Just ahead of SAPICS 2017, Strato IT Group’s Miguel Jorge, Solution Architect and Integration Specialist, talks about achieving last mile visibility through digitisation, cloud computing and mobility. According to Jorge, the combination of the three technologies will improve logistics tracking and customer satisfaction, and is something that needs to be more widely understood and implemented locally.

“The combination of cloud computing, mobility and digitisation enables businesses to be proactive and improve logistics processes cost effectively, while at the same time, improving customer satisfaction. It is a mind-set that needs to change, understanding that mobile computing is not only relevant to consumer-facing businesses,” says Jorge.

He says that when combined, the three concepts bring immense value to a business and most importantly, to the customer: “Cloud computing is accessible anywhere anytime and is cost effective; mobile computing is not limited to consumer applications and can be used effectively to improve business and digitisation of logistics processes allows for important documentation and processes to be converted into usable data.”

Jorge says there are six ways to recognise if a business should consider whether to digitise or not:

1.    Process adherence – current processes and poor discipline circumvent procedures for ensuring all documents are completed and records are comprehensive.

2.    Record keeping – incomplete historic documentation and poor access to records.

3.    Evidence – no evidence of variances or stock claims. Present procedures not adhered to and dispute procedures inadequate.

4.    Visibility – current practice provides poor visibility of the delivery process and its supporting documentation.

5.    Lack of information – current processes do not support the need to convert data into information for better decision making.

6.    Existing procedures and processes are paper driven and dictate times.

Having developed StratoPOD, one of their first mobile business applications, Strato IT Group has successfully implemented it within several challenging environments ranging from sand and stone to motor vehicle parts: “We have gained immeasurable experience working with a range of customers and have seen first-hand the positive change affected by digitising a delivery system,” says Jorge.

Strato IT Group will be at SAPICS 2017. Visit them on stand PG 31 or for more information visit www.stratopod.co.za