Tag: #LOGISTICS

Artificial intelligence in the logistics industry

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is definitely here and forever.  IT and finance have fully embraced AI and are using it to support both existing solutions and innovation. 

While there is no doubt that AI will bring about massive change, similar to what the Internet did in the 90s, it still has a long way to go.

Why logistics? Why now?

Now is the best time for artificial intelligence in logistics. Due to technological breakthrough, never before in the industry has there been so many technologies available and affordable. Companies that choose not to use AI risk becoming obsolete in the medium term because, believe it or not, AI will be a key component of the future of logistics.

Logistics companies are uniquely positioned to reap the benefits of virtually every aspect of the supply chain by adopting AI. Many companies are engaged in digital transformation, updating both software and hardware to prepare for the era of Logistics 2.0. AI can help the industry redefine business processes by making them proactive rather than reactive. We can stop planning and start forecasting; the process will become autonomous and the standard services will be personalized.

As with many other industries, AI can be applied both internally (back office) and externally (front office).

How to use AI in the back office?

AI provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity to save time, cut costs, and improve both productivity and accuracy. This is due to Cognitive Automation, which will perform routine tasks that would usually take time away from an employee’s more urgent work. Thanks to the combination of RPA (Robotic Process Automation) and AI, these day-to-day tasks will be performed by automated systems. 

These automated routine tasks can be:

  1. Gathering financial information: Logistics companies often rely on many third parties to carry out the core functions of their business. AI can process all necessary financial data such as invoice amounts and other types of account information. AI can optimize time and money by processing and extracting financial information. The data will be presented in convenient interactive dashboards online.
  2. Processing customer information. Constant updating of customer information is an important task for any large company. Clustering and segmentation of customers will allow you to select the best rates and personalized offers to increase revenue.
  3. Customs clearance. Customs is usually a long and tedious process for everyone involved. Providing correct data and documents, declaring goods, checking information by customs authorities and determining the final customs value of each declared product is a long but necessary process for every logistics company. Instead of individually checking each document, artificial intelligence can process all documents in a matter of seconds.

Predictive Logistics: Operational Modernization

AI can help the logistics industry revolutionize its operating model from reactive to proactive and predictive.

– Predictive network management: AI can improve the efficiency of logistics operations. For example, DHL has developed a program that can predict delays in air transit. This helps the American company to activate mitigation measures, thereby preventing any delays on flights.

– Intelligent route optimization: for any logistics

It is important for the company to know how to find the most efficient, fastest and most suitable route for each client. This will cut costs, save time and improve customer satisfaction. Deutsche Post has adopted SmartTruck, which develops its own real-time routing algorithms for all of its operators and truck drivers. This allows them to deliver each of their packages in no time.

An Post or any couriers Phishing SMS/ email scams and how to check if legit. #SMS #Scam #Anpost

Recently there have been scams involving AnPost and others including DHL where they ask for small fee to get your parcel delivered, As said before this will not happen but the inclusion of what to look out for is lacking detail. Whilst they do have a warning on their site there is no information there as to what exactly to look out for should you end up getting this message.

Above is  what you need to look out for even if you click the link in the text it is again quite similar to the recent DHL scam which gives you a legit looking page to fill but but with the alpha tag on the sms and the URL on the pages linked it is clear this is another phishing attempt from scammers.

 

Below is video how to check if you have a package or not from An Post this also applies to any courier, go to the website copy and paste the tracking number and see if it exists also check 17track to see if the tracking number exists and if it is life just to be sure. With the pandemic people are now shopping online even more and often the case might forget they had a package coming, also a shipment might have been split or you could be getting a package as a gift and this is the basis these work on..

 

SmartRoutes are aiming to transform the last-mile with their delivery route planner. #TheLastMile #Logistics #SmartRoutes

The explosion of online shopping over the past year has seen last-mile carriers come under increased pressure to meet the demands of consumers.  A Cork-based technology company aims to help couriers, logistics businesses, and retailers themselves to not only meet these demands but to open up new sales channels and scale their business with efficient delivery routes.

