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5 best practices for a successful technology deployment
Technology initiatives impact every level of an organization. To ensure a successful deployment in the face of limited resources and rapidly changing market landscapes, Tom Martucci, CTO, CIT, outlines the top five best practices.
Technology is the backbone of most companies’ strategic vision to address customers, markets, and industry demands. However, evaluating, selecting and then deploying a new business application across an organization’s operations can seem like a daunting task. And, while software technologies are increasingly important to an organization’s growth, their successful deployment and internal adoption can also invite expensive failure.
Therefore, whether launching a new software technology across operations or migrating from one to another, having a precise evaluation and selection process in place drives operational effectiveness. It also reinforces transparency and fluidity throughout the organization. In fact, employing a thorough evaluation mapping process is one of the most powerful tools that an organization has at its disposal.
Failed technology initiatives are tied to an enormous loss of resources –namely lost time and money. Without an established evaluation and selection process, organizations run the risk of confusion, delays and conflicts within their teams’ operations. So, before rushing to deploy a new technology, businesses should take these important, but oftentimes, overlooked five best practices into consideration:
1.Establish Required Features and Resources
The most important factor is to have a well-defined process plan that identifies software requirements. This will create a clearer picture of user stories, integration points, and automation needs that may be lacking. Defining existing pain points within current processes is as significant as defining the new requirements and a desired process plan of the proposed business application solution. Clearly outlining required features and identifying key resources helps determine and prevent any pitfalls that could stall a deployment.
Moreover, in identifying key resources, it is vital to keep the lines of communication open with key stakeholders and assign responsibilities to all participants in the early stages of the project. It is critical to create a “single team” mind-set, establishing requirements based on the needs of departments, staff and executives. It is also important to consider the intricacies of deployment, looking at on-premise vs. in the cloud, assessing how many locations and how many users as well as permission levels. By doing so, it will ensure that the initiative will meet everyone’s expectations.
2.Understand Customer Needs
Another key factor to take into account is how this newly deployed business application will serve your customers. Conducting an audit of the existing system will reveal how customers are currently being served as well as uncovering gaps. This assessment is an essential component in determining how to move forward.
Increasingly, organizations are relying on technologies that balance consistency and flexibility to further extract speed-to-market benefits. In an age when customers expect exactly what they want when they want it, forward-thinking organizations need to consider a 360-degree approach to fully realize the true value of any technology investment. By fully understanding the customer, primary speed-to-market goals will be incorporated that can be realized from day one.
3.Mind The Budget
In order to create budgetary parameters, organizations must closely examine the cost/benefit analysis and corporate ROI thresholds ahead of starting the project. By utilizing a modeling technique, organizations will be able to estimate project effort, development hours, staff size, risk propensity, hardware requirements, and more.
Another aspect to examine is the necessary staff hours needed to maintain the projected timeline. If not considered, sufficient resources will not be allocated, which could result in unmet deadlines as well as additional expense. Further, an important area to review is any upfront and hidden costs as well as ongoing investment expenses (maintenance, operating expenses, upgrade costs, extra features, support staff, etc.). It is necessary to project these costs for the next three to five years in operational budget plans.
4.Incorporate Security at Every Level
A new business application deployment should not compromise any security best practice; instead, it should seamlessly work with and comply with existing security standards. Robust security becomes even more critical during a deployment period.
The software provider should assess the amount of security and compliance the organization requires. The implementation of vital security tools such as multifactor authentication can strengthen security against potential cyber threats. Hence, it is important to establish who can access data as well as have the ability to adjust and revoke permissions levels, as needed.
5.Set the Integration Parameters
Lastly, you need to fully recognize what level of integration is required during implementation by reviewing the current technology stack and identifying its associated benefits, challenges and costs. Depending on the level of integration, it might require additional hours to get all systems fully operable.
Furthermore, the true success of a new or upgraded technology deployment into an organization is not achieved without understanding the overall operational benefits of the new system. Therefore, before going live, it is imperative to load test and closely examine how the business application solution behaves against your original requirements as well as typical daily scenarios and business processes. By closely scrutinizing the capabilities of the new system against the original requirements, businesses will be well-positioned to determine its current and future effectiveness.
