Schenker News
New Portal Offers Direct Access
One face to the customer – Schenker’s mission to provide a complete range of logistics services has evolved via a single interface and a single point of contact worldwide.
This latest development in web-enabling activities integrates Internet-based services on a worldwide platform, through a new “e-Schenker” portal at www.schenker.com. The uniform entry mode provides customers with access to worldwide price requests and tracking services for all means of transport.
“Over the past few months, we have improved and extended our new tracking system. Now, one single unified surface will allow customers to find their way to this online service quickly and easily,” says Hakan Larsson, CEO of Schenker AG.
Once visitors to the portal have completed the brief one-time registration process, the “Price Request” module can be utilized to obtain prices for global land, air and sea freight services. A personal customer center addresses individual requirements, and responds to the request within a few hours. Customers can also enter their own data to construct a personalized database, containing for instance, price requests, quotations, and an address book which is then available at “MySchenker.”
Another module provides a global tracking service. Customers can access the appropriate screen in “e-Schenker” and enter their reference number, such as the B/L or container number. The relevant transport data is thus displayed, regarding any mode of transportation. The simple direct access expedites the customers’ ability to obtain detailed delivery information.
“The Internet provides a real-time overview of the flow of information and goods for all those involved in the entire value chain,” emphasizes Karsten Keller, head of the e-Business Unit at Schenker AG in Essen. “This ‘pipeline visibility’ makes it possible to control orders before the actual physical logistics process has commenced, resulting in a more profound integration of the processes of all parties involved. Only in this way can a ‘win’ situation be created for all the players in the supply chain.”
WebAthos
“WebAthos” is a newly developed online database, providing customers and employees with detailed information for over 1,000 Schenker locations. The application has been created by IT-Management and Corporate Communications, in order to link global communication levels and improve data quality. The result is an online service available around the clock, providing the highest degree of flexibility to its users.
Customers can access this database via a simple click on the Schenker website, www.schenker.com at “Contact.” Addresses, general information and specific communication lines are available, including a direct email link to service contacts.
Schenker employees can access “WebAthos” via the Corporate Intranet. Apart from the information provided on the Internet, the Intranet solution contains additional financial, operational, personnel and EDI data, supporting colleagues in their daily functions.
The data is maintained decentrally, obliging each Schenker subsidiary to update its information on a regular basis. For this purpose, administrators have been registered throughout the Schenker global network to ensure data accuracy.
Online Booking
A new module, “Online Booking” is currently being developed and will be accessible for selected pilot branches by the first quarter of 2002. The administration function, as well as an information system encompassing customer will be able to utilize this booking tool as a transport all forms of traffic. Within “My Schenker,” the customer can also trace shipments for which a price has been requested [“My Price Requests”] and directly submit a booking. All shipments that have been booked can be consequently traced, as well.
The advantage of this new tool is database consistency – the user perceives the booking system in precisely the same way throughout the entire Schenker organization. As is already the case for “Price Request” and the harmonized “Tracking,” the customer will not have to switch between different web applications for varying modes of transportation.
Schenker’s Canadian customers can directly access global online services at www.schenker.ca. Schenker spans a coast to coast Canadian network that extends to all major harbours, airports and border crossings. In just over half a century, 16 branches have emerged with 600 Schenker employees.
With annual sales of (Euro) 6 billion, nearly 32,000 employees and over 1,000 offices around the world, the Stinnes subsidiary Schenker is one of the world’s leading providers of integrated logistics services, offering land transport, air and sea freight as well as comprehensive logistics solutions and global supply chain management from a single source.