SmartRoutes Delivery Route Planner combines a desktop application that allows for the complete management of routes, vehicles, and drivers, with a mobile app (available on iOS and Android) that helps to make drivers’ work much easier and quicker.

 

Route Planning & Optimisation

When it comes to route planning, multiple vehicles and drivers, and hundreds of deliveries it can be almost impossible to plan manually in anything close to an efficient manner. To understand how they make the last mile more efficient, it’s important to understand the difference between 2 of their key features: route planning and route optimisation

Route Planning

Planning routes has long been one of the most challenging aspects of any delivery operation. As anyone who has worked in the transport space will know, it can consume hours every day ensuring you have routes ready for drivers arriving at the depot in the morning, confident that every order is on a dispatch.

SmartRoutes have solved much of this with an easy-to-use, desktop-based interface that allows you to import orders over API or through a spreadsheet and have routes created by the system in a matter of seconds. 

A lot of thought has gone into this, and they have some impressive features, such as an address validation workflow that ensures that drop-off and collection points are real, where they say they are, and easy for the drivers to find.

The ability to manage vehicle load capacities, driver hours, and load-balancing all make route planning more effective. Having all these factors accounted for by the technology, it can make the life of a transport planner or depot manager much easier.

Route Optimisation

If you consider route planning to be the way in which a human would devise the route for delivery drivers, you can think of route optimisation as the technology that ensures that the routes are as efficient as they possibly can be.

The results of route optimization can be drastic for any business that engages in multi-drop deliveries, saving upwards of 33% on distances traveled. With rising fuel prices in the immediate term and concerns around the battery range of EV’s in the medium-to-long term, this is something every delivery business should be investing in.

SmartRoutes uses a python-based algorithm that they have developed in-house to find the most efficient route possible. In layman’s terms, this means that you can simply input all of your orders or stops in one go, turn on your available drivers and vehicles, and their route optimisation algorithm will run every possible way the routes could be created in a matter of seconds. It then returns the most efficient routes for your available fleet to serve all those stops.

It’s an impressive use of technology to solve a very old problem. For a human to run the millions of variations of a few routes manually would take a very long time, but this route optimisation software brings a whole new level of efficiency to the very foundations of a delivery business.

Day-to-day Delivery Management

Beyond planning and optimisation, the software gives everyone involved in the delivery operation the full oversight from the office to the road that they need. A couple of the killer features are outlined below:

Live Vehicle Tracking Dashboard

Knowledge is power as they say, and knowing where your fleet of vehicles is at any given moment is critical to any last-mile logistics operation.

The SmartRoutes Mobile Driver App is GPS-enabled and can give a real-time overview of where drivers are on their route at any given moment. While it might seem a bit ‘Big-Brother’ for drivers, it can also be of benefit to them.

Not alone is it useful for depot managers to ensure that operations are running smoothly throughout the day, but it can be a game-changer for support staff as well. From one dashboard, they can see in real-time where drivers are on their route, accurate ETA’s for deliveries, and instant feedback on undelivered parcels from the live tracking dashboard. 

With an ever-increasing focus on customer experience, it also offers staff the ability to proactively reach out to customers who have missed deliveries to re-arrange a suitable time to re-schedule.

This can save hours of back-and-forth with drivers and gives a much better customer experience for the end customer. Drivers are happier that they can get on with their tasks without having to take calls from the office. Support staff are also having a better experience with customers, and the customer is getting full transparency.

A real win-win situation for everyone involved.

A mobile driver app that keeps the driver front-of-mind

As readers of the blog will have guessed, I was keen to get stuck into their mobile app and put it to the test. 

The layout of the app is very simple and a driver can view their route either in a list format or on a map with each drop marked in chronological order. Selecting a drop, the driver can see everything they could need; name, address, phone numbers, dispatch notes, and parcels/SKU’s that are to be delivered. There is also a built-in barcode scanner which eliminates the need for drivers to carry the bulky devices that we’ve become accustomed to seeing our local courier dragging around.

They can also capture photo proof-of-delivery and e-signatures from customers within the app, and this is fed back to the depot or office in real-time too. Again, this eliminates much of the back-and-forth communication that drivers despise.

