The rollout of an online platform in the South African fruit industry to receive, verify, process and deliver certification documentation shows that the country is moving forward in the way in which it is making use of technology.According to Gerrit Visser of GoGlobal, the eCert platform is eliminating inefficiencies that currently exist in paper-based processes. The platform is also highlighting how technology can enhance systems and processes in the logistics and freight sector.“However, we need to ensure that the inefficiencies of the legacy paper processes are not built into the electronic processes we are moving to. With the growth of the Internet of Things (IoT), more information is available. This now needs to be incorporated into the traditional logistics information that was available. The information can then be used to make knowledge-based decisions.”He says one of the biggest changes at GoGlobal is empowering clients using state-of-the-art technology and systems. “Our goal is to supply them with live and accurate business intelligence about their product and its movement on a continuous basis.”The company continues to use technology to differentiate itself. Thanks to the development of a custom-built solution, GoGlobal enables its customers to compare earnings per product year-on-year between different customers and markets.“We also ensure that they are able to track the logistical planning process from beginning to end. We give them the opportunity to set up notifications on their devices about any delays in the logistical journey of their cargo. The customer can also decide if they want to be notified about any other specific events in the logistical process. All of this is also done on custom-built platforms.”But in the world of tech one can never sit back, so GoGlobal is constantly involved in new developments to up its game and its service offering.Visser explains: “With more information being available, the challenge is always how to combine it all into one and ensure that it’s correct and updated regularly – especially given the changes that are happening continuously in the logistics and shipping environment. “The more data there is available, the harder it is to get the correct combination of information to ensure that the correct decisions are taken for business.”GoGlobal is currently working on several new developments, including a process to allow the clients of its customers to get access to the same logistical data as the customers, with approval, to track the movement of their cargo.“Also coming is the live tracking of the movement of cargo together with the monitoring of the cold chain,” adds Visser.
