CARGO EDGE Blog

10.07
2021

bracket-divder

garbage in = garbage out

With supply chain visibility platforms, garbage in = garbage out

Today’s supply chains are complex. So much so that a new crop of companies has emerged to bring order to the chaos. Visibility platforms marry disparate systems and networks to deliver insights intended to help users better orchestrate their supply chains. 

While these connected supply chain and platform players have proliferated, the data feeds driving visibility platforms too often rely on dated technology which yields disjointed and sometimes unreliable information. For example, many shipping data feeds still rely on barcode scans, EDI messaging, and manual status updates…technologies and methods that are decades old and haven’t changed much.

Businesses that continue to rely on outdated modes of monitoring risk losing out to competitors who can exploit digital technologies to predict better react faster and maximize value across the supply chain.

From predictive ETA to true intelligence

Barcode scanning packages lets shippers know when the shipment has passed a certain checkpoint. Sometimes there’s a GPS device on the truck, or the driver has a smartphone to periodically relay location to the visibility platform (often via the mentioned EDI messaging). The visibility platform then attempts to provide an educated guess as to when it will arrive. But even then, the platform is only considering the location of the driver, vehicle, or trailer, not the actual shipment itself.  If the cargo hasn’t been correctly associated with the vehicle moving it, this entire system breaks down.

OnAsset is unique in that its suite of technologies is designed to track the individual pieces of cargo. Our devices relay a host of data about not just the whereabouts but also the condition and chain-of-custody of individual pieces of cargo – completely independent of the container they are inside, or the mode of transportation used.  The shipper is proactively notified if the shipment itself goes off track, exceeds defined temperatures, or is jostled or opened.

Discriminating data.

Buyer beware. At this stage in the game, visibility platforms lean on all sorts of data feeds without necessarily knowing if those data feeds are actually generating quality usable data. Many providers market the quantity of their data feeds, but tangible information as to the quality of those data feeds is more difficult to get. It’s important to discriminate and be mindful of the tools feeding the platform so you have a crystal-clear picture of not only where the shipment is but the condition it’s in. Today’s supply chains move quickly, and barcode scans and EDI feeds can’t always keep up. There is so much more to know, especially in an era where life-saving medications and high-value merchandise are logging miles all across the globe.  

You can’t make big decisions based on questionable data. Supply chain visibility tools are only as effective as the technologies supplying the data. Focus on visibility providers that can prove they are gathering accurate, timely, high-quality data at the very edge – the shipment itself – to ensure your visibility investment delivers tangible, actionable information.  Quantity is never a replacement for quality.

The race is on to create business advantages through more tightly managed supply chains. As enterprises invest in supply chain visibility platforms, they should be mindful of what technologies are driving the data that is used to make business decisions. Successful organizations need to understand these details to make the right choices.