ITMATTERS
combine advanced capabilities like machine learning and natural language processing along with traditional OCR. This democratization of AI allows employees to digitally transform all sorts of document processes, such as a bill of lading, airway bill, cargo insurance certi cate, invoice, delivery note, or packing list. What used to take months will now be done in days. In fact, analysts believe that by 2024, 75% of enterprises will have four or more low code/no code development tools that will increase productivity and improve operational ef ciency. 2022 will shine a de nitive spotlight on the experience as a metric for success in the transport and logistics sector. In shaping that goal, we will see unprecedented growth in new technologies like IDP, along with low code/no code applications that will be behind the upskilling of hundreds of employees. n
the complex process of sourcing and onboarding new suppliers again lies with documents and processes. Negotiating agreements and setting up letters of credit and contracts all need scrutiny, better accuracy, and to be done at breakneck speed in times of crisis. There is also the growing issue of labor shortages. While we saw staf ng issues due to illness and quarantine, the post- pandemic Great Resignation is seeing the skills problem exasperated. Those who are still working need to be upskilled to deal with the ongoing changes in technology. As intelligent automation replaces menial labor tasks, employees need more training on software applications. Many technologies involve low-code/ no-code platforms, which means the automation process is being put into the hands of employees. Staff will be responsible for initiating digital changes by using off-the-shelf solutions that
still doing many things manually—such as printing out electronic PDFs and then typing the data back into their software applications. The goal of digital transformation is to take away those troublesome, time-consuming, and error- prone manual steps and bene t from straight-through processing. A Japanese global logistics company we work with used IDP to improve its current data capture solution for paying invoices and streamlining customs clearance. The switch reduced shipping delays and cut invoice processing times from 40 minutes to four minutes per document. By upgrading legacy software like optical character recognition (OCR) with a more modern, no-code approach, companies can truly bene t from digital transformation. IDP uses technologies like arti cial intelligence and machine learning to better understand, read, and analyze every piece of information on a document so it can make a decision on what to do with it—without a human having to get involved. Better still, it can learn from new documents and user interactions to make improvements along the way. All sorts of documents can be processed touchless, such as purchase orders, invoices, trade bills, waybills, declarations, dock receipts, packing lists, labor logs and supplier or employee onboarding forms. And this type of friction-free document processing can de nitely improve the experience for staff and customers. It’s a win-win. 3. A shift in sourcing methods and upskilling staff with tech. Many people blamed the disruptions in the supply chain over the past two years solely on the pandemic. However, some of the most newsworthy problems, such as the Suez Canal blockage, were not related to COVID-19 and resulted in massive delays and negative impact to employers, partners, and employees. Manufacturers and logistics providers quickly realized they needed to be more resilient and adaptable, and identi ed sourcing as a challenging issue. But
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