
2. Operational Excellence Through Expertise
- Over 120 customers representing +600 plants have either successfully transitioned to cloud Dispatch or are in the process of on-boarding. With our investments in rapid implementation capabilities, we expect this number increase to more than 250 customers in the cloud by the end of 2025. Through a well-defined methodology – spanning needs definition, project scoping, and product adoption services – we ensure timely implementation and measurable outcomes.
3. The Voice of the Customer
- By incorporating feedback through Net Promoter Scores, Customer Effort Surveys, and Customer Satisfaction Surveys we’re continuously refining our services to better meet your needs.
4. Strategic Learning and Development
- At Command Alkon, we recognize that the strength of our solutions is matched only by the capabilities of the people who use them. That’s why we are investing heavily in robust learning and development programs to ensure your teams are equipped to excel in an evolving industry.
- CALMS, the Command Alkon Learning Management System, now boasts over 200 registered users, with 270 course completions across topics designed to enhance operational excellence and technical expertise. We are adding new courses and certifications regularly and ensuring current courses are updated to reflect the rapidly evolving cloud products.
- CALMS courses include badging and certification options, allowing users to demonstrate their mastery of critical skills. We were pleased to launch our badging and certification program officially at our Elevate Conference, and had over 100 participants walk away with certifications.
- We are complimenting CALMS with real-time learning via an interactive webinar series featuring our experts on-demand.
5. Continuous Improvement
- To further foster continuous improvement, we’ve embraced Lean Six Sigma and have rolled-out training to all our employees. We currently have 37 team members who have achieved Yellow Belt certification and a Green Belt program launching in 2025.
These initiatives reflect our commitment to creating not just solutions, but partnerships – helping you and your teams stay ahead of the curve with the tools, training, and knowledge to succeed today and in the future.
Shaping the Future Together
As technology continues to advance, so does our industry. Whether through artificial intelligence, IoT, or augmented reality, the tools of tomorrow are present today. Our job is to help you adopt them effectively, improving security, safety, efficiency, and sustainability across your operations.
Our mission remains unchanged: to be your trusted partner in building a more connected, intelligent, and resilient supply chain for the heavy building materials industry. We are doubling down on our commitment to Sustainability, Security, Smart Solutions, Service Excellence, and Scalability, ensuring our solutions meet the challenges of today while preparing you for tomorrow.
As we close this transformative year, I want to thank you for your trust and collaboration. Your feedback, challenges, and successes are the driving force behind our innovations. Together, we are not just keeping up with change—we are leading it.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any ideas or questions. Let’s continue building the future, together.
Best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season,
Martin Willoughby
CEO, Command Alkon