Strategies key to meeting sector demands
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Independently-owned
and companies because lockdown stifled international trade, we developed a strategy and identified 10 vertical markets in which we decided we wanted to prevail.
These markets, he says, were selected because they suited SkyNet s best-in-class domestic networks and reach the company has offices in many of SAs less obvious centres and services outlying areas more frequently than many of its competitors and its effective network in neighbouring countries
We strategised with our customers and colleagues to define the most suitable markets but also selected them because we recognised them as markets that drive the South African economy.
“Respect,
“SkyNet
one of SAs true and abiding brands with an optimistic view of the future, says Erasmus. We re proud of this and, well before Covid-19 compelled other companies to focus on local manufacturers
IT AND ACCESSIBILITY It doesn t help to identify and target markets if you re unable to effectively service them. Confident about its network and reach, SkyNet has invested substantial resources developing its information technology (IT) abilities in recent years. One primary objectives was to improve communication with customers, thus advancing convenience. Some of the most effective services are also, in many ways,
the simplest,” says Erasmus.
“For example, we are now able to provide predictive delivery notifications to customers. This is not only convenient for them but also us, and results in notably fewer nondeliveries.
SkyNet also introduced an automatic address checking system, which scans addresses provided to ensure accuracy before parcels and documents are despatched. This has significantly reduced returns and nondeliveries.
On the subject of addresses, we ve long recognised that many South Africans have informal addresses, which are not necessarily documented or easy to find. We’ve allowed for this market by introducing SkyNet counterpoints with more than 2,000 partners at retail outlets, agricultural coops, centres in townships and the like, each of which is has access to an IT system to simplify and expedite our services, explains Erasmus.
MARKET SECTORS
SkyNet categorises its vertical markets as follows: education, e-commerce; healthcare; highend cosmetics; high-value items; agricultural; multilevel marketing; information technology and communications (ITC); reverse
logistics; and the cash market.
“We were already set up to meet the demands of the ecommerce sector before Covid19, which meant we could service the huge demand that ensued, says SkyNet marketing executive Diederick Stopforth. Recognising that, for ecommerce clients, final mile delivery is essentially ‘the moment of truth and having invested in our IT systems to advance communication, traceability and security of deliveries meant we were able to conclude more e-commerce business between March and November than we had in the previous three years.
The company’s healthcare delivery service, SkyNet International Healthcare, which was also up and running well in advance of the pandemic, became even more critical during lockdown.
Our wide network and many convenient counterpoints, and the fact we were set up for the specialised handling and support to distribute medicines, instruments and equipment for both regularly scheduled and emergency supply, was key to many individuals and organisations during lockdown, says Stopforth. Our specialisation in healthcare, in fact, has enabled us to tender for
the national distribution of Covid-19 vaccines, the outcome of which we await. SkyNet s involvement in the education sector goes back about five years to when it introduced a drop-off and collection assignment service for Unisa students. Again, this convenient service became vital to more students and institutions during lockdown. Limited access to shops and the permanent closure of some retailers led to
Innovation essential to the logistics business
create more efficient solutions, reduce costs for our customers and invent new products and services that improve customer experience and offer growth opportunities he says. Among the activities receiving ongoing attention at DSV is supply chain design and mapping. The company s objective
the lockdown significantly changed the flow of goods and flagged many other challenges, from resilience and design to visibility and renewed emphasis on managing costs and inventories.
“The experience of 2020 pushed businesses to ask for more real-time visibility of their products so they could more easily manage their customers expectations and experiences, he says. This required immediate response and means constant innovation has become an essential part of the logistics business.”
Driving both competitive advantage and operational sustainability, DSV s commitment to innovation means it has to work across many different touchpoints to deliver benefits to its clients and their customers. By innovating on both horizons (that is, competitive advantage and operational sustainability), we are able to
Diederick Stopforth access
Nicholas Diemont solutions.
COURIER SERVICES
Keeping staff, customers safe in a pandemic
Communication and sharing of comprehensive and accurate information was, he says, critical. The company produced and distributed customised posters, sent short messages via various media platforms and extended more formal communication from management.
We explained the messaging from government in such a way that all staff would have a uniform understanding of how to apply this in the workplace, in their homes and in interactions with others, he explains.
impact it could have on their health and that of their families.
“Protecting the safety of staff and customers has been a collaborative and consultative effort. The contribution of the task team was significant, as was that of the rest of the RAM family who worked hard to protect their colleagues and customers.
Connecting companies to global markets
were able to deal with the pandemic effectively. The first thing RAM did was set up an internal Covid-19 task team to build a comprehensive understanding of the pandemic and its potential impact on employees, customers and the business. We needed to ensure we received and understood the information coming out of the department of health and other regulatory structures so we could translate this information into health protocols that would guide our conduct and ensure the safety of our staff and customers says Lazarus.
NECESSARY SUPPORT RAM ensured availability and equitable access to personal protective equipment and materials across the business and provided the necessary support so staff understood how and when to use these materials to ensure their safety and that of its customers.
In addition, we could not ignore the impact the pandemic would have on the mental health and psychological state of staff, says Lazarus. We took time to answer questions employees had about the pandemic and the possible
The pandemic, however, also brought with it increased business for the courier service industry. This, says Lazarus, came as no surprise to RAM. In our industry, volumes fluctuate wildly at times. To deal with peaks in the surge of parcels, we have invested in surplus capacity of 25%, he says. When the hard lockdown occurred, we anticipated when the economy reopened there would be built-up demand waiting to be released. We were able to forecast the increased volumes with a reasonable level of certainty in most cases and managed to deploy our resources accordingly. Growth also gave us an opportunity
