Mobile app provides visibility into the supply chain

Technology will play

a leading role in the

agriculture logistics

space but there is

still a lot of resistance to

change.

According to Derick

Robertson, executive:

sales and marketing for

agricultural freight logistics

specialist GoGlobal,

embracing technology is

crucial in an industry that

has very little scope left

when it comes to service

delivery.

“It’s a given, logistics

service providers must

have good service. The

costs surrounding the

supply chain are also fairly

transparent and noncompetitive

to a certain

extent,” he said. “The

only real differentiator

these days is in IT. Data

intelligence and how to

manage the IT in such a

way that you ultimately

reduce overheads and

increase profits is what

makes companies in our

industry stand out.”

GoGlobal, the umbrella

brand now incorporating

GoReefers Logistics, is

focused on delivering

technology solutions

especially in the agriculture

sector.

“We have one centralised

IT system that runs our

full logistics. We EDI with

all farm and coldstore

management systems,

industry and statutory

bodies. That allows for a

huge amount of information

to be held within our

system.”

He said the development

of a mobile application

enabled the company to

share the information with

its clients.

“This gives producers

and exporters visibility

into the supply chain and

enables them to make

proactive decisions based

on the information and

management reports

supplied.”

Features include

container tracking and

reporting, sailing schedules,

stack information and

packing list confirmation.

Bookings can also be made

online.

He said the company

had also re-written its

own exporter system

incorporating a newer

and friendlier software

base. “This has allowed

integration with other

products. This software

programme enables

farmers, pack

houses and

exporters to

accumulate

operational

and

logistical

data,

supply of

information

on fruit

pallets, deed of

sale capturing,

invoicing

and debtors

accounts, ending

up with full financial

capabilities all in one

programme.”

He said the big advantage

of this was the f lexibility

and ease of getting the

management reports

extracted for better

understanding of the

business and account

sales back to the

producer.