Agarwal Packers and Movers (a part of the DRS Group) is an ISO Certified company promoted by Dayanand Agarwal, Anjani Agarwal and Sanjay Agarwal. Headquartered in Hyderabad, the company currently has a fleet of 450 vehicles engaged in relocation and transport services, and two large warehouses in Hyderabad. The company boasts of an infrastructure of 54 branches/ transhipment hubs, spread across the country and covers 1200 locations.
In an exclusive interaction with ETCIO, Raman Kishore, CIO, Agarwal Packers and Movers, lends insights into the technology stack he is leveraging to take business to the next level.
How you are leveraging advanced technologies such as AI, Robotics, IoT, and analytics to transform your organisation into an intelligent enterprise?
Agarwal Packers and Movers, a part of the Hyderabad-based DRS Group, is an integrated logistic player having a presence in the transportation and relocation business.
As the CTO of the company, my main objectives are to track each and every transaction, ensuring timely and safe delivery of goods by giving greater comfort and seamless experience till the end of the delivery.
We extensively use advanced technologies in the areas of Hybrid Document Processing, GPS, Bluetooth Portable Devices, Desk to Mobility and Do Before You Move.
Current IoT-based systems give us real-time analysis of current position of goods and their movements throughout the country. This has ensured that we utilize the real-time data to plan the trip and logistics in advance for a smooth process and transition. This has also helped us ensure utmost safety and on-time delivery saving on cost, time and fuel. Some of the IoT based tools we use on a daily basis are — GPS Routing, Geofench Based Trip Analysis and Closure, Live Tracking, Kilometre Running, Vehicle Stoppage analysis, Load Analysis, Load Consolidation, Hub and Spoke Module of Freight, Mile Run Analysis, Trip Analysis through GPS, Bluetooth based item Tracking, Revenue analytics, Booking analysis etc all are part of technology based derivation from our technical team .
How has technology made a tangible impact on business? Please elucidate through numbers.
The use of technology in business has a great impact to take it to new heights. Our IT initiatives have had a significant impact on several aspects of business.
The use of online marketing channels has given a boost of 40% in our sales. Our system of making Online Claim has reduced the percentage of pending claims from 7% to 4.5%. By ensuring online feedback through Survey Monkey, customer grievances are reaching us directly, which results in better and efficient service. GPS tracking has ensured less calls on our customer care numbers as the customers now directly track the movement of their goods through our app and website. Online payments integration has increased our cash flows faster and efficiently on time. Customers now get service schedules online on their registered mobile numbers. Proof of Delivery (POD) scanning has been instrumental in reducing our paper work, which amounts to better staff performance. Bar code-based item tracking has resulted in better deliveries. Credit analysis, through use of software, gives us better control of bad debit. Driver cards have been provided to ensure zero cash handling at their level.
These technologies put together have brought great amount of transparency and accuracy in service. Speed deliveries of goods has been initiated which has helped us gain the customers trust. The complete goods visibility has been ensured through the process which has led to customer satisfaction and more business. Better growth of the company through this has led to better investments in to the company, which has helped us to expand in to other areas of businesses related to logistics.
What are some of your future priority areas?
My goal for the company is to make it more efficient, transparent and at the same time manage overall costs and deliver best service at good price. This again can be seamlessly achieved through the use of technology, which I have brought in over a period of time through my work here in the field of IoT and analytics.
We have in place sensor-based fuel control system and capacity planning, GPS-based auto call to customers for delivery of their goods, and managing control of all vehicle fleet via control room advance technology. We are also working with the Government of India on IoT to bring about automation of highways. Besides this, we are also largely bringing in efficient systems in place for packaging material handling, transport planning, warehousing automation and improving vehicle mileage per kilometre.
What impact have these cutting-edge technologies had on the company?
DMS for POD and Billing has resulted in increase in collections. GPS has come across as a good trip analysis tool. We use Running Kilometre for fuel efficiency analysis, Hubs Surveillance for Process MNGT, RFID for tracking goods in HUBS, Portable Bluetooth Device for consistent item tracking and Shift to complete mobility.
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