GETTING THE MOST FROM TECHNOLOGY
can offer value by identifying the “why” behind decisions to expedite, and show how to do better in the future, says Sam Polakoff, founder and chief executive with BrillDog, which offers supply chain solutions for small to mid- sized businesses. When expedited shipping is needed because of a mistake somewhere else in the operation—say, the right inventory is not in the right place at the right time—arti cial intelligence and business analytics can provide insight showing how the situation might be better handled going forward, Polakoff says. DON’T FORGET PEOPLE Even as technology becomes more critical to meeting delivery timeframes, the insight and experience employees can offer remain key. For example, A. Duie Pyle, a transportation and logistics provider offering LTL service and extended coverage, is data driven and leverages a routing solution to plan deliveries, says John Luciani, chief operating of cer of LTL solutions. At the same time, given the company’s diverse eet and broad customer constraints, arti cial intelligence sometimes fails to return a group of ef cient routes that maximizes capacity while minimizing miles. “When we have that scenario, we nd that our driver’s engagement helps to improve route density and reduce miles, while satisfying the customer’s delivery constraints,” Luciani says. To really drive operational ef ciency,
While technology is essential to speed transportation, leveraging its benefits typically requires several changes. First is a paradigm shift. “People need to get out of the mindset that we can live how we lived for so many years before,” says Mohit Sinha, chief business ocer with Hwy Haul. Instead, executives need to consider the longer-term benefits of investing in technology that can drive improved performance and confer a competitive edge. When working with freight providers, shippers should request information on the value-add tools and new features they bring to the table or plan to bring in the near future, says Kyle Humphries, pre-sales consultant, Rose Rocket. Transportation providers that still use spreadsheets are signaling they’re not future-focused and that they value owning their own data over transparency, he says.
Load status software such as Hwy Haul enables real- time visibility.
While technology can streamline processes and enhance communication, the old axiom of “garbage in, garbage out” still applies, says Sam Polako of BrillDog. Before implementing new technology, shippers need to check that their data is accurate and up-to-date. Increasingly, boosting eciency requires a willingness to share data across organizations within a supply chain. Many remain concerned about the safety of shared information, just as they did before moving to cloud-based solutions. “The willingness to share data will require a similar mindset change,” Sinha says. That willingness appears to be gaining strength. If there’s a bright side to the recent supply chain challenges, it’s that they’ve shown how supply chains are under pressure. This realization is prompting supply chain leaders to collaborate more across the value chain, using tools like application programming interfaces (APIs), so all gain visibility. Another way to ensure packages move to their destinations more quickly is to make sure they begin at an appropriate starting point. “The farther inventory is from customers, the less opportunity to expedite shipments without significant additional cost and manual intervention,” Shaw says. Conversely, placing inventory close to anticipated demand boosts shippers’ ability to quickly ship to customers. Given the ongoing growth in e-commerce, many companies will need to rethink their distribution networks.
team members need to understand the role they play and their impact on
transportation. “Freight is a team sport, where most of the players are spread across multiple companies throughout the supply chain,” Humphries says. All stakeholders need to be kept in the loop on pertinent information. “When parts of the team are left in the dark, mistakes happen, frustration grows, and expedited transportation is next to impossible,” he adds. n
November 2022 • Inbound Logistics 35
Powered by FlippingBook