BASE-ILM application is developed to have control of the shipments once they leave facility. The most common problem statement with logistics service providers and shippers is that they don’t have such control, even if they are running a state of art TMS like OTM. While a TMS can optimize planning and routing, it is relatively constrained when it comes to recording and reporting real-time activities on the ground e.g. what quantity has been picked up, was the delivery complete or did the driver miss a delivery, how much has been delivered, was there any shortage or damage, time stamps for the driver’s arrival and departure, recording of returns etc. Delay in recording such events adversely impacts customer service levels and increases logistics costs viz. SLA failures, detention charges, shortage penalties etc.
GPS applications provide only the location of the shipment and use of on-board computers can be quite expensive. A cost-effective approach to overcome such challenges is to leverage the omnipresent smart phone, given the dexterity and savviness of most users today, with a mobile app.