Handling higher volumes without the organisation having to grow at the same pace. For many of our clients, this is becoming an increasingly important issue. Operations are expanding and becoming more complex, yet additional staff are not always readily available. At the same time, this growth still needs to remain both manageable and profitable.
To handle more work with the same number of staff, the amount of manual work in each booking, handling operation or transport movement needs to be reduced. That can be achieved by further automating data processing, but also by allowing the system to perform recurring business activities wherever possible.
As a result, employees’ focus increasingly shifts from execution to oversight. Repetitive tasks are handled by the system, while employees retain control over the process and intervene when needed. In this article, we use several examples to illustrate where manual work can be reduced within logistics operations and what this shift looks like in practice.
Automation of data processing
One way to handle more work with the same number of employees is to further automate data processing. A wide variety of data is received during day-to-day operations. This includes bookings, release orders and acceptance instructions, as well as information supplied by barge skippers.
Before this information can be used in the operation, it passes through several stages. The data needs to be entered, checked and validated, accepted and ultimately processed into an operational booking. Not only can the entry of this data be automated; the subsequent steps can be too.
For instance, an EDI booking can be automatically checked, validated and accepted based on predefined criteria. If the data meets these criteria, the subsequent processing can also be performed automatically. Manual review is only required if an exception occurs.
Data received through channels other than EDI can also be incorporated into the same automated flow. For example, information from a PDF order can be recognised using AI-OCR and converted into a JSON message, which can then be processed via the Booking API to create an operational booking.
By embedding conditions and logical checks within the system, the knowledge employees apply when processing data can also be incorporated into the software. The system can, for example, verify whether all required data is present and whether all conditions for acceptance have been met. Manual review is required only when information is missing or an exception is identified.
Automation of business activities
Automation goes beyond data processing. Many of the activities that follow can increasingly be automated as well. This includes financial and operational processes, as well as the provision of information to customers.
Financial processes
The entire invoicing process can also be largely automated. Master data can hold details such as sales rates and billing arrangements, including whether a customer is invoiced on a weekly or a monthly basis. Based on this, the system can automatically apply the correct sales rates, prepare sales invoices and complete the subsequent steps through to sending the invoice.
Linking these individual steps creates a single automated workflow. Employees no longer need to perform each step separately; instead, they simply review the prepared invoices and intervene only when data or amounts deviate from what is expected.
By making smart use of data, operational processes can be increasingly automated and optimised.
Operational processes
Within operational processes, automation entails more than simply taking over manual tasks. By combining available data and identifying patterns, the system can generate insights that would be difficult or highly labour-intensive to obtain manually. Consequently, automation can not only reduce the workload but also help organisations look ahead and manage processes more intelligently.
One example is the availability of empty reefer containers. Upcoming export bookings provide an indication of how many reefer containers will be required over the coming period. By combining this anticipated demand with the available stock of empty reefers, potential shortages can be identified earlier. Employees no longer need to continually cross-reference bookings with inventory levels, but can use this information to make timely adjustments.
Making the most efficient use of available capacity is also central to optimising planning and terminal operations. That may mean reducing the number of handling movements, for example, or optimising transport planning. As volumes grow, it becomes increasingly important to not only be able to handle more work, but also to prevent every additional container or transport movement from requiring a proportional increase in handling operations.
Within the operation itself, steps can also be automated. When recording container damage, for example, an employee in the yard can use a Checker app on a smartphone or tablet to immediately document the damage and prepare much of the data required for an estimate. Office staff no longer need to manually re-enter all this information; they simply complete any missing details and then submit the estimate to the shipping line via EDI. This reduces both manual work and duplicate data entry.
Another example is the handling of trucks at the terminal. The more information that is available in advance and the more steps that can be completed automatically before or during arrival, the fewer actions are required at the gate. By using time slots and allowing drivers to complete tasks independently via a self-service desk, the gate process can be further automated and truck dwell times at the terminal can be reduced.
This means operational optimisation goes beyond merely automating individual tasks. Data can be used to look ahead, while automation also helps reduce the number of manual and duplicate actions in daily operations.
Providing information to customers
Some of the pressure on Customer Service comes from responding to questions about the current status of bookings, transports and containers. This information is often already available within the system and can, for instance, be shared directly with customers through the Client Portal.
As a result, providing information to customers also becomes part of the automated workflow. As soon as the operational status changes, the updated information can immediately be made available to the customer, without an employee first needing to retrieve and communicate it.
Embedding knowledge and standardizing processes
As more steps in a process are automated, the role of employees also changes. The system not only takes over tasks but also helps employees to carry out processes correctly. Embedding conditions and checks within the software helps ensure that important steps are not overlooked and that required data is not omitted.
When a booking is entered, for example, the system can verify whether all required data is present and whether the relevant rates or an approved quotation are available. If not, the booking simply cannot proceed to the next stage. Booking templates can also help ensure that recurring bookings are entered in a consistent, standardised manner.
As a result, practical knowledge that previously resided primarily with individual employees is increasingly embedded within the system. At the same time, data quality improves because data entry becomes less dependent on manual input and checks become an automatic part of the process. This means employees spend less time performing and correcting individual tasks, allowing them to focus more on monitoring processes and handling exceptions.
Making growth manageable
By reducing manual work at different stages, designing smarter workflows and connecting different functions, organisations can handle increased workloads with the same staffing capacity.
Automation is about more than simply saving time. Data can be used to look ahead and manage processes more effectively, while built-in checks and conditions help embed knowledge and ensure that processes are carried out correctly. As a result, the role of employees increasingly shifts from performing repetitive tasks to monitoring processes and handling exceptions.
This allows existing capacity to be used more effectively and increased workloads to be handled without needing to increase staffing at the same rate. In this way, automation and optimisation help keep both day-to-day operations and future growth manageable.
Would you like to know what your next step could be in further automating your processes and making them easier to manage? Please contact your designated account manager at Modality.
