CARGOCONNECT JULY2024 - Flipbook - Page 50
Ashok Rajan |
SVP and Head of Cargo and Logistics, IBS Software
Enhancing Air Freight Efficiency through
Data-Driven Solutions
In the air freight industry, data utilisation stands as a
transformative force, albeit with room for growth. Currently,
the sector harnesses only a fraction of available data
for meaningful purposes, hindered by challenges such
as standardised data formats. However, collaborative
systems are emerging, promising enhanced data quality
and cohesion. The sector, despite being in the early stages
of leveraging data, is in fast recognition of its potential,
particularly in optimising operational processes. This
development aligns with IBS Software’s mission to
transform the industry and businesses into modern, digital
enterprises. Its iCargo platform which can be likened to an
ERP solution for air freight is backed up by a whole host of
capabilities including quality control, asset management,
optimisation, reporting and business intelligence. One
of the fundamental principles of the iCargo platform is
providing customers with stand-alone components that
have been developed to allow systems across enterprise
boundaries to collaborate. Ashok Rajan, SVP and Head
of Cargo and Logistics at the air cargo software company
in a recent discussion with UPAMANYU BORAH, reveals more
about how they are helping the industry in its journey to
digital transformation and further bringing new innovations
to the platform through the use of AI and ML tools, driving
greater intelligence in business processes.
H
ow is data transforming the management and perception of air
freight supply chains currently?
The utilisation of data within
air cargo lags behind other sectors, with
only about 15 per cent of available data
being e昀昀ectively employed for meaningful purposes. While we acknowledge that
we’re at the beginning of our journey in
harnessing the power of data, the prospects
are promising and exciting. Compared to
many other industries, the potential for
growth and improvement in the air cargo
sector through e昀昀ective data utilisation is
considerably higher.
Fortunately, the landscape is evolving,
with the emergence of collaborative systems
facilitating better data quality and cohesion.
50 | CARGOCONNECT JULY 2024
This progress marks a crucial step forward
in obtaining clean and reliable data.
Currently, the industry is still in its early
stages of leveraging data, particularly in
terms of practical application. We primarily use data for early-stage activities such
as pricing optimisation. However, there’s
immense untapped potential, especially
in optimising operational processes. For
instance, a staggering 60 per cent of cargo
remains grounded, presenting signi昀椀cant
ine昀케ciencies in planning, resource allocation,
and throughput. Addressing these ine昀케ciencies through data-driven approaches holds
the promise of tangible improvements in
operational e昀케ciency.
For the traceability and visibility imple-
mentations going on now, how do you
think this makes a difference in the
market and where does it have the highest
impact, in terms of service sales and
customer experience?
When considering our personal experiences,
many of us tend to distinguish between
e-commerce platforms primarily based on
their levels of visibility which leads to ease
of shopping. Even if these platforms o昀昀er
the same products, we’re more inclined
to choose the one where items are readily
visible and available, such as Amazon. This
visibility signi昀椀cantly enhances the customer
experience, as it assures us that the products
we’re interested in are in stock and accessible.
Consequently, the fundamental value
of traceability lies in enhancing this cus-
