The Road to Digitization
Article from MHI Solutions Magazine
In supply chain, perhaps no question is asked more often than “where’s my stuff?” From ocean freight aboard transport ships, ports and inbound logistics via rail or tractor trailer, to receiving at the warehouse or distribution center for crossdocking or put away into stored inventory, to brick-and-mortar store replenishment and order fulfillment via parcel carrier, to last mile delivery of individual packages, achieving visibility and transparency is the brass ring all stakeholders want to grab.
Herein lies the promise of real-time location systems (RTLS). Myriad devices connect wirelessly to shared data that helps various technologies pinpoint an item, case, pallet, cargo container or vehicle’s geospatial position—all synthesized (and, optimally, synchronized) by software that can be accessed by anyone seeking the answer to “where’s my stuff?”
It sounds simple, and yet it’s anything but, said Bart De Muynck, a supply chain thought leader with more than 30 years of experience, including as a vice president and industry analyst at Gartner and most recently as the chief industry officer at supply chain visibility platform project44. He noted that, as retailers of all sizes compete for consumers’ attention and loyalty by enhancing the customer service experience, last mile transparency has become critical.
