How Mobile Technology Partnerships Are Key to T&L Success
Author - Colby Cavanaugh
Introduction
As the transport and logistics (T&L) sector expands and more and more technology is deployed up and down the supply chain, there has been a rush to modernise and ‘become’ digital according to the results from T&L Report in 2021.
The sector has seen rapid application and mobile device deployment. For the new technologies and ways of working to deliver the desired return on investment (ROI), organizations need the right tools, as well as solutions and systems that are integrated and communicate with each other. It is not sufficient to have put the right tech in the right hands, it also needs the supporting workflows and applications to ensure smooth communication and needs ongoing support:
“Devices need 24/7 support when in the employees’ hands to ensure they are optimized and working at all times. This minimizes downtime and ensures no disruption to productivity. Layer on top of this the increasing need to secure all devices and end points due to huge amounts of personal data and customer data on these devices, and you now need a sophisticated partnership to manage and harness this technology into one secure spot.” States Natalia Echevarria, Sales Director EMEAI at BarTender.
Mobile Technology Investments and The Threat of Downtime Disruption Since 2021
The T&L industry is in the process of wide-ranging transformation. However, where there are opportunities, there are often gaps showing the key areas where the industry needs investment.
The 2021 study showed less than half (45%) of respondents flagging outdated technology as a problem. However, 70% of respondents said that reducing the downtime of mobile devices in the field is a top concern for their business. This was highest in Germany (73%), closely followed by the UK with 71%.
Seeing that reducing downtime is so high on the list of concerns for businesses, it is little surprise to find that 80% of respondents claimed their organization plans to invest considerably in new technology such as mobile devices, wearables and IoT devices and solutions. This figure rose to 82% in North America and 81% across Europe.
So, How has Downtime Improved Three Years on in 2024?
Surprisingly, it has not. SOTI’s new T&L study launches in October 2024. In this report we can easily see that the investment has taken hold and there is an influx of supporting applications and personal and workplace devices are now in the mix – more than ever before.
However, downtime is still a major issue – with over 13 hours globally lost per worker per week on average across the world.
“The technological ‘downpour’ in T&L is evident. Great volumes of devices, more ranges and device types from scanners to wearables and rugged devices, let alone more OS and more applications all now out there trying to resolve the issue of downtime and maximize productivity”, states Shash Anand, SVP Product Strategy, SOTI. “Our new T&L study for 2024 shows that downtime is in fact increasing – it is not enough to implement more technology. It needs to be correctly managed, supported and secured 24/7 to support the global distributed workforce. With updates to software and firmware settings enabled with minimal to no disruption.”
The complexities of devices, applications and printers doesn’t stop there. There are also a complex variety of system integrations, workflows and solutions impacting the T&L Sector – many for which BarTender has been recognized by the multitude of businesses across the globe:
“BarTender’s simple and straightforward integration with ERP and WMS systems such as SAP, Oracle, Körber, Epicor and IBM make it the powerful tool that manages the labeling, barcoding and RFID encoding of many of the world’s largest and most complex supply chains,” said Natalia Echevarria, Sales Director EMAI at BarTender. “We’ve been focused on enabling the transparency, interoperability and velocity that today’s new, dynamic logistics environments demand.”
How Does Downtime Impact Operational Efficiency
Looking ahead, over a third of respondents said that improving operational efficiencies, reducing costs and downtime are identified as the most important benefits that mobile technology can deliver for organizations looking to increase profitability in the next five years.
Tech issues and device failures, including network and connectivity problems, contribute to significant downtime and shipping and delivery delays. The Netherlands and Japan report over four hours of downtime lost weekly, whereas the U.S. and UK reported 10 hours monthly.
Conclusion
The digital ambitions of the T&L are clear, but the integration work needed for this complex device landscape is ever changing.
Multiple applications per employee per device are commonplace. IT Support teams are expected to manage a greater volume and a broader scope of devices with different applications than ever before – with the volume of devices in organizations often running in to thousands.
These IT teams need simple to use and easier tools to help support their organizations and their staff. Partnerships such as SOTI and BarTender are engineered to enhance the customer offering and ensure a smooth transition in this sector as it continues to expand and grow.
Download SOTI’s current T&L report here.