Special Report Transportation Management
Also, in the blue-collar environment such as field service and logistics, Upton observes some industry commentators arguing that BYOD is the future. However, he believes the reality is it’s not that simple. “On the one hand, from a customer’s point of view, there can be issues concerning professional perception,” he said. “For example, if a customer, whether a consumer or business client, receives goods and is asked to sign for them on a small consumer-grade device by running their finger across a screen that has probably been touched by another 20 or 30 or so people that same day, that can certainly leave a bad impression.” Upton adds that there is also the fact that in the field service and transportation less scope for planning than you would have
Device (BYOD) remains an interesting area
businesses, couriers will need to operate their
working within a next-day model. With this in
of debate, although he believes it is a
mobile devices in some challenging
mind, we can provide mobile device software
concept that works in certain marketplaces
environments. “Therefore, some consumer-
that can calculate the best routes that
better than others. He commented: “For
grade devices, regardless of whether they are
couriers should use for making a same-day
someone working in an office doing typical
fitted with a rugged case or not, can prove to
delivery.”
white-collar work and engaging in social
be less resilient,” he said. On the other hand,
activities at the weekend, having a
if workers are told that their ruggedised
From a business-to-consumer perspective,
smartphone has become an important
business-grade devices are more or less
Upton believes the move towards the same-
accessory in that, people are now able to
indestructible, Upton believes they are not
day model is largely due to consumers
access both social and work-related emails
likely to treat them as carefully as they should.
increasingly wanting almost instant
etc., which can both enhance their social
One way to overcome this potential issue, in
gratification. “They know that they can go onto
and business worlds. There may, of course,
his view, is to give drivers some form of
iTunes and download a whole album within
be implications regarding security and
financial incentive to treat their mobile devices
less than 60 seconds; so people’s digital
supportability when using consumer devices
with more care. “For example, if the driver is charged with the first £250 of the repair costs,
“
which could maybe be taken out of a small
Transportation software enables manufacturing companies to provide greater service to their clients, it is therefore becoming an important element of commercial strategies.” – Fabrice Maquignon, Wolters Kluwer Transport Services.
bond, this can prove to cut down repair outlays considerably,” he said. David Williamson, UK key account manager at Transporeon, has observed that the
expectations are starting to spill over into the
for business purposes. For example, it would
Internet logistics platform format is becoming
physical world,” he remarked. “Organisations
be advisable to have an activated passcode.
increasingly popular in the world of
such as Google, Amazon and eBay are
There is also the possibility of the device
transportation management. “Through better
heavily testing these kinds of demands in the
getting damaged by, for example, being
collaboration between the shipper and its
marketplace. Eventually, I think we will end up
dropped onto a hard surface; potentially
network of carriers, optimising individual loads
with a model we haven’t quite imagined yet,
compromising the user’s ability to go about
can be achieved more easily,” he said.
and I believe this won’t be the traditional
his or her daily tasks within the work
“Companies working within the transportation
same-day courier or traditional next-day type
environment. However, with the rugged cases
management space naturally want to reduce
model, but will be something in between;
that are now widely available, this can militate
transport costs and ‘empty miles’ etc., and
something that can ensure same-day
against serious damage in many instances.
there’s only so much they can achieve by
deliveries more efficiently and over a wider
So, although there are some justifiable
taking the physical cost out of the equation.
geographical area.”
concerns regarding the use of consumer
The key then is to find an IT solution that is
devices for business purposes, I don’t believe
best able to optimise the fleets involved.
they are absolute showstoppers.”
There are functions within Transporeon’s
Upton also considers that Bring Your Own
8
IT
MANUFACTURING
&LOGISTICS
October 2014
www.logisticsit.com