September 24th, Charlotte, NC - HTL Freight, a rising leader in the third-party logistics (3PL), is pleased to announce the acquisition of CTS Logistics, a full-service managed transportation company (4PL) headquartered in Windham, NH. This acquisition, HTL Freight’s fourth major transaction since 2021, reinforces its commitment to delivering exceptional freight solutions across North America.
CTS Logistics, known for its managed transportation and brokerage services, has built a strong reputation since its founding in 1989 by Donald Leclair. The company’s family-oriented ethos has been carried forward by Leclair’s children—Alan, Keith, Brian, and Kim Garneau—who continue to play key roles in the business.
"Our decision to partner with HTL Freight was driven by their dedication to upholding the values that have defined CTS Logistics for the past 35 years. HTL Freight’s leadership shares our commitment to integrity and service, making them the ideal partner to carry forward our family’s legacy," said Alan Leclair, President of CTS Logistics.
As part of the acquisition, Keith Leclair has been appointed as Vice-President of LTL at HTL Freight. His extensive experience and leadership will be instrumental in expanding HTL’s Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) capabilities.
Finalized in February 2024, the acquisition has since led to a close collaboration between the two companies to ensure a seamless integration of operations, systems, and cultures. This collaborative process has preserved CTS Logistics’ strengths while enhancing the combined service offerings.
Founder Donald Leclair expressed confidence in CTS Logistics’ future under HTL Freight's ownership, stating, "The collaboration between our teams over the past few months has confirmed that HTL Freight is the right partner to continue serving our clients with the level of care and dedication they’ve come to expect."
This acquisition allows HTL Freight to further expand its geographic footprint and service offerings, positioning the company as a notable player in both the 3PL and 4PL sectors. Customers will benefit from enhanced transportation solutions, including increased brokerage capabilities and more robust managed transportation services, all supported by HTL Freight’s state-of-the-art technology platform.
"We are thrilled about the growth opportunities this acquisition brings to both our customers and our organization. The addition of CTS Logistics strengthens our ability to provide comprehensive, technology-driven solutions that enhance efficiency and deliver cost savings to our shipper partners," said Onu Okebie, CEO of HTL Freight.
About HTL Freight:
Founded in 1983, HTL Freight (htlfreight.com) is a supply chain management company providing an experience rooted in service, data-driven insights, and advanced technology for both shippers and carriers. Focused on customer service, operational excellence, and partnerships, HTL's mission is to consistently exceed expectations and "Go the Distance" for its clients by delivering reliable supply chain solutions.
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – Etihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of Etihad Airways, is celebrating 20 years of operations in India, a milestone that reflects the airline's ongoing commitment to the Indian market since its first flight to Mumbai on 26 September 2004. Over the years, Etihad Cargo has expanded its presence in India, now offering belly hold capacity via nonstop services between Abu Dhabi and 12 major Indian cities, with plans for further growth.
Etihad Cargo handles over 46,000 tonnes of cargo annually ex India, connecting the country to over 100 global destinations via its Abu Dhabi hub via 588 widebody and narrowbody rotations each month. To meet the needs of specific sectors, Etihad Cargo has enhanced its product range, adding new features and launching new products. Key commodities handled include electronics, including mobile phones and semiconductors, garments, pharmaceuticals, perishables, e-commerce, automobile components and courier shipments, reflecting the diversity and strength of India's manufacturing and export sectors.
The carrier's IATA CEIV Pharma-certified PharmaLife product provides precise temperature control for the safe transport of high-value pharmaceuticals, a growing market in India. Etihad Cargo is exploring additional certified pharma trade lanes with key airline partners and has implemented stringent cargo screening for US-bound shipments from major Indian hubs, including Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, and Hyderabad. Etihad Cargo's pharma roadshows in India, launched in 2023, have helped double PharmaLife volumes by improving connectivity and frequencies. Additionally, the introduction of Etihad Cargo's IATA CEIV Li-batt-certified SecureTech product in 2024 has supported the growth of electronics shipments.
"As Etihad Cargo celebrates two decades of successful operations in India, the carrier's commitment to its customers remains strong," said Stanislas Brun, Vice President Cargo. "Etihad Cargo's continued investment in its network, product range, infrastructure, and digitalisation efforts ensures the carrier can provide efficient, reliable air cargo solutions that meet the evolving needs of customers in India and beyond."
