Leveraging the Power of Technology in Service Delivery

Twenty first century is an era of innovation fuelled most especially by developments in information and communications technology.  The courier industry has been one of the beneficiaries of the recent trend in IT development being an active player in the communications industry.
Advances in computer technology, software development, and the communications industry have provided the air courier industry with the necessary tools for efficient and timely functions related to all aspects of operations. Everything from hand-held computers, to online, real-time data systems has allowed air courier companies to communicate more effectively with ground personnel and their customers. Continued advances will bring additional automation and provide improved accuracy in delivery and billing, and improved service to the customer.
In Nigeria though, our courier companies may not have reached the advanced stage their contemporaries elsewhere have used technology to deliver service but since the world so to speak is a global village, it will only take time for us to get there. At least courier companies in Nigeria can now track customers’ consignments and be able to know exactly where the goods are at any point in time.  Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) are also strategically located within busy courier companies to enable customers access money from such points which they will use to pay for services instead of coming all the way with cash in their pockets. We still need to integrate technology in courier services.
Many overnight delivery companies abroad have developed their own personal computer (PC)-based EDI systems to use at their client sites. Electronic Data Inter-change (EDI) is a computer-to-computer exchange of information between businesses.  It handles information, such as inventories and purchase orders, travels over phone lines.  For instance, UPS' Maxi-Ship system consists of a PC, UPS-developed EDI software, and a printer. The system enables clients to produce all shipping documentation and manage all cost accounting within their own offices.
Federal Express' system, PowerShip, is also an internally developed computer system that allows customers to generate their own billing labels and invoices, and track their own packages through the Fed Ex delivery system. The Federal Express EDI system resolved the paperwork problem identified by their sales people as a burdensome task, by performing four customer functions. First, it generates the shipping label. Second, it prints a manifest of what was shipped at the end of each day. An invoice is automatically generated, and shipping charges are accrued and sent to the home office system for billing procedures. The third function is an array of shipping management and reporting.
There are so many other applications that can be obtained in multinational courier companies that are not yet being used by their Nigerian counterparts.  There are indigenous software developers who are coming up with robust and comprehensive software that can deliver services in the courier industry.  One of them is Superpro.net. The software can handle challenges arising from security, mail delivery among others. In fact the developer of the software, Nnaemeka Udenwagu of Information Services Limited says   “I can develop software for any thing you can think of as long as you let him what you can do and how you want it to run”.  Udenwagu is not the only person who can develop software for courier operations. The important thing is for operators in the industry to utililize the opportunities offered by these locally software to improve service.
Computer networking skills also have become critical, because companies have been adding new client sites to their network. With industry trends suggesting that the over-night express service will experience growth figures, employment opportunities for IT professionals, such as computer and information systems managers, are projected to increase faster than other occupations through 2010.