Logistics operators
will need to
come up with
creative ways to
remain competitive in an
increasingly expensive local
market, says Easyclear
general manager Michael
Henning.
And they’ll need to
leverage technology to
take advantage of the
opportunities for growth.
“Challenges facing
agents in southern Africa
have not changed much –
infrastructure, the high
cost of logistics and a
shortage of skilled staff,”
says Henning.
“Government has
pledged millions to address
ailing infrastructure – but
given the current economic
crunch it is becoming
more difficult to keep up
with this commitment and
it may fall to the private
sector to fill the gap where
government falls short. The
volatility of the currency
and high fuel prices also
add considerably to the
high cost of logistics in
South Africa.”
In terms of the skills
shortage, it’s not a local
phenomenon,
says
Henning.
“More
and more
international
freight
forwarders
are finding
it difficult
to find staff
with the
skills needed
for a modern
logistics
operation.
This can be
addressed
through skills development
and training, as well
as upskilling existing
resources.”
Technology however is
at the heart of the radical
change in the logistics
landscape.
“Drone technology and
autonomous vehicles are
exciting technology that
is being tested on the
continent
and overseas.
The
digitisation
of
warehouses
also has
some farreaching
implications
for southern
Africa.
“Easyclear
provides
solutions
that can
be tailored
to suit
clients’ specific needs
and integrated with third
party software solutions
to provide seamless
integration of relevant data
for a comprehensive view
of the supply chain at your
fingertips,” says Henning.
The company will
be piloting a webbased
version of
its software with
several clients
in the next few
months and plans
to roll it out to
its entire client
base in a phased
approach. “The
new product
will allow
clients to
access the
software
from
anywhere in the world
from any device with
an internet connection,
essentially placing
your business right
at your fingertips
24/7, 365.”
The new product
will allow clients to
access the software
from anywhere
in the world from
any device with an
internet connection.
– Michael Henning
