Companies would like to be prepared for the future and in that future ICT is becoming increasingly important. Yet the question remains what entrepreneurs should do now: go along or wait and see? Evofenedex conducted research.
More than four in five shippers think they are on the right track when it comes to using data and all other possibilities offered by ICT. This is according to the preliminary results of a survey conducted by evofenedex. In practice, however, there are still plenty of opportunities to innovate and improve. Rutger van der Graaff works at Allinq Labs, a company that helps other companies - in telecoms in particular - with innovative opportunities to achieve better results. He answers five questions on opportunities for logistics companies.
What is currently the biggest digitalisation challenge?
"Challenge is not the right word, digitalisation should be seen more in terms of opportunities. Opportunities to do things faster, smarter and better quality. It is important to give digitalisation a face within an organisation, a driving force. Someone who looks at the company through digital glasses and translates opportunities into concrete objectives. I often miss that. In addition, time is important; we don't make enough time for innovations."
Are companies doing enough with their data and ICT?
"In my opinion, still too little. In my opinion, it is important to also deal with the human aspects of digitalisation. Translate your vision into a plan, name the objectives you want to achieve and look at the impact of digitalisation on people. Then start small. Don't tackle everything at once, emphasise its importance and see if it works in the environment you are in and only then move on."
What opportunities are there for companies involved in logistics?
"That is the right question! On the list of all industries and business units where a lot will change in the coming years as a result of digitalisation through, for example, robotisation, the Internet of Things, self-driving cars and virtual and augmented reality, logistics is often at the top. An important development in this respect is the emergence of Smart Cities, with all their advantages and disadvantages. The goal of a Smart City is to increase the quality of life of residents and a better connection between government and citizens. In a Smart City, everything is connected, citizens get information they need, smart sensors tell where electric cars can be charged and so on. Make your company a Smart Company and apply some of the principles of a Smart City, and it will automatically roll out where the opportunities are and which ones suit the company."
What should an entrepreneur bet on if his company is to survive in a changing world?
"There is no single solution or leading technology. I would bet on developing so-called transformation skills of employees, giving them the opportunity to change with it through training, for example. The digital revolution is creating new functions that are not there yet. If a company can change, it has a right to exist."
Data is playing an increasingly important role within companies. Where will we be in ten years? Will data rule us by then?
"Now we see data as something we have to treat separately, soon data will be part of everything we do and we probably won't even call it data anymore. In the development towards artificial intelligence, there are still many bumps to overcome. In the end, we will decide who is in charge."
This article is part of Evofenedex's ICT&Logistics special. Also getting started with ICT? Then come to the ICT & Logistics trade fair in Jaarbeurs Utrecht on 7 and 8 November. You can register here.