The airline has invested in advanced technology to enhance its operations, including the use of customer relationships and cargo management systems like Salesforce and Sales Cockpit, as well as track and trace capabilities and automated warehouse management. The ongoing enhancement of Etihad Cargo's online booking portal, which now includes options for pets and dangerous goods as well as personalised dashboards, has improved the efficiency of the booking process. Currently, 93 per cent of the bookings made in India are made directly through Etihad Cargo’s booking portal.
As Etihad Cargo looks to the future, the airline will continue to innovate and expand its operations, remaining committed to evaluating its network and adding capacity where required to support its customers in this key market. With a focus on delivering efficient and reliable cargo solutions, Etihad Cargo is dedicated to meeting the evolving needs of the Indian market and cementing its position as the air cargo partner of choice for the Indian market.
Charlotte NC, September 23, 2024 (McLeod User Conference ) – HOPTEK, a global leader in AI-driven trucking and fleet transportation solutions, has been selected by Xtreme Trucking of Wisconsin, one of the U.S.’s leading technology-first transportation and logistics providers, for its Dispatch Engine® solution, a digital platform providing instant visibility and access to the spot load market, while matching available carrier capacity across thousands of possible options. HOPTEK’s “digital twin” will provide real-time visibility and enable Xtreme to boost operational efficiency and fleet utilization, while reducing driver turnover and deadhead miles, resulting in material cost savings and profitability.
Started as a small independent operation in 2006, Xtreme Trucking was formally established in 2009 to become a quality diversified transportation provider, with a growing revenue profile and extensive coverage across the United States. Through HOPTEK’s Dispatch Engine®, Xtreme has leveraged real-time data visibility and dynamic decision-making to drive operational velocity to achieve up to a 20% increase in both Revenue per Hour and Weekly Revenue Miles per Driver – a clear competitive advantage.
Travis Nelson, President and Founder of Xtreme Trucking said: “Between supply chain complications, market shifts, and driver shortages, the past several years have been a rollercoaster ride for our industry. Selecting HOPTEK’s Dispatch Engine solution addresses several seemingly intractable challenges, enabling us to optimize fleet utilization, increase driver satisfaction, and reduce deadhead empty miles. HOPTEK’s robust visibility platform enables us to make the best available decision, even as fleets remain dynamic, and routing and load scenarios shift constantly. We at Xtreme immediately recognized the value of HOPTEK’s strategic offering to our operation and how it would support the achievement of our goals.”
Transportation and logistics are the backbone of the U.S. economy. Xtreme fuels that economic growth by delivering best-in-class operations, innovative technology solutions, and a talented workforce. The company was seeking a solution that would address very specific issues related to driver miles, route efficiency, and utilization in one platform. Achieving these goals required a unique set of capabilities. HOPTEK’s Dispatch Engine® solution closes these gaps by creating dispatchable recommendations that consider the entire fleet, at any given moment. It gets critical information to dispatchers, planners, drivers, and other stakeholders in near real-time, supercharging efficiencies and profitability.
Balaji Guntur, CEO and Co-founder of HOPTEK said: “We’re excited and honored to have been selected as a long-term partner to Xtreme Trucking. Their keen eye for innovative technologies and solutions that genuinely add measurable value attests to why the industry will view Xtreme as a trend setter and leader in small to mid-size fleet tech adoption. We believe they have selected a solution that will enable them to achieve their technology goals, while at the same time supporting their efficiency mindset and profitability targets.”
About Xtreme
Xtreme Trucking LLC delivers superior reefer transportation and dedicated services across the United States. With a leading view on technology and a modern truck and trailer fleet, we are an essential solutions provider for customers who value the integrity of their supply chain and require safe, and exceptional service. Moreover, Xtreme strives for leading on-time delivery and customer service, and as a technologically minded fleet, and remains deeply committed to promoting both customer and driver satisfaction. To find out how Xtreme Trucking Delivers, please visit: https://www.xtremetrucking.com/
About HOPTEK
HOPTEK was founded in 2021 when global strategy and management consultancy Kearney brought its transportation and tech expertise together to help transform the trucking industry. After HOPTEK’s AI-powered system helped a leading U.S. fleet solve major operational challenges and drastically boost their performance, the company opened that technology to fleets across the U.S. With transformational technology tools such as Fleet Scanner®, Freight Finder®, and Dispatch Engine®, trucking and logistics companies can actively analyze fleet performance, identify and reduce wasteful wait times, and optimize dispatching in responsive real-time. For more information, please visit: https://www.HOPTEK.ai/
About Kearney
Kearney is a leading global management consulting firm. For nearly 100 years, we have been the trusted advisor to C-suites, government bodies, and nonprofit organizations. Our people make us who we are. Driven to be the difference between a big idea and making it happen, we help our clients break through. For more information, please visit: https://www.kearney.com/
Nulogy, a leading provider in supply chain collaboration solutions, and Kinaxis, a global leader in supply chain orchestration, have announced a partnership to develop cutting-edge solutions for brand manufacturing supply chain networks worldwide.
