Logistics and remittance services provider LBC Express signed up with India-based Ramco, an enterprise cloud company, to embark on an enterprise-wide transformation in its logistics and supply chain operations to gain competitive advantage in the next wave of logistics.
The project involves the integration and automating of its local as well as global markets across its 1,300 global branches and 121 warehouses. Equipped with chatbots and advanced analytics capabilities, the transformation aims to improve company wide-visibility and hub management.
“What’s important for us in being able to acquire this system in Ramco is really part of our transformation footprint. Today we’re operating our own legacy systems that have been there for many years and if we don’t change strategically with the systems, we will be left behind,” said Mike Camahort, president and COO at LBC Express. “Logistics is a very hot segment today specifically in the Philippines so we have to get into this partnership in order for us to be able to take the company to the next level – to take LBC in the market continue to be number one for the next three to seven years.”
According to Camahort, the project with Ramco, which will be implemented within 10 to 12months, is a company’s major investment to improve efficiency and bring down cost to the company, and more importantly, delight customers. However, he declined to disclose the actual amount.
The plan for the project is to initially implement it locally, which is LBC’s biggest market, and will be used globally for the whole LBC, according to Alfie Deato, senior vice president for IT at LBC Express, Inc.
Deato said that the transformation is really for customers. Once implemented, it gives full visibility for customers over the package and its arrival. It also allows for on-demand pickup and delivery.
On LBC’s side, Deato said the system gives them full visibility on the financial side. The billing system is also integrated into it, including warehouse. “It’s the fully integrated system that we like which differ Ramco from other systems that we’ve looked at. We don’t need to be integrated with many systems that we have today so it’s completely a change for us,” said Deato.
The chatbots, on the other hand, serves as a convenient method for customers to communicate in looking for their packages or to get updates for LBC as well so it’s a two-way thing, according to Deato, adding that when your package is about to be delivered, you can use Messenger to provide the message across.
Asked if the implementation of the project would mean higher rates for services, Camahort said, “It’s an investment on our part to get us more efficient and to have our customers efficient too. The objective is ease of transacting, and hopefully to be a one-stop shop for all requirements of our customers regardless of what segment they are in the industry. It’s a single integrated platform that gives us the advantage, ease and efficiency.”
Camahort also mentioned that a lot of their investment will go to Analytics which they have already done. They also invest to safeguard their data. “Being a logistics firm, we are rich in data and we have to maximize on that to provide efficiency and better services to our customers.”
