Extranet use growing rapidly says Speedy

UK rental company Speedy said the number of customers using its extranet service has reached 6000 with 300 new users joining every month.

Speedy said it would launch a new online ordering site later this year that will be integrated with the extranet.

The company started offering a web portal to its customers in June 2009, when around 500 customers, mainly larger companies, started using the system. The extranet, called My Speedy, gives customers constant access to their account details including invoices, equipment hire reports and equipment orders.

The portal is also linked to the new PDA system used by Speedy's delivery drivers, which provide live data such as equipment photos and proof of delivery.

James Fleming, group IT director at Speedy, said: "We are always striving to provide a more efficient and flexible service to our customers and My Speedy has been designed to reduce time-intensive admin and to cut costs in the process.

"Because the system can be tailored to suit individual customer needs we have found it has become a valuable business tool."

Speedy said the system reduces the time its customers spend on administration by automatically generating and distributing hire activity and invoice reports.

The company said that it expected to launch "a new customer website which will be fully integrated with My Speedy allowing users to hire and purchase equipment direct from the online catalogue."