Among sectors where new IT solutions are being implemented, the transport and logistics industry is at the forefront. Drones, self-driving cars, and process Uberization are just a few examples. 20 years ago, films showed a future that has become today’s reality. Here we find out how communication in the B2B sector is changing and how freight market conditions look from Marina Rybchik, Key Account Specialist at AsstrA.

 - Traditional spoken conversation or modern online communications? What are customers looking for today?

The manager-client relationship is being transformed. Over the past five years, the trend in communications has been toward online platforms, chat programs, and instant messengers. The etiquette of business communication is changing: telephone and Skype calls are already scheduled like in-person meetings. Calling without scheduling ahead of time and interrupting the interlocutor is considered inappropriate. For example, in the e-commerce and service industry, direct contact has been minimized. You can now order a taxi or make an appointment with the doctor by logging into the appropriate application.

 

 - How do IT solutions affect the style and form of communication with customers?

Globalization and technological development are blurring traditional boundaries and setting new rhythms in business relationships. Tender platforms easing the exchange of information on particular transport options and trading exchange portals are now appearing. IT solutions save communication time and bring the senders and recipients of information closer together. Thanks to process automation and rapidly developing technological tools, the logistics world now lives in “one time zone”.

AsstrA’s process automation priority is the safety and reliability of transmitted information. Therefore, the corporate group is developing its own IT resources. AsstrA has introduced electronic data interchange (EDI) solutions to better serve clients. Supply Chain Visibility solutions to support the transparency of transportation projects at every stage are now available in partnership with market leading tech company Shippeo. For tracking goods, customers using AsstrA’s "Track & Trace” application. Transport service providers use the AsstrA Suppliers Portal.

 - Based on what criteria do customers choose a logistics provider today?

Experience is still an advantage. Only speed is as important – during request processing, delivery, and post-service. The introduction of new technologies accelerates processes by optimizing human, time, and financial resources. Routine work is automated, while employees continue to perform expert and supervisory functions.

Reducing the time for each of these steps saves clients time. For many companies, this is more important than, for example, a few pennies saved. In business, the end user dictates the rules of the game, and we all play a role. Requests for process optimization sets the direction for the development of technologies.

 - What trends will affect the business communication of the near future?

Attention to the security of information on the Internet is growing. In 2018, the European Union adopted the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a law on the protection of personal data. In global networks there is a significant amount of “vulnerable” information which in the hands of attackers could be used against its rightful owner.

Thanks to globalization, legal borders between states are disappearing. This opens up new prospects for labor migration. Intercontinental flights and international companies make the world “compact” and more like a neighborhood. The way clients prefer to communicate will depend on corporate values and regional customs specific to where the company operates.