Route Navigation within the app is done through the tried-and-trusted Google Maps. The familiarity is a big bonus for drivers. 

The Delivery Experience

Customer Experience has seen renewed focus for many businesses in recent years, as they look to provide a little something that larger competitors like Amazon lack. Attention to detail and a seamless experience for everyone are key to everything SmartRoutes do. Speaking with CEO David Walsh, he explained:

“Everything we develop within our software has the user in mind. The ‘delivery experience’ is something that many businesses have had to improve over the past year. I think the key for us is that it isn’t just about the end customer. It’s about a happy dispatcher, a happy driver, a happy customer, and a happy support staff member when something doesn’t go to plan. Everyone involved in the last-mile logistical operation needs to be happy for the end customer to have the desired delivery experience. We see getting that right as the way for couriers and logistics companies to remain competitive in the market.”

 

Features:

 

  • Route Planning
  • Route Optimisation
  • Route Navigation
  • Electronic Proof-of-Delivery
  • Barcode Scanner
  • GPS Live Vehicle Tracking
  • Territory Zoning
  • Customisable Delivery Windows
  • Automated Order Imports
  • Address Verification & Validation
  • Dispatch Notes
  • Customer Notifications (SMS & Email)
  • Real-time ETA’s
  • Customer Database
  • Driver Analytics
  • Parcel Track & Trace Portal
techbuzzireland talking to the smart routes team

 

Kerry County Council first to trial carbon neutral truck. #Kerry #Scania #HGV #CarbonNeutral

Kerry County Council became the first local authority in Ireland to trial a zero carbon Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) powered by compressed renewable gas. The truck was supplied by Scania dealers, T. Nolan and Sons in Castleisland, and fuelled using carbon neutral renewable gas from the national gas network supplied by Gas Networks Ireland.

During the two-week trial, Kerry County Council used this clean transport solution to move road salt from Co. Tipperary.

Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council, Cllr Patrick Connor-Scarteen said:

“Meeting Ireland’s climate target is a big challenge and transport is one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise. We are delighted to do our bit in Kerry and trial trucks powered by renewable gas as a viable option to reduce our fleet emissions.”

 

While only 4% of vehicles on Ireland’s roads are classified as HGVs and buses, they account for 30% of all emissions in the road transport sector. Compressed natural gas (CNG) can reduce HGV well-to-wheel emissions by up to 23% (Cenex 2019) compared to diesel and deliver cost savings for operators of up to 35% (Cadent 2016).

However, as the volume of carbon neutral renewable gas on the national network increases into the future, hauliers and fleet operators who have made the switch to gas will increasingly reduce their carbon footprint without changing a thing.

Renewable gas is structurally identical to natural gas and compatible with the existing infrastructure, technology and vehicles. With locally supplied renewable gas now on the Irish network, gas is the affordable, proven and sustainable long-term solution for Ireland’s fleet managers and hauliers.

Gas Networks Ireland’s CNG Program Delivery Manager, Declan O’Sullivan, said:

“We are delighted that Kerry County Council has joined companies around Ireland in experiencing the emissions and cost savings associated with using both natural and renewable gas in HGVs.

“Gas Networks Ireland is on a journey to decarbonise the transport sector.  Renewable gas, which is entering the gas network today, enables carbon neutral transport, as CNG vehicles operating on natural gas today are future proofed for renewable gas.

“By delivering a network of CNG filling stations and enabling the introduction of renewable gas to the network, we are supporting hauliers and fleet operators to make a sustainable switch to a carbon neutral fuel.”

On March 1 Gas Networks Ireland announced a €2.9m CNG Vehicle Grant scheme to support the purchase of up to 400 gas-powered trucks, buses and vans and help drive a more sustainable transport sector.

The Grant will cover 20% of the difference between CNG and diesel-powered vehicles, capped at €5,000, with a maximum €60,000 available to any one applicant. Grants can be used towards the costs of vehicles registered from 2020.

The CNG Vehicle Fund is co-financed by the European Union’s TEN-T Programme under the Connecting Europe Facility as part of the Green Connect Project. Applications are now being accepted at www.gasnetworks.ie/cngvehiclegrant.

