CARGOCONNECT JULY2024 - Flipbook - Page 44
SPECIAL FEATURE
E-COMMERCE SURGE
Balancing the benefits of real-time data with its associated costs and managing the
deluge of information presents significant challenges. Clearly articulating the types
of data collected and their intended use is crucial, as is transparently outlining data
retention policies. Without such clarity, navigating the complexities of data management
becomes increasingly difficult. Thus, establishing a well-defined strategy for handling
real-time data while being mindful of expenses and information overload is vital for
organisations seeking to leverage data effectively without compromising transparency
and accountability.
SANDEEP CHATTERJEE, Supply Chain and Sustainability Leader, IBM India
amid expanding e-commerce operations
poses a signi昀椀cant hurdle. Upholding data
quality and consistency across systems is
imperative but challenging. Lastly, implementing and maintaining real-time data
systems can be financially burdensome,
especially for smaller e-commerce ventures
with limited resources. Thus, achieving
sustainable growth necessitates striking a
delicate balance between investment costs
and anticipated bene昀椀ts.”
“Finding the optimal frequency of
communication is paramount,” addresses
Sandeep Chatterjee, Supply Chain and
Sustainability Leader at IBM India. “Excessive data inundation can overwhelm systems
and impede stability. Vigilant monitoring is
essential to prevent outages and maintain
system resilience,” he says.
“Balancing the bene昀椀ts of real-time data
with its associated costs and managing the
deluge of information presents signi昀椀cant
challenges,” Chatterjee notes. “Clearly articulating the types of data collected and their
intended use is crucial, as is transparently
outlining data retention policies. Without
such clarity, navigating the complexities
of data management becomes increasingly
di昀케cult. Thus, establishing a well-de昀椀ned
strategy for handling real-time data while
being mindful of expenses and information
overload is vital for organisations seeking to
leverage data e昀昀ectively without compromising transparency and accountability.”
“Indeed, visibility across the supply chain
has emerged as a critical factor in meeting
the demands of e-commerce customers,”
clarifies Chatterjee. “Customers expect
full transparency and visibility from order
placement to delivery. To meet this expectation, logistics providers are investing in
technologies like GPS tracking, RFID tagging,
and Internet of Things (IoT) sensors to
provide real-time updates on the location
and condition of goods throughout the
shipping process. This increased visibility
not only enhances the customer experience
but also enables proactive issue resolution
during transit.”
44 | CARGOCONNECT JULY 2024
Companies that invest in advanced
digital solutions stand to gain a
competitive edge. By streamlining
operations, optimising routes, and
leveraging data-driven insights,
they can enhance efficiency,
reduce costs, and deliver a
seamless shopping experience.
Addressing concerns about data privacy
and security, Rajan suggests leveraging
well-established protocols and migrating
data processing systems to the cloud. “This
shift reduces the need for organisations to
invest in bespoke security systems, allowing
security service providers to scale rapidly and
allocate substantial resources to designing
foolproof systems and protocols.”
“Real-time tracking in logistics is pivotal
for enhancing customer satisfaction and
operational e昀케ciency,” concurs Bhimani
of Kale Logistics. “Achieving this requires
significant investment and robust data
security measures. Kale Logistics has
adopted strategies such as collecting only
essential data, empowering customers
with control over their information, and
prioritising top-tier security protocols, all
while maintaining clear and transparent
communication. Compliance with regulations like GDPR and implementation of
Information Security Management Systems
(ISMS) further reinforce the commitment
to data protection and transparency within
the logistics sector.”
Pandey elucidates the benefits and
drawbacks of implementing real-time
tracking and visibility solutions in logistics
operations. “While enhancing e昀케ciency,
reducing costs, and improving customer
experience are notable advantages, privacy
concerns, security risks, and dependency on
technology infrastructure pose signi昀椀cant
challenges that must be carefully addressed,”
he mentions.
Navigating Real-Time
Data Privacy and
Transparency
To address the challenges posed by real-time
data transparency and privacy concerns,
logistics companies must strike a delicate
balance. This balance can be achieved
through transparent communication
with customers regarding data usage and
protection, o昀昀ering opt-in or opt-out options
for tracking services, and implementing
robust security measures like encryption
and access controls. Additionally, ethical
considerations should guide policies and
guidelines to ensure the responsible use
of real-time tracking technology.
However, these challenges also present
opportunities for innovation and improvement. Companies that invest in advanced
technologies and digital solutions stand to
gain a competitive edge by o昀昀ering superior
service levels and greater transparency to
their customers. By streamlining operations, optimising routes, and leveraging
