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TECHNOLOGY : PLANNING AND PROCUREMENT to recognize their most critical requirements , Dunsmore noted . These might include inventory management , order processing , logistics , freight audit and payment , returns management , and business analytics .
“ When you implement solutions for a supply chain — of which procurement planning , logistics and finance are all a part — you ’ ve got different groups within your organization that need to participate ,” Dunsmore said .
The process begins with an onsite “ blueprint workshop ” to analyze the shipper ’ s core challenges and shortcomings in its existing operations . These workshops are essential for designing tailored software to meet each client ’ s unique needs .
“ That ’ s where we demonstrate how we align technology with solutions to these challenges ,” Dunsmore said . “ We develop specific business processes and configure the software to apply the processes and establish data communications to change and exchange the data between trading partners .”
Shippers work with multiple trading partners relating to procurement planning and logistics .
“ Data design to fulfill the business process is quite challenging ,” Dunsmore said .
Once a contract is finalized , nVision Global moves into the design and implementation phase , a process that can vary from 60 days to 12 months based on the complexity of client needs . For most clients , the timeline ranges from 60 to 180 days . Upon completion , the SaaS platform enhances access to critical information , allowing shippers to make more strategic decisions on production timing and inventory management .
Benefits are multifaceted and include improved customer relationships , cost reductions , streamlined administrative processes and better inventory management , which together support healthier cash flow . Dunsmore refers to these potential benefits as “ value levers .”
For example , freight auto-pay capabilities can reduce the time and cost involved in managing invoices , providing value to finance departments by streamlining payment workflows .
“ Each function — manufacturing , inventory , supply chain and logistics — has its own value levers ,” Dunsmore said . “ Our role during blueprint workshops is to pinpoint the challenges , demonstrate where value can be gained and configure the software to optimize these levers .”
The business also provides quarterly reviews to measure these benefits , helping clients quantify cost savings across supplier , transportation and fulfillment management . Some clients choose to implement specific tools , such as supplier management or transportation management , while others seek a full-service package .
“ Those are the assignments that typically take 12 months to implement . They want the full scale of inboundoutbound freight audit and payment , plus other functionalities such as expedited freight approval ,” Dunsmore said .
In the latter , a shipment originally scheduled for transportation by land or ocean freight now requires faster delivery and so will be shipped by air freight instead . That upgrade will be more expensive than the original transportation method , but nVision Global ’ s software has the capability — should the shipper wish — for management to give preapproval for such expedited freight , thereby removing one step in a timesensitive process . nVision Global ’ s application programming interfaces and electronic data interchanges permit automated data transfer between shippers and supply chain partners , supporting real-time updates and insights .
Additionally , its algorithms organize and analyze data within customized databases , applying techniques such as exponential smoothing to forecast product demand by region . This allows clients to visualize demand patterns and adjust their inventories accordingly , Dunsmore noted , adding that similar methodologies can be applied across transportation , returns and sales order management . www . joc . com December 2 , 2024 | Journal of Commerce 43