Address pal not so much a pal now. #AddressPal #AnPost

The Virtual shipping address scene has changed rather quickly over the last month or so but no not all is lost just yet as discussed here before. With Brexit done there is plenty of things to consider when shopping from the UK where things will be now more expensive for consumers which is not good for the consumer or indeed Amazon. There is an extensive guide you can find HERE which explains what the new costs are when purchasing items from the UK but having said that we are not limited to shopping from the UK either. However shopping on other Amazon sites like FR and DE has seemed to gone up plus more delivery charges and with electrical goods a different plug so you need to be aware of what you are buying and if electrical goods have the option to use both two pin/ three pin plugs I am sure you have plenty at home.

With Parcel motel what I can see happening is setting up a base in other EU countries and this will work for the likes of Amazon DE/FR going forward and it is said UPS hope to get this sorted as soon as possible and it will be better for business for both Amazon and the consumer going forward and you can also think about the infrastructure of lockers here in Ireland which perhaps are all paid for now they where not cheap and I am sure they will not want them sitting there doing nothing as do the buildings they are attached to so lets think about the other possibility of Amazon lockers which again is up in the air…It is also said that AMAZON are seeking more premises here in Ireland to hold inventory but I am sure we will hear about this soon..

Address pal have just announced they are introducing new fees which are on the hefty side. You can see their terms and conditions here and shipping arrangements  here

You will now be hit with the €3.50 admin fee plus €6.50 on top to be delivered to your home which will not bode well for customers and An Post see this as a filler due to other Virtual address companies get their house in order as reported in the Indo today, Note that some services are suspended which means as mentioned above they are working on resolving this by most likely using an EU option instead. Still a tough pill to swallow for the new charges and ones An Post might regret.

Another thing to watch out for is how you shop online,just because the website may have an Irish store does not mean the product is here in Ireland,You may have noticed time to time shopping online you land on a web page and your given the option to change to ie. Dig deeper here and see where they are actually based..

Check out if you have a package or not with An Post with all the scams now here is how to check..

 

 

Just Eat to recruit 700 couriers as part of a wide-ranging package of supports for the restaurant sector #Restaurants #JustEat

Just Eat has announced that it is recruiting 700 additional couriers as the country enters a period of Level 5 restrictions. The new couriers will support the anticipated growth in online ordering in the period ahead, enabling restaurant owners across the country to deliver their food to more people, in more areas. The demand for couriers of late is on another level with thousands of jobs with the festive season approaching and big logistics firms already looking for hundreds of staff.

The investment in couriers is one of a package of measures developed to support the distressed restaurant sector and to help bring more food to more people throughout the country. Just Eat has also announced that this growing fleet will service expanded delivery areas in some key urban locations where independent restaurants have been most impacted by the latest set of restrictions.  In addition, all restaurants that sign up to the platform in the next 2 weeks will enjoy a period of waived commission for their first 30 days on the platform.

The investments announced today build on a series of supports worth €1 million delivered in immediate response to the health crisis over the summer months. The focus by Just Eat has been on helping the traditional, local independent restaurant that wouldn’t previously have offered a delivery service to get online. While not replacing their traditional business model and sit-in offering, it does allow them to stay connected to customers and maintains some proportion of revenue during the period of forced closure.

Focused on reducing costs for those most at risk within the sector, Just Eat continues to help its new and existing restaurant partner base to trade efficiently during these difficult times with real-time business intelligence data providing valuable insights on menu offerings, opening times and geographic range.

 

Commenting on the announcement Amanda Roche-Kelly, Just Eat Ireland Managing Director said; “2020 has been an incredibly challenging year for everyone, but few have been hit harder than our partners in the restaurant sector, with these latest restrictions bringing huge uncertainty and worry for so many local independent business owners right across Ireland. As the market leader in the food delivery sector, we are committed to supporting our partners in the sector through the crisis which is why we are launching this additional package of support measures.

