Logistics can be much more economical with the help of IT solutions

Increasingly fierce competition makes it inevitable for companies to set up IT systems that help the everyday operation of companies. IT investments are necessary even during the economic crisis, because costs return in the medium term – says Mónika Nagy, a marketing and PR coordinator of Vonalkód Rendszerház. For instance, analyses confirm that special data collectors, which are adapted to company systems through their software, are really efficient – costs return in about a year and the National Development Agency regularly announces calls for applications in this field. Tailor-made IT systems and well-planned processes can optimise costs and by this save money, while automating processes saves times – points out Ádám Harcz, a key account manager with CSB-System. Only those companies are able to keep their customers which guarantee a good price – and this is impossible without effective, controlled operation.

According to Dániel Szabó of M.I.T. Systems, in the present economic situation one of the goals is survival, which is impossible without rationalising processes – and an IT system can point out the weaknesses in different processes. Árpád Barta, the managing director of Gardia Kft. is convinced that implementing logistics processes starts with getting to know partners’ needs and information technology should serve these needs. Gardia is capable of providing IT systems for all segments of business. Mónika Nagy stressed that the specialising of software makes it possible to take individual needs into consideration: the more software are adapted to users’ activities, the better they will perform in everyday business operation. Ádám Harcz opines that the special needs of different sectors within logistics (chemical industry, food industry, etc.) determine the methods of storing and commissioning goods, for which software need to offer solutions. At Gardia Kft., the central element in the flow of information is the logistics and business management system. Its task is to constantly provide every participant with information they need. Gardia’s system helps to separate companies’ own logistics processes from suppliers’ and buyers’ logistics processes. CSB-System runs a hotline service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and from 2009 ASP (application service provider) services are also available: by using these partners do not have to invest in buying hardware. Dániel Szabó revealed that M.I.T. Systems was established because besides standard solutions, there is always a need for customised developments.

Vonalkód Rendszerház also specialises in satisfying the individual needs of partners; specific software can improve processes in every part of the supply chain. One of the main tasks of logistics is the correct organisation of the supply chain. Logistics software do not simply manage processes but also support them pre- and proactively. For instance, by constantly monitoring the availability of products in the complete supply chain and automatically organising new supplies. RAVAS is a Dutch company, the market leader in mobile scales. Their UniWin modular software was developed to manage the data flow between mobile scales in logistics processes and central business management systems. RAVAS mobiles scales are equipped with Bluetooth technology, so weight data can be transmitted to a PDA, and the latter uses WiFi technology to transfer the data to the central computer. Antal Bernóczky, the managing director of Prominens Kft. added that one of UniWin’s strength is that it can be integrated into ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems.