We speak to Khuhan S/O Chandran, Logistics Coordinator at ICF Group, on his digitalisation journey. 

 

What is your scope of work? 

I am responsible for ensuring the timely and accurate administration/transaction of inbound and outbound shipments as per KPI requirements. I also work closely with the operations team in the area of inventory related tasks and keep an orderly record of routine operations data.

 

What was it like before digitalisation?

New documents were created every day which resulted in high amounts of wastage in paper and ink. Because it is important to make sure all data logged is accurate and filed according to the system requirements, it becomes very tedious and time consuming, with document work flow being one of the key challenges.

 

Did Digitalisation make things more convenient? How has digitalisation helped you?

Going digital has had a positive impact on my role. With CDMS (collection and delivery management system), deliveries can be managed through an app! Also, using the Inventory Tracking System (ITS) makes managing our storage and supplies a lot more efficient.

These systems have provided me with insights and a bigger picture, which helps me make better decisions and significantly increases productivity.

 

Can you give some examples?

For example, by transiting to ITS, instead of manually taking stock regularly, it has enabled us to do it in a more efficient manner – by using information from the RFID system; meaning our stock is often updated in real-time. This reduces human errors and on top of that, the data is available anytime at our fingertips. 

Another example is that of delivery orders, where once tracking was done manually through a paper trail. Now with CDMS, there is no more use of paper as everything is tracked through an app! From the issuance of the delivery order, to delivery pick-up, to when it is delivered to the recipient; it allows us to handle deliveries more conveniently and efficiently, without the need of any physical signature.

 

How long did it take for you to transit from the old system to a digitalised system?

There were a lot of small but essential details that needed to be resolved, because like any system, there are legacy issues, we cannot migrate the old system wholesale. So we needed to build it up from scratch and all-in-all, it took us about a year to develop something we were happy with.

 

Was there a period required to adapt?

Yes, it definitely took a certain period to adapt, but it didn’t take too long to transit to the new systems once everything was up and running, so there was little impact on operations. Overall, the transition was worth it.

 

Did you undergo any training?

Anyone who is going to be using the system currently has gone through the proper training required. This was provided by the supplier of the system and conducted on site at our office in Tuas.

It is important that quality training is provided, so that we are all aware of how the system works and the organisation can optimise its implementation.

 

#Digitalisation #SGgodigital #ICFgroup #DigitalWave