In an industry that increasingly relies on information technology to deliver results, Turners Shipping has switched to the Shipshape logistics management software which managing director Blain Kondiah believes is ideally suited to the company’s needs. “As digital communication technology improves, customer expectations increase and it is crucial for businesses to keep up with this demand,” said Kondiah. “Although the nature of the logistics industry remains much the same, how business is done is changing. While freight volumes are increasing, lead and delivery times are getting tighter. The economic climate and market-place competition is putting our customers under pressure, which in turn is passed on to us in the supply chain.” The Shipshape software allows desk-to-desk communication, giving clients regular updates on the status of shipments, estimate of costs and, crucially, delivery times, said Kondiah. “With some clients receiving in excess of 200 shipments a month by road, sea and air it is essential that the paperwork is taken care of. As the process becomes more automated we believe errors will be kept to a minimum.” Logistics has moved up the management chain and with the current information technology everyone, including the managing director, financial manager and warehouse manager, are making decisions based on information delivered by technology, he added. Turners Warehousing has also introduced a value-added service to its warehouse offering. “Linked with the new software they now provide a stock management service that allows customers to have freight items bar-coded, labelled and shrink-wrapped before being shipped. Stock levels and movement reports are provided to the client via the Shipshape system,” he said. CAPTION Blain Kondiah, managing director of Turners Shipping and Ian Losinsky, the Turner Group’s financial director with (seated) JL Koekemoer and Wayne McCarthy of Shipshape who managed the transition to the new software system.