The new partnership aims to catalyze fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and life science brands and their supplier networks to work together more effectively through digital transformation solutions, thereby mutually improving costs, service and revenue. Combining the supply chain orchestration capabilities of Kinaxis with the collaborative external manufacturing specialization of Nulogy will enable customers to share forecasts and order information with suppliers and receive inventory capacity information faster.
Nulogy’s purpose-built multi-enterprise platform enables greater responsiveness in the supply networks of leading FMCG and life science brands, including L’Oréal, Colgate-Palmolive, and Church & Dwight, as well as their extended suppliers and hundreds of sites around the world.
“Given the speed and volatility of today’s global market, it is more important than ever for brand manufacturers to digitally synchronize with their supplier communities in order to respond with agility,” said Jason Tham, CEO at Nulogy. “Through our partnership with Kinaxis, we look forward to collaborations that will elevate the performance of supply chain networks around the world.”
Kinaxis Maestro is the AI-infused end-to-end supply chain orchestration platform for fast, intelligent decision-making. Trusted by renowned global brands to provide agility and predictability to help navigate volatility and disruptions, Kinaxis has been a leader in supply chain planning for over 40 years.
"Our partnership with Nulogy improves visibility, control and collaboration of the upstream network of critical suppliers, like contract manufacturers and co-packers, by integrating a variety of supplier data into Maestro,” said Bill Walker, Senior Director, Partner Solutions Extensions at Kinaxis. “Giving our customers the ability to better run simulations, digitize planning and connect in suppliers.”
Learn more about the partnership at ASCM Connect on September 9, 2024. Kevin Wong, Chief Operating Officer, Nulogy; Polly Mitchell-Guthrie, Supply Chain Thought Leader, Kinaxis; and German Vizcaya Leon, VP Global Planning, Colgate-Palmolive will discuss how Nulogy and Kinaxis’s solutions in Advanced Planning & Scheduling and Supplier Collaboration have played pivotal roles in interconnecting Colgate’s network.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sherri Bosslet
Title: Director of Customer Relations
Phone: 937.415.1715
Email: sbosslet@daytonfreight.com
Date: September 5, 2024
Web: daytonfreight.com
ULINE AWARDED DAYTON FREIGHT FOR EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCE
DAYTON, Ohio – Dayton Freight Lines, Inc., a leading provider of regional less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation services, was presented the 2023 Exceptional Performance Award and the Minnesota LTL Carrier of the Year award from Uline.
The 2023 Exceptional Performance Award and the Minnesota LTL Carrier of the Year award were presented to Dayton Freight’s Milwaukee and Hudson Service Centers, respectively. Both awards were given based on the following criteria: exemplary customer service, technological innovation and lastly, partnership and dedication.
Uline, a family-owned business, is the leading distributor of shipping, industrial and packaging materials to businesses throughout North America.
Dayton Freight’s Director of Customer Relations, Sherri Bosslet quoted, “We are incredibly proud of our Service Centers in Milwaukee and Hudson WI for receiving these awards. These accolades from Uline truly demonstrate the dedication and diligence of our Dayton Freight team. We look forward to a lasting partnership for years to come.”
Founded in 1981, Dayton Freight is a private, union-free, less-than truckload (LTL) freight carrier headquartered in Dayton, Ohio. Currently ranked as the country’s 12th largest LTL company, Dayton Freight has 70 Service Centers in 14 Midwest states, served by 6,000+ employees. Offering 1 or 2 day service to thousands of cities, Dayton Freight is known for its prudent growth, operational excellence, advanced technology and an unparalleled company culture known as The Dayton Difference.
Photo Caption: Jeremy Cutchens (Dayton Freight), Shelly Hofmeister (Dayton Freight), Ed VanGrouw (Dayton Freight), Eric Dreissig (Uline), LJ Groen (Uline)