Tracking Shipping Information

We analyzed several hundred client carriers and separated them into defined categories to extract and process information.

Customers demand real-time information for keeping tabs on where their shipments are in the supply chain. In response, world-class companies such as Amazon have created ground-breaking consumer experiences that were not only unexpected, but also impossible to provide just a few years ago. However, instances like these have proven to be the exception to the rule, due to the fact that most carriers often do not have the capital to invest in previously unneeded tracking systems.

Between actual carriers, third-party logistics providers and brokers, there are literally thousands of less than load (LTL) carriers. These carriers utilize different systems, and the cost to provide software-based integration of information can be daunting and expensive.  

The Process-Smart Approach

We analyzed several hundred carriers utilized by our client and separated them into three categories to extract and process information:

Application Programming Interface (API)

We connected with carriers that had an API to draw information from every few minutes.

HTML Tags

Carriers that used HTML tags were identified and robotic process automation (RPA) was implemented to gather and query data.

Bot/Manual Review

The last category was gathered via assisted bot and manual review. Once consolidated, we uploaded all data into a distributor system and provided near real-time information across all carriers to their clients.

The combination of system, bots and people created a unique set of advantages that are flexible to system changes and independent of signing on to any single enterprise resource planning (ERP)/carrier system.