Digital transformation can take air freight revenues to newer heights

‘All roads lead to Rome’, as all industry verticals in the current scenario lead to robotics, digitalization, and automation – with technology being one of the key weapons to take air freight to greater heights. The air cargo industry is flying high and generating colossal revenue for Indian airlines amidst the post-global pandemic times. Businesses across diverse sectors are seeing the advantage of partnering with an air freight service expert like Gati-KWE’s Gati Air.

It has become imperative for air freight services to be ready for a digital transition to take India’s air freight industry to new heights, globally. As supply chain logistics holds the pivot, many SaaS tech service providers have emerged heralding air freight logistics and the possibilities that its digitalization can bring forth.

Bringing in digitally-enabled customer service

The aim of digitalization is to have a sustainable future for the air cargo industry, complementing online customer experiences, and providing transparency of information through seamless connectivity with perfect technology adaptations. The process of automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and Big Data have rapidly transformed the air freight industry and air cargo market players over the years, through acceleration and improved digitalization.

For a service provider like Gati Air, geared to provide customized domestic air freight with connectivity to all commercial airports in the country, tie-ups with leading airlines, and value-added services like early or late pick-ups, scheduled and same-day deliveries, and more, technology plays a key role in enhancing customer-centricity.

Integration of an online customer portal

Many air freight providers are catering to customers’ exceeding expectations with well-equipped online customer portals – a ready-to-use single window platform for tracking all shipments and transactions, getting real-time updates on shipments, easy viewing and downloading of invoices, monitoring service levels, and simultaneously keeping track of payments and outstanding bills.

Further, the use of advanced bar code scanners to ascertain periodical stock calculations at all distribution centers, faster scanning of POD, and quick identification of missing shipments help ensure seamless customer experiences.

For customers of Gati Air, getting cost estimates, transit times, tracking updates, and seeking answers to queries takes only a few clicks, with Gati Genie. Having an integrated IT network, real-time ERP, and advanced tracking systems for vehicles and packages ensures seamless digital customer experiences.

Keeping pace with evolving technology

Future-oriented air freight thinkers are focusing on having systematic shipment touchpoints, which is to have digital bookings, invoicing, and status updates. Digital booking touchpoints are comprised of booking and tracking platforms, online quotes, as well as shipment data wallets.

It expedites the operational process, giving customers immediate visibility of their bookings. It is very similar to the digital wallet, like in the mobiles, safely storing all data. It can automatically read, and extract information from multiple shipment documents of customers, converting all into an electronic message and sending it to the transport management system, for systematic filing of data. It reduces the labour of manual entry of data and restricts duplication of information.

API aims to bring improvement in the real-time digital information that is exchanged with the trucking partners, addressing the issue of increasing demand for status visibility, enabling a system-to-system integration with air freight carriers, for digital excellence. “To digitize the capacity quoting and booking process, API is an ideal tool connecting the air freight service provider, customer, and multiple others in the ecosystem, moving towards a seamless digital customer journey”, says Mr Charles Devlin D’Costa, Chief Supply Chain Officer, at Gati-KWE.

“You better be open to experiments and get creative with technology and data. All you need to have is an innovative mindset, the drive to deliver nothing but the best, and support from your team and customers to live in the future and make others see this future”, he adds.

Conclusion

Digital air freight solutions are about a profound transformation from the root to the core in order to create a seamless and attractive digital customer journey, internally and also for suppliers. This transformation suggests unbroken information flows and processes for smooth operational interaction, meeting rising customer expectations of increased transparency and speedy communication, simultaneously streamlining internal processes.

It reduces manual data entry, ensuring an instant and constant connectivity with suppliers through the real-time availability of information, expediting and building a holistic and comprehensive process for imparting digital excellence and improving business dynamics.