Forward, Summer 2016 Issue

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Summer 2016 Q Forward Magazine
systems, or could be bombarded with too
much or too little data without user- or
role-dependent display options. In addition,
what may appear as an advanced display may
ultimately serve as only a basic reporting
tool when true functionality is analyzed.
Successful businesses are enabling mobile
and cloud-based applications that actively
anticipate scenarios and generate exception-
based alerts or compliance notifications
based on missed shipment milestones
or quantity deviations with user-defined
tolerance levels for resolution. They are
also giving end customers role-based
visibility into data and role-based access to
documents, and proactively providing data
in a way that is customizable.
The Right Format
As industry change and technology
evolution continue to drive new data
standards, many different types of
organizations are moving to updated
data standards to make better use of
information. Many of the newer formats
are championed by industry modernization
programs and associations. The air cargo
industry is a clear example of this trend
as freight forwarders and logistics service
providers move to adopt standards that
were once only open to carriers. Tools such
as the eAWB Multilateral Agreement and
others bridge the gap between old data
standards and new formats with little effort.
Businesses are also moving from Cargo-
IMP to Cargo-XML enabled technology or
other eAWB solutions to take advantage of
the benefits of a paperless airway bill.
No discussion would be complete without
addressing Electronic Data Interchange
(EDI) and similar formats that have been
refined over a number of years. Some
larger businesses have made substantial
IT investments to build and maintain
their own EDI systems—and proprietary
data standards—but can find they wrestle
with too many IT challenges when their
core competency is in moving freight.
Successful companies have embraced EDI
and are continuing to make the transition
to frequently used standards. Businesses
have a number of options as to how to
implement EDI and are leveraging a
number of tools to enable connectivity
including web to EDI forms, data
extractions and many others.
Bringing it all Together
For companies in the logistics and
transportation industry, the task is two-
fold: move freight and move data; however,
it is not necessary to adopt a big data
strategy to thrive in today’s marketplace.
Market leaders are carefully analyzing
current, past and potential future business
and selecting operational segments where
better data management makes sense
and can speed the movement of freight
while enhancing customs compliance and
security. Given the central position they
play in the supply chain, as the hub of
bi-directional information exchange with
multiple types of supply chain participants,
freight forwarders and logistics service
providers are prime candidates to derive
benefits from technology, pass cost savings
on to customers and realize the critical
gains that are essential to success.
Scott Sangster, Vice President,
Global Logistics Network at Descartes
Scott is the Vice President of Sales in
Western North America for Descartes’
Logistics Service Provider (LSP)
customers and also acts as the global
strategic account manager for many
international accounts. Scott has worked
with the Descartes GLN™ solution suite
for over 20 years and his experience in
technology and logistics has added value
in the development and deployment of
new Descartes services and solutions.