Companies are turning increasingly to technology to gain a competitive edge. So says Jean-Marie Barnard, customer champion at Forte Supply Chain Solutions. Her focus is on visibility and data analytics. She says businesses are leveraging advanced tools to better understand their operations and market trends. “Companies are increasingly adopting technology not only to get ahead, but even just to level the playing field, ensuring that even smaller players can compete effectively.”Barnard says an increasing emphasis on f lexibility allows companies to respond swiftly to changing demands and unforeseen challenges. “We also see the increased use of simulated logistics environments to enhance preparedness. This assists and guides the ‘what if ’ scenarios, enabling companies to prepare for the unexpected.”She says artificial intelligence (AI) remains a trend that will continue to advance and will become more prevalent in the logistics sector. Examples of the AI used include the installation of driver cameras to monitor behaviour and using route optimisation algorithms. “With technology at the forefront, businesses are gearing up for a future where agility and intelligence are paramount for success,” she says. “Already we are seeing the power of analytics and how that empowers our customers, and their customers, to make decisions on real-time data. It’s not just AI but also the speed at which data can be collected, analysed and acted upon.”According to Barnard, technology holds many benefits for the industry, from presenting a more competitive market to offering better visibility of f leet, customer and supplier performance. “The more we know, the better companies can perform, minimise risk and improve their performance and sales,” she says. “It is a fascinating time to witness the pace and volume of technology adoption in the freight sector. More businesses are moving away from manual data entry and are recapturing information with a focus on streamlining business operations.”An ongoing challenge, however, remains reliable connections and signals. “Not all areas of South Africa are fibre-ready, and that does hamper the onboarding of technology. In many areas, there is still a high dependence on local cellphone network providers that have intermittent connections. “Load shedding and the resulting drops in connection unfortunately add to this challenge.”
