Logistics triumvirate: cooperating to implement intelligent interfaces

TIMOCOM and translogica support Quehenberger Logistics as it automates its transport processes

One of these customers is Quehenberger Logistics GmbH, which counts on TRANSLOGICA GmbH's translogica transport document management system (TDMS) to handle its internal logistics processes and already looks back here on many years of cooperation. Quehenberger places its trust in another family-run innovation driver to serve the pan-European market: TIMOCOM. Quehenberger Logistics focuses on the efficient and profitable utilisation of the company’s 250 vehicles and 520,000 m² of warehouse and logistics space, and strives to handle this in lean, automated and transparent processes.

Quehenberger Logistics GmbH

Digitalise transport processes successfully thanks to interfaces

"TIMOCOM has a high priority in our company", explains Christian Fürstaller, CEO & Managing Partner of Quehenberger Freight GmbH. "What our companies have in common is the claim to be pioneers in digitalisation. This has significantly reinforced our conviction in building upon TIMOCOM in the use of interfaces”.

Steven van Cauteren, Head of Key Account & Partner Management at TIMOCOM, adds: "Our customer has the vision to be the best medium-sized logistics company in Central and Eastern Europe. TIMOCOM has the vision of creating a world without logistics challenges. Our expertise and our solutions in the form of the three APIs bring both visions a little closer“.
Quehenberger Logistics overcomes the everyday hurdles arising from the parallel use of several systems by using all three interfaces.

Paving the way and placing orders: Streamlined, digitalised, reliable

Implementation of the freight exchange interface in translogica enables Quehenberger to transfer freight and vehicle offers from TDMS to the Smart Logistics System with just one click. The result: Duplicate entries and transcription errors are avoided and time, cost and work efficiency increased. The coverage immediately increases to over 45,000 potential business partners.
"The agile approach of both partners has resulted in a perfect symbiosis, which has already generated excellent results within short development intervals", that’s how Hansjörg Haller, CEO of TRANSLOGICA GmbH, describes the cooperation. "Cooperation with TIMOCOM and translogica produces an interface with intuitive handling for the user. Usability can best be compared to a travel portal like trivago, as you only need a very few clicks to conclude a legally binding contract”.

Interfaces as the key to automation

Up to now, this is when a time-consuming e-mail marathon ensued between Quehenberger Logistics as the customer and the respective contractor. Now the transport orders interface - also integrated in translogica - takes care of dispatching orders. Fully digital and legally binding, it also effects the dispatch of the documents required by both parties, e.g. for the transport of hazardous goods, and enables direct order acceptance. The interface automatically documents all status changes in the system. It also arranges archiving of relevant (master) data. Quehenberger Logistics is taking an important step towards its contractors here: Previously, the data from e-mail attachments had to be manually transferred to the respective TMS by the contractor. This time switchimg between programms and applications is avoided through automation with the help of the interface and Quehenberger Logistics significantly unburdens its business partners’ internal work processes. "Especially when it comes to efficiency, the use of the system has led to many improvements for us. Thanks to the transport order interface, awarding is now possible without changing applications. The smart integration in translogica makes this possible with just a few clicks", Christian Fürstaller reports enthusiastically. "Conversely, we, in the role of contractor, also benefit from this advantage”.

Through to the subcontractor: Real-time visibility in the transport chain

Where are the goods? When will they be delivered? Also for Quehenberger Logistics and its contract partners, these are two of the most important questions that arise in executing agreed transport orders. This is where the tracking interface helps out. It sends the current GPS data of the vehicles approved for tracking to the customer in real time.
"Quehenberger Logistics would also like to forward the tracking number to subcontractors in order to ensure the greatest possible transparency across the board", says Steven van Cauteren.
In practice, the customer not only automatically receives the GPS data from the tracked vehicles in their TMS, but can also share it. For this reason, TIMOCOM generally recommends granting tracking permission for contract partners, as it significantly contributes to mutual trust. TIMOCOM - as an IT and data specialist - also acts as a data supplier here. Aggregated information from 265 major telematics providers is displayed to users on their accustomed desktop. In the planning software, users can also compare the GPS data delivered by translogica with the agreed delivery time. The next step is to use this software to determine the ETA. Great added value when it comes to planning reliability.

Conclusion: Three interfaces, one flowing transport process

TIMOCOM, translogica and Quehenberger Logistics are agreed: Digitisation and logistics are inseparable and far from having reached their limits. "If the use of our freight exchange, transport orders and tracking interfaces already ensures that the transport process flows and no longer comes to a halt at crucial points, the industry can expect a lot more", predicts Van Cauteren. The 2020 corona pandemic has revealed the potential that digitalisation and automation hold for the logistics industry. TIMOCOM will continue to play a leading role in the digitalisation of logistics and will support customers - based on its Smart Logistics System, as well as with logical extensions, e.g. in the form of interfaces - as a pioneer and companion.

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