Steve Briggs, Director, ICAT Logistics

Biggest challenge in technology to meet the challenges of logistics sector and solutions you look forward from technology providers for the enterprise

As a non-asset based company, the biggest challenges we face are how to best use the technology that exists to the fullest to help all of our partners (Agencies, Vendors and Customers) grow more profitably.

For our Vendors

Transportation Logistics at the cartage level is laden with vendors who still communicate via phone and fax, particularly in the more tertiary markets. Where we do encounter vendors who are accustomed to using "modern" technology, those vendors have outsourced to a myriad of service providers. Each of these providers uses its own version of an industry "standard". Any organization who has tried to implement an EDI integration based on what should be a common set of rules will understand.

Fortunately, ICAT has partnered with its own software provider that has made the integration process easier by building in cross-reference tables for data mapping. The next step for us is to help educate and sophisticate our vendors by demonstrating that improving their technology solution will improve their standing as a preferred vendor for ICAT. In essence we could help them grow.

For our Customers

Providing the best value for our customers transportation dollar is where we feel we excel. Not all value is realized at the dollars and cents level. ICAT strives to provide logistics solutions for its customers. We take the time to analyze our customers’ needs beyond getting freight from point A to point B. Some customers require regular reporting. Others want instant notifications based on a shipment’s current status. We offer many of these solutions, and more. Our challenge is perception. We are not a large forwarder so it is easy for our customers to pigeon-hole us. If we perform a single service, they assume that is all we do. If we can provide them with more solutions than they think, we are able to help them do more with less. They don’t need to work with as many different vendors or they may be able to outsource warehousing operations and reduce overhead costs.

For our Agency Partners

ICAT's solution to customer penetration is its data analysis department. That group is tasked with studying existing data, searching for trends, and researching our customer base outside its activity with ICAT. All of this enables us to flush out potential growth opportunities within our existing customer base. To increase revenue, you can get more customers or get more out of your existing customers. Data analysis helps us penetrate existing customers further. It also helps us identify other customers like the ones with which we are already successful. To increase profit, you can either reduce your costs or handle more activity without more staff.

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