Business Operations & Supply Chain Visibility

Operations & Supply Chain Visibility

Keeping a finger on the pulse of a large business operation or supply chain is becoming increasingly challenging. Circumstances change by the minute. Ports close due to lockdown or natural disasters. Container shipping costs have skyrocketed. Interest rates are up, and fuel prices are through the roof. Markets are changing (e.g. AfCFTA). New technologies and competitors seem to pop up everywhere. Supply chain service providers, -users, and operational execs are faced with various operational challenges:

• Shipments are rerouted, delayed, miss loading slots
• High-value cargo can be hijacked or stolen
• Sensitive or fragile cargo can be damaged or spoilt in transit or during loading/offloading - think perishable fresh foodstuffs, fresh fruit, vegetables, electronics, etc
• On-the-fly decision making is hampered by conflicting and often delayed information from different sources
• Demanding SLA or regulatory compliance requirements

Visibility Platforms Explained

Visibility platforms (software + tracking devices) compile and analyse real-time data across the shipping journey to provide end-to-end shipment visibility across different industry applications. This offers the commercial customer the ability to independently track-and-trace assets/inventory/shipments live and in real-time, e.g. from the point where the item/shipment leaves the farmer's, manufacturer’s, supplier’s, or service provider’s warehouse/distribution centre up to the point where it arrives at the destination, allowing you to keep track of the current location, condition, and status of these items throughout the journey.

A visibility platform offers the following benefits:

• Transparency - Real-time end-to-end accurate shipment data
• Hyper-accurate location information
• Offering convenient IOT connectivity benefits via cellular, wifi, or GPS
• Tracking important performance data
• Accurately monitor supplier performance
• Live data for KPI monitoring: transit time, stops and halt periods, loading times, unauthorised pauses or unexpected delays
• Accurate projections based on real data: on time arrivals, ahead of plan, or behind schedule
• One version of the truth
• Consolidated data view
• Across different locations, routes, supply chain service providers and channels
• Audit trail
  • Accurately monitor cargo conditions such as light, temperature, humidity, shock and vibrations
  • Prove SLA compliance or regulatory compliance, e.g. pharmaceuticals
• Accountability
• Pinpoint and allocate accountability for damage if and when it occurs
• Real-time actionable insights
• Make fact-based decisions to respond to and manage exceptions
• Reduce costs and minimise damage or losses
• Identify operational bottlenecks
• Make data-driven decisions to develop business cases, mitigate risks or loss prevention strategies
• Improve the quality of forecasting and inventory management
• Maximise operational efficiency
• Increase customer satisfaction
• Improve profitability

Target Market

While this solution is focused on industry players in the following industries, other commercial and industrial roleplayers could potentially also benefit from it:

Corporate users of Supply Chain services who wish to track their shipments or improve end-to-end visibility of shipments

• Manufacturers
• Distributors
• Retailers
• Pharmaceuticals
• Farmers and growers of fruit, vegetables and flowers
• Processors of perishable foodstufs & Caterers
• Importers & Exporters
• High-value cargo
• Fragile cargo

Supply Chain service providers

• Fleet owners & Operators
• 2PL, 3PL, 4PL Logistics Providers
• Other Supply Chain Service Providers

The above is a short explanation of the various advantages from using a Visibility Platform to gain insight over your supply chain and value chain activities.

If you need more details, or would be interested in a confidential discussion around your business requirements, please contact us today.