The way we perceive and interact with technology is radically transforming. The applications we use daily and the new technologies and services that are emerging, driven by the internet of things (IoT), are connecting us and enabling the creation of technological platforms (digital connection environments), augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality. This group of technologies allows us to experience a real and immersive experience in a virtual environment. These virtual representations can be used to analyze, monitor and control equipment, processes, products and services, surprisingly increasing the efficiency of the environments in which we operate. In parallel, Artificial Intelligence and Optimization interact in a fundamental way in these environments, extracting the best possible solutions that could not be achieved, and often not even imagined, by the human mind. Development and implementation process in operations The first step is to train, motivate and engage teams, from senior management to the operational team, about the importance of this digital transformation, which also becomes an organizational transformation, for the survival of the business. Another fundamental step in the transformation process is the creation of an internal environment in the corporation, including an organizational model and processes, that enables the company to absorb these new technologies in a positive way, without corrupting its current processes and results, consistently increasing its degree of efficiency. Supported by these principles, companies must develop their technological platforms, connecting current and new technologies, and gradually raise the technical level of the results obtained for the business itself and, mainly, for its customers.
Benefits to customers The main objective is to guarantee customers the best solution (optimal solution) for their logistics needs. To do so, we need to deeply and digitally understand the demands of our customers and, in parallel, have the best structure of assets capable of finding those solutions. The technological platform will receive digital information from operational assets (TMS, vehicles, equipment and the like) in addition to digital information obtained electronically from customers, and will use operational research (OR) tools to minimize existing operational costs and maximize the level of service , ensuring the best possible solution in this system for all agents who participate. The importance of investing in technology Much more complex than raising funds for business development will be the ability to transform these businesses in a timely manner, as this represents a true transformation of existing models. Revisiting history, we realize that the great difference for Uber’s growth was that its technological platform allowed the vehicles to be used much better and, consequently, even with lower costs per trip, margin gains equal to or greater than taxis were achieved. through a massive dilution of fixed and non-operating costs. In logistics, this process must be similar, however, in a much more complex way in technological terms, for the simple fact that individualized trips will not be optimized and because there must not be an abundance of resources to absorb seasonality and different cargo flows between regions. . For example, when looking for freight from São Paulo to Fortaleza, the lowest cost will certainly not only be the best offer for a vehicle for that destination, but it will be the best use of this asset leaving São Paulo, reaching Fortaleza and returning on the best, or best, existing routes until arriving at the starting point (assuming it is São Paulo). In a country like Brazil, which has very high seasonality combined with a total imbalance in the internal flow of cargo, this will be the big difference in the search for efficiency. It is also important to consider that platforms that have their own assets, and can allocate them according to their own demand, will also be much more efficient in the search for effective optimization.