“For those restaurants who haven’t previously offered a delivery option, or are new to the Just Eat platform, we’re delighted to be in a position to help them get online and remain trading while their sit-in or outdoor dining options remain closed. Through our investment in the recruitment of drivers we’re both expanding our delivery within those key urban areas most impacted, but also our capacity to service the growing demand from our customers – helping our restaurant partners to deliver their much loved food to more and more people during these hugely difficult times.”

Commenting specifically on the plan to recruit 700 couriers Ms Roche-Kelly said: “We are delighted to be in a position to build our courier network at a time when many people have had to temporarily or permanently leave their jobs. We anticipate increased demand during the lockdown period and want to ramp up in order to ensure that we capture all those orders on behalf of our restaurant partners. With the additional fleet we can service more restaurants in more areas – reaching more hungry consumers.

“Anyone who is keen to join the Just Eat courier network as an independent contractor is encouraged to apply at https://couriers.just-eat.ie/application. We look forward to hearing from them.” 

Effective immediately, Just Eat has also committed to an extension of the 14-day Courier Relief Payment for those who may become ill or need to self-isolate as a result of the virus. Equivalent to two-thirds of a courier’s average weekly earnings from the past 6 weeks, this Courier Relief Payment can be claimed weekly in addition to the COVID-19 illness benefit made available by the government for workers unable to make a living as a result of the virus.

Just Eat’s highest priority throughout this crisis is to protect the couriers it works with, its customers and restaurant partners. To date, Just Eat Takeaway.com has spent more than €30 million in support for restaurants worldwide and approximately €6 million in support for healthcare workers.  The company will continue to explore introducing further support measures in the future, ensuring that its delivery courier network remains open and fully operational.

For more information please visit https://www.justeattakeaway.com/.

New DHL email scam to beware of. #DHL #Logistics #Scam #Phishing

Back in February this year there was a DHL scam doing the rounds via SMS which by no means is nothing new, However since then we have increased our online shopping due to the pandemic and this gives scammers a target to work on in some shape or form and it is not the last we will see of this either.

This time around the scam is via email and if you are a DHL customer or familiar with their emails you will see their email does not look like a typical email from DHL. On clicking the link seen in image 2 then image three all you need to do is look at the URL on top to see that this is a scam and just looking to get money from you by entering your credit card details, in short a phishing attempt for an apparent small fee., So as usual if you get an email like this just delete it and move along and let them keep trying..

We have contacted DHL and they have said “Hi Jim, thanks for your message and many thanks for sharing this with us. Our IT security team are aware of this matter. Many thanks.”

A world-first in Dublin as @UPS and @DubCityCouncil innovate to reinvent sustainable last mile deliveries. #Cycling #Walking #Logistics

An innovative walking and cycle based system designed to optimise deliveries in city centres has launched in Dublin. Operating out of mini urban distribution centres and combining powered e-Walkers and e-Quad cycles, this model allows for last mile deliveries that don’t add to local emissions or congestion, enabling a step change in the way goods are delivered in busy city locations.

Funded by Dublin City Council, Enterprise Ireland and Belfast City Council, the unique solution was developed as part of a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) challenge that sought new approaches to optimising deliveries. Participating in the challenge enabled Fernhay, an innovative design and manufacturing consultancy, to develop the new zero emissions delivery solutions for global logistics carrier, UPS, to trial.

The e-walker and e-Quad operate from “urban package eco hubs” that UPS has introduced around the city. The eco-hubs take in larger consignments of deliveries and redistribute them to walkers and cyclers using removable Cube containers. There are already two of these mini distribution centres up and running in Dublin which has facilitated the removal of five diesel vehicles from the road, reducing carbon emissions by up to 45%.

Speaking at the launch, Owen Keegan, Dublin City Council Chief Executive, said: “collaboration is key to tackling the challenges facing our city right now so we are very happy to see our Transportation Department and Smart City programme working with innovative partners such as Fernhay and UPS to address last mile deliveries. This solution helps the city adapt to the Covid-19 situation by enabling foot and bike deliveries and discouraging the return of congestion.”

“It is really exciting to be piloting this in Dublin –the first city to test the Fernhay eWalker. As cities reopen for business after the Covid-19 shutdowns, those looking for ways to keep goods moving while minimising the return of congestion and pollution, should take note.” – said Frances Fernandes, Director, Fernhay.

