In today’s world, there is no room left to resist new technologies. If before Covid-19 some professionals feared becoming obsolete or being replaced by robots, reality shows us that men and machines can be good allies in changing cultures and processes. Imagine what would become of all of us if there was no e-commerce during social isolation? How can remote/hybrid work last so long if we don’t invest in connectivity and a good cloud infrastructure?
Many sectors of the economy have experienced a cultural change, which has had a direct impact on the adoption of new technologies to automate processes, expedite deliveries, personalize service and provide a better customer experience. At different levels and complexities, companies have moved to remain competitive in a highly dynamic and uncertain scenario.
In the logistics sector, the situation was no different. If the demand for products and supplies fell at the beginning of the epidemic, it grew exponentially after a few months, accompanied by increases in freight rates and logistics bottlenecks, which led foreign trade and the entire chain to reinvent itself using technology as guarantee. , to the extent possible, business liquidity and quality delivery.
Some companies, such as Asia Shipping, have invested more in technological solutions such as Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), which allows integration with customer systems based on file exchange. Through programming languages, the Brazilian multinational created EDI connected to the global platform, which offers the customer some distinctions: the exchange of receipts by email through the exchange of information in digital channels; Reduction of the time devoted to meetings, speed of movement in the availability and access to data, and more security and protection of information. Ultimately, the main objective is to reduce bureaucracy in operations and provide more value to the client when making decisions.
With APIs, also known as APIs, customers can integrate them into their systems to check, in real time, the status of the loads. The consultation can also be made via WhatsApp, giving the client greater autonomy, transparency and security at each stage of this logistics journey. And best of all: The technology is not limited to large corporations and ship and port owners. It is also available for small and medium-sized companies that need to use freight forwarding to expand their business.
It is necessary to demystify the fact that the use of technology is limited to a few and is restricted to large companies. More than technology, digital transformation involves changing culture. As Carol Dweck explains in her book Mindset – The New Psychology of Success, people with a fixed mindset achieve less than they are actually capable of. Those with a growth mindset are willing to learn and turn challenges into opportunities.
In the logistics sector, the use of technology is directly related to the optimization of investment and time. When bots perform repetitive tasks, new opportunities are created for professionals to dedicate themselves to more strategic functions, prioritizing what is most important to companies: the customer experience. Today it is possible, for example, for all the information related to the shipment of goods and the payment of a service to enter a customer’s system without a human interface.
The next step is to invest more in Blockchain, a system of recording information that makes it nearly impossible to alter, hack, or cheat systems. In this way, shippers, shipping lines, port and terminal operators, trucking authorities and customs can connect to monitor shipment data in real time. The objective is to make operations more flexible and secure, which contributes to crime prevention and, in turn, to the growth of this sector.
With more flexible processes, companies can test business models, set goals (KPIs), monitor performance and, if necessary, make adjustments to achieve more satisfactory results. In clients where we have the opportunity to develop a collaborative work of evaluation, diagnosis and implementation of new technologies, the results arise naturally, exceeding all expectations. By gaining volume in the workflow, the company becomes more efficient, reduces costs, reduces bureaucracy in operations and shows that it can be used in a friendly way by companies of all sizes and sectors.
