‘Software must meet needs of user market’

It is vital that a specialist software system provider has a product that completely meets the needs of its user market, according to Gregory Bruce, Western Cape-based representative of SA software house, CoreFreight Systems. He feels he is well qualified to judge how well CoreFreight plays its role, talking from over 20 years’ experience in the forwarding and clearing industry – with a background in operations, finance and information technology (IT). “What I particularly like about the CoreFreight application,” he told FTW, “is that it has a smooth, logical process flow, which comprehensively covers the requirements of South African freight forwarding and customs clearing.” Bruce also noted that it was easy-to-use – and facilitated both the training of new users and cross-skilling of existing operators. “The system is flexible and may be set up to accommodate a ‘singleuser’ environment, and equally to provide for the needs of a sophisticated agent with multiple users,” he said. “It also has the associated management control features already in place and integrated into the process.” It also fulfils all the needs of the new customs’ modernisation programme. “It’s a relevant example of specific functionality,” Bruce said. “Through the CoreFreight application, users were easily able to adapt to the recent change to the SA Revenue Service (Sars) customs declarations – where the ‘CPC codes’ replaced the old ‘purpose codes’. “We provided the operator with a transparent logical mechanism within the application to link the old and new codes. At certain client sites, we were actually able to activate the requirement weeks prior to the Sars’ cutover. This allowed our clients to adapt any internal procedures well in advance, and significantly reduce the stress associated with the switch.” The system also fits rather neatly into the Western Cape’s speciality fruit export trade. Although fruit exports have taken a hammering from the impact of the current exchange rate, they are still a pretty big proportion of the province’s seafreight traffic. And Bruce pointed out that the CoreFreight application still found a major role to play for major fruit exporters. “Amongst other things,” he added, “they are able to take advantage of the proven Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) interface for the electronic submission of Cargo Dues direct from the CoreFreight screen they are working in. And obviously, the other Cape speciality of wine exports is also an area which is facilitated by this CoreFreight function.” Bruce was also adamant that his exposure to a number of applications over the years from the user/ client perspective had made him more than conscious of the benefits of an IT system that was proven, comprehensive and easy to use. He also stressed the equal importance of a service provider that not only met the current minimum industry requirement, but also actively sought to enhance its solution to accommodate future potential requirements. “This allows clients to optimise their IT investment and remain competitive,” he said. “I am confident that CoreFreight provides such an IT solution.”