Systems Should Talk to Each Other
A few days ago, I submitted a request to replace my RO water purifier with the company’s new model. In fact, that’s one of many advantages of using a no-capex, subscription-based RO purifier—you can get the latest model when they update their technology. But in this case, I instantly regretted this move. This is what happened. The company’s logistics team dismantled and took away my RO the next day, and I even received a call the following day for the delivery of my new RO. But things took a turn for the worst when they mentioned that they were at my old address—even after I changed my address while shifting from my previous address. Indeed, their logistics team installed it at my new place. I even got it serviced once at my new place. Long story short, it took almost two weeks and several customer care calls and complaints to get my new RO installed. It turns out they use separate ERPs for logistics and internal processes. This a perfect example of why you should have systems that talk to each other.
It is a sure bet that technology will continue to play a pivotal role in the logistics industry in the coming years. AI, Big Data Analytics, and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) are expected to redefine procurement & planning phases of supply chains, helping organizations to fathom improved demand forecasts & real-time route optimization and predict supply chain risks, such as delays, non-compliance, and lack of transparency. A step further, Blockchain can also be a breakthrough in terms of supply chain data centralization and ensuring more seamless, transparent relationships between suppliers, customers, exchanges, and carriers. In this special issue, we feature some of the competitive leaders in the logistics industry.
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