Automotive industry leaders, OEM’s and FVL’s choose TransFollow to digitalise transport processes and documentation

The automotive supply chain is a large, complex network that involves multiple stages and many stakeholders — from raw material procurement to vehicle assembly and aftermarket services. It involves a tiered system of suppliers, manufacturers, logistic service providers, car carriers and dealerships working together to bring vehicles to the market. Managing such a complexity is a challenge, yet with a highly interoperable solution as TransFollow, that allows for a digitalised and more efficient, cost-effective management of all the supply chain stakeholders the task may be not as daunting as it seems.

 

The Client

For the past three years, TransFollow has worked with one of the largest car manufacturers in the world whose goal was to achieve carbon neutrality in its entire business across Europe, contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

To strengthen this sustainability mission, the Client decided to digitalise its transport processes, operations and document management, moving toward a fully paperless workflow. This transition aimed to not only lower the carbon footprint but also boost efficiency, streamline logistics and transport processes, and ultimately reduce archiving and operational costs.

 

The Challenge

  • Digitalise transport operations to create efficient workflows with real-time data-sharing, enhanced operational control, and improved collaboration between internal teams, external carriers, and logistics partners across Europe.
  • Use document digitalisation to eliminate paper workflows and archiving challenges, reduce manual errors or loss of data, simplify logistics processes, and improve network visibility.
  • Ensure compliance with strict data security and industry standards.
  • Streamline dispatch operations while minimizing disruption to existing workflows.

 

The Decision

Following a comprehensive selection process, the Client chose TransFollow, as independent provider of software services, for its expertise in digitalising transport operations and its capability to implement eCMR on an international scale. Amongst other key decision factors was also an exceptional service that TransFollow provided already during the proof-of-concept phase, allowing an in-depth testing of the solution and full support and guidance during the implementation. All internal stakeholders, from yard management, drivers to transport companies, were also very positive about the solution.

 

The Solution

The Client has seamlessly integrated the TransFollow Product Suite into its existing AS400-based ERP system using the TransFollow Datahub via API. This integration preserves Client’s existing processes and systems, offering transport companies the flexibility to choose their preferred method for mission management: they can utilize TransFollow Drive (dedicated mobile application), or TransFollow Messenger without app installation or account creation, or manage missions within their fleet management systems integrated with TransFollow Drive. The new process with TransFollow embraces the entire transport workflow. Starting from transport assignment, where transport planners can generate unique QR codes for each shipment. Drivers scan the codes upon loading and receive the transport details on their preferred device. This functionality simplifies dispatching and assigns the transport directly to the driver, providing greater control and paperless efficiency throughout the transport cycle.

During the transport TransFollow also provides live tracking and updates throughout the transport journey, allowing transport planners and involved partners to monitor key transport events and exceptions as they happen.

All traditional paper transport documentation has been replaced with a fully digital, real-time data-sharing platform, allowing the drivers to receive, sign and share documentation, including eCMR, in real-time with their back-office.

The Results

With the TransFollow solutions, the Client has centralized its transport documentation on a single digital platform that supports the entire document lifecycle while meeting key security and compliance standards including ISO 27001, GDPR, and UN/CEFACT. Amongst others some of the key benefits achieved by the Client were:

  • Supporting corporate sustainability goals by achieving paperless transport operations.
  • Increased transport operational efficiency with streamlined transport dispatching and documents signing process upon goods pick-up and delivery.
  • 50% cost savings from digitalisation of transport documentation – no external archive, no print or printer costs.
  • 75% increase in document handling efficiency – less time spent to find documents, central digital archive, no risk of document damage.
  • Improved processes and gained detailed insights in transport data.
  • Real-time visibility and monitoring of shipment status.
  • Improved responsiveness to logistical events and disruptions.
  • Full compliance with data security and regulatory standards.

 

The implementation of TransFollow solutions was a yet another step for the Client towards sustainability and reducing carbon footprint, as well as becoming a much more competitive organisation with optimised processes and costs.

 

Read more about our track record in the automotive industry