This post originally appeared on the ShareFile blog.
Citrix ShareFile customers juggle multiple tasks and challenges to run profitable businesses and deliver exceptional services to clients. Transportation Compliance Services USA (TCS) is no exception. For over 20 years, TCS has provided custom DOT compliance and risk management consulting services, helping motor carriers maintain compliance with state and federal transportation regulations.
Brooke Sulivant, the business manager at TCS, shared details with Deborah Reinert on how ShareFile helps TCS keep work moving.
Tell us more about TCS and the business.
Brooke: TCS is a small business with a team of 13 employees who are compliant specialists and have in-depth knowledge of the compliance requirements of the DOT. TCS actually supports a network of small business owners who make up a part of the US commercial trucking industry. With over 340 clients and adding 10 additional clients to that base each month on average, TCS supports 1500 – 2000 drivers. Many of these drivers are a one-truck-one-driver shop business owner. Some of our other clients are larger with six to seven locations and hundreds of drivers with a safety manager at each location.
How does TCS help trucking company owners maintain compliance?
Brooke: If you’re a new trucking company, the DOT does a new entrant audit to validate that the company is compliant with industry regulations and set up for standards in the trucking business. The timing of these audits typically fall within the first 6-9 months after a business opens their doors – but with only one week prior notice! Using TCS services, trucking company owners know that the files shared with TCS are securely filed and readily available during an audit to show they are monitoring against compliance requirements. DOT audits typically involve hundreds of items.
How do clients upload files and access folders daily?
Brooke: It is different for each client based on their size, but we have contracts for every client. We do use the email feature for notification when files are uploaded to a folder and some clients are in their folders multiple times per day. Thirteen employees view 50-60 client files once a quarter with a comprehensive overview.
How does ShareFile support TCS?
Brooke: Knowing DOT standards and regulation requirements, TCS uses ShareFile to set up file structures and subfolders that are already in line with what a DOT auditor would expect to see. Things like a drug and alcohol testing folder, a violations folder or a folder that documents up-to-date physical inspections on each truck. All of these details come down to a piece of paper – and what a paper trail this is! When an auditor wants to see files, the file structure is the first indication that things are organized and well-documented. The audit goes more smoothly and our clients know we have them covered.
Before TCS implemented ShareFile client portals for uploads, how were clients managing their files?
Brooke: Most of the clients were mailing files via the US post mail or using unsecured emails to send files to TCS. As you can imagine, we aren’t willing to move back to a paper-based process and we’re committed to helping our clients understand the importance of sending files that are encrypted, and how simple it is.
How does TCS integrate the use of ShareFile into the future of business?
Brooke: TCS has an onboarding process for each new client and the client portal and file structures for each client are pretty much the same. We give clients access to their folders and files through the client portal. Our clients confidently upload files directly into the right sub folder, available for any DOT audit that may come along. The entire process is streamlined, easy to teach and is scalable as both TCS and our clients grow.
Oh! And all the old paper files? They are gone! Existing and new clients are sold up-front on the value of TCS and the file sync and share system we use. Since we teach clients how to upload and manage files as an integral part of our new client training, we use the most efficient file management processes from the very beginning.
Are there any final comments or thoughts you’d like to leave with our readers?
Brooke: During the Louisiana flooding that occurred last summer, TCS had two clients in the New Orleans area who had buildings that were partially under water – one of those clients had all their files uploaded into their TCS client portal and were backed up on ShareFile. Just another reason we love the ShareFile product!
