Co-operation key to uinlocking IT opportunities

Technology provides “huge opportunities” for enhancing the South African supply chain, although the challenge is obtaining uptake by users, co-operation by the various players across the chain and the sharing of data, says CoreFreight managing director, Jonathan Sims. “Certain participants represent greater opportunities to leverage improvement than others, and they need to acknowledge and fulfil their responsibility in this regard. The use of IT can certainly support this, but not without the initial commitment to co-operation to find a solution,” he comments. Sims highlights a recent example where this was illustrated: “One of the Sars release agents does not process transactions in accordance with the ‘paperless release’ procedures prescribed by Sars, causing unnecessary delay and inconvenience for the forwarding industry. Although there are existing easily implemented solutions available that would address this problem, we have not yet managed to identify a representative with whom the issue can be discussed, so all the technology is irrelevant at this point.” On the other side of the coin, notes Sims, the Sars modernisation programme represents a positive example of commitment to co-operation between Sars and service providers. “Despite some individual concerns, collaboration was a prerequisite to the recent successful implementation of the Interfront application,” he says. He says it would be naïve to think that the electronic sphere alone would make a major difference to the supply chain without recognising the impact of factors such as congestion at the ports and land border posts, transportation networks, or even the impact of foreign exchange rates on input costs. But companies can gain a competitive edge through the intelligent use of IT. “We do not believe that a single application or service provider can offer optimum functionality along every link of the supply chain. We therefore actively participate in those areas where we see an opportunity and have appropriate experience." INSERT & CAPTION The electronic sphere alone cannot make a major difference to the supply chain. – Jonathan Sims