For operators of several hubs, Körber offers Network Booster. The software identifies irregularities in a network by analyzing mass data on parcel movements. Like Hub Booster, Network Booster makes recommendations and thereby ensures the timeliest intervention possible. A prominent example is directives for stopping parcel recirculations between hubs. In addition, information on travel times and volumes processed at nodes can be easily called up in dashboards, where users can also find performance information for defined periods. Hence, network manager can accurately track trends, such as identifying typically higher volumes on certain days of the week, and adjust accordingly.
Benefits all around
When all the data produced in hubs and networks is collected and analyzed, parcel service providers benefit from greater visibility and increased efficiency. An example of what this means: with Network Booster, unnecessary sorting and transport costs associated with recirculations can be cut by some 80 percent. That’s good news for the bottom line – and proof that the investment in this AI-driven software is well worth it.
So whether it’s about transporting e-commerce purchases or inter-company logistics for just-in-time delivery of components, it is possible to get more done with the infrastructure on hand. Data eliminates guesswork because the status of hubs and hub networks is apparent in real time. And if that’s not enough, predictions can be made with a higher degree of certainty.
IoT and subsequently IIot have come a long way since the Coke machine stunt at Carnegie Mellon University. Though there is obviously more at stake with parcel logistics companies, the core ultimately remains: whether it’s about fetching soft drinks or forwarding billions of parcels a year, data collection and analysis help facilitate the best decisions.
