Without proper IT implementation, businesses cannot adequately scale to meet growing online order volumes, says Ian Berman, QAD Accuracy solution advisor.
The number of employees leaving the workforce is one of the constraints facing businesses today, especially among IT staff. “We’re starting to see that enterprise IT teams are starting to shrink and tighten,” Berman says. “Whether it’s a sign of a recession or otherwise, resources continue to get smaller and smaller.” The end result is that people who want to implement new processes or software are stuck.
The C suite is aware of the problem. Executives would like to see the implementation of technology with high ROI potential, Berman says. “They know how bad the market is for bringing in qualified resources who are willing to stay. The turnover rate has been astronomical, especially in the 18 to 24 months.
Given the constraints, when it comes to optimal shipping, companies need to diversify their network of carriers, Berman says. This is true even if the volume of orders is down everywhere, especially in e-commerce. However, to satisfy its existing customers, a business must be able to scale to meet its distribution and delivery needs. “If you don’t have anything in place now, you’re probably already behind,” he says. “And being able to scale with additional carriers or capacity is what you need to keep your customers, suppliers, etc. happy.”
Ideally, says Berman, a shipper needs an all-encompassing application that covers tracking, visibility, freight payment, reporting and compliance management, as well as the ability to take advantage of free trade agreements and free zones. “It would give IT resources a place to go to get and manage their contracts as well as their compliance items.”