She explained: “Fernhay’s eWalker and eQuad are part of a wider system that enable key workers to deliver groceries, medicine and parcels without the use of vans. Cities are facing huge change to respond to ‘social distancing’ with pavements widened outside shops and roads narrowed to make more space for walking and cycling. Our system offers a clean and viable option and rethinks how cities can support last mile deliveries now and in the future.”

UPS International Sustainability Director, Peter Harris, said: “This is about reimagining last mile logistics. Cities need solutions that eliminate emissions and congestion and this system achieves that. But it goes further. The ability to load the box that the eWalker and the eQuad carry anywhere within our network will help UPS operate more efficiently. Taking this concept of removable containers, long since practiced in long haul freight, into the urban environment is a game changer and furthers UPS’s long-standing commitment to bring its customers sustainable solutions.”

Finally, Tom Kelly, Head of Innovation, Enterprise Ireland, said: “We are happy to support this challenge which delivers benefits both for Dublin citizens and the innovative technology companies that are helping the City Council address the issue and public impacts of last mile delivery. The SBIR programme is unique in providing public sector bodies and innovative companies the opportunity to work together to develop innovative solutions to big problems, such as optimising deliveries in cities”.

The UPS/ Fernhay partnership won SBIR support because it encourages safer, cleaner, more pedestrian friendly urban environments, and for its potential replicability in other contexts. As pressure mounts to ditch diesel and switch to sustainable, this dynamic consolidation and redistribution model is already contributing to emerging conversations on urban mobility and liveable cities. Other carriers have registered interest in operating similar systems in Dublin, and Belfast are assessing learnings from the initiative for potential applicability there. Last mile deliveries may never be the same again.

How UPS and other logistics companies are dealing with COVID-19 #UPS #Coronavirus #Logistics

Over the last while I have been asking questions about how courier companies are dealing with the current COVID-19 issue but until recently DPD have issued on how they are dealing with the problem going forward and my concern was with handheld terminals and not only this the handling of freight via sorting hubs and staff internally. In most cases a handheld terminal is passed to the customer to sign but it is good see that some have stamped this out for the foreseeable future. An Post have also posted some information on their site despite the lack of listening to drivers and staffs requests in recent times they have information now posted  HERE

DPD have this statement up on their site on how they are moving forward. Fastway have included this on their homepage. And DHL have guidelines listed 

 

UPS however have just issued this statement.

I want to share an update on what UPS is doing to keep our customers and our people safe while continuing to deliver around the world.
UPS is following the guidance of global health experts at the World Health Organization (WHO) and U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus. We are reminding our employees about frequent hand washing, and we are regularly cleaning and disinfecting our facilities and equipment. Importantly, we are asking that our drivers, pilots, and other employees stay home from work if they feel sick.
Many people are asking the same question: is it safe to receive and handle a shipment? The WHO and CDC have stated that the likelihood of catching the COVID-19 virus by touching cardboard or other another shipping container is low.
From the outset, UPS has maintained delivery services except where limited by government restrictions. We have also worked in partnership with governments around the world to obtain exceptions that allow our shipments to continue in restricted areas.
UPS has long been a trusted partner in communities around the world. As with other global humanitarian crisis events, we are helping with relief related to COVID-19 and will continue to seek opportunities to assist our communities in need.
As this situation is evolving rapidly, we have created a web page with information on how UPS is responding to COVID-19 and tools you can use during this time.
UPS’s network planning and operations teams are experienced with adapting to changing conditions, and are developing contingency plans to address potential sources of disruption in our air and ground networks.
Our teams are working to continue to serve the supply chain needs of businesses during this time, while keeping our employees and customers safe.Thank you for trusting us with your business.
David Abney
Chairman and CEO
UPS
Severe weather, natural disasters, and other conditions beyond our control can occasionally disrupt our services. If there is an active service disruption, it will appear below. A gold alert ribbon will also appear at the top of all ups.com pages. If there is no service alert information below, the UPS transportation network is operating normally. See UPS Ireland for updates HERE