Arun Goyal, Director, CTC Freight Carriers India Private Limited
Recent years have seen massive uptake of key technologies and information and communications technology (ICT) solutions across the logistics sector in India. Companies are increasingly deploying smart solutions such as tracking systems and radio frequency identification (RFID) tags to improve business efficiency and enhance customer experience. Technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), IoT, blockchain and augmented reality, among others, are increasingly making inroads to the sector and are redefining the way logistics companies carry out warehousing and supply chain management (SCM). That said, lack of trained resources poses a big challenge, creating hurdles in the widespread adoption of these solutions. Arun Goyal, Director, CTC Freight Carriers India Private Limited, discusses the evolving technology landscape, challenges and the future outlook for the sector…
What are the challenges faced while deploying these new age technologies? How do you plan to address them?
The main challenge to deploy these technologies in logistics sector is lack of will and skilled execution level staff, As all of us are aware due to unorganised sector there is scope for earning money by other means but when we deploy technologies to fix that leakage they try their best to avoid it on this or that excuse as it block their mean to earn extra bucks. For example , drivers take way expenses basis on an average calculation of fuel and tolls and assumption of fuel mileage but if we use technologies like GPS monitoring and Fuel gauge sensor on fuel tank to provide exact details of distance travelled and fuel consumed, We found a huge gap between the actual cost and the amount we are paying currently that’s the point where implementation of these technology become difficult as they are not ready to lose their share and due to acute shortage of manpower we can’t afford to fire them. Over the time by regular counselling and giving some incentives we are trying to fix these issues with a mutual consent.
What technology trends are set to disrupt the logistics sector in the near future?
AI, real time tracking of shipments, rolling stock and exact cost of way expenses by help of calibrated GPS devices, Fast Tag, digitised payment for fuel, repairs, tracking of shipments by RFID etc.
