Transport Gheeraert satisfied with tailored IT service from iOnLogistics
Some SMEs focus exclusively on their core business and expect full service from their IT partner. Others have the people and know-how to develop or deploy programs themselves. Gheeraert belongs to the latter category. The transportation company primarily expected iOnLogistics to provide a customized IT service. CEO Peter Gheeraert tells the story.
Gheeraert is a family transport company, specialized in Distribution & Groupage, Transport Services and Warehousing. It has depots in both Flanders, Antwerp and Limburg. The focus is on more complex assignments with a higher added value. Besides classical or conditioned storage, Gheeraert also processes goods (cross-docking, packing, repacking, assembling, palletizing, order picking, scanning, labeling, etc.). In order to manage all this, the company calls on the tailor-made IT service of iOnLogistics.
Need for a new WMS
"Among other things, we take care of the logistics for the smart electricity meters," CEO Peter Gheeraert explains. "We compile the stock for the technicians and organize picking rounds in our warehouse based on the articles consumed. In addition, we handle the cross-docking of goods on behalf of our distribution department." The transportation company was using a WMS (Warehouse Management System), which had previously been developed in-house. "That system was no longer being further developed. It was an on-premises app, while we were moving toward a cloud-based system. We also needed a new solution to bundle our value added services in various locations. In short, we were looking for a partner who could offer us a customized IT service in this regard."
Stijn and Peter Gheeraert
More need for guidance than a total service package
The solution met all our requirements: web-based & cloudbased, designed in function of multi-depot activities and ready for more complex logistics flows.
Gheeraert conducted a market prospection, compared four existing solutions and visited several users to gauge their experiences. "For example, we visited Van Moer Logistics, who were very positive about iTOS, iOnLogistics' order-to-cash software. The solution met all our requirements: web-based & cloudbased, designed in function of multi-depot activities and ready for more complex logistics flows. When it turned out that the company was also willing to offer a customized IT service, the choice was obvious. After all, we were not so much looking for a partner to implement and configure everything, but rather to guide and advise us in how the program could grow with our organization."
Putting the customer on the road as a customized IT service
"That is precisely the beauty of this customized IT service, iOnLogistics is very flexible. An example: we put together pallets with multiple products, which are given 1 packing unit label and 1 shipment label. Although iTOS is actually geared to coarse scanning, it also lends itself perfectly to such fine-scale picking," Peter Gheeraert concludes.
In an initial phase, iOnLogistics' specialists sat down with Gheeraert. Together they analyzed the situation: which customers are active in which depot, which goods are processed and in what way...? Then they set up a few customers together, after which the transport company continued to handle this internally. "We can always turn to our 'dedicated single point of contact' for answers or advice. That is precisely the beauty of this customized IT service, iOnLogistics is very flexible. For example, we had our own middleware. The only thing we asked was to specify which APIs had to be addressed. That worked flawlessly, since the APIs are freely available." iTOS has now been delivering on its promises at Gheeraert for more than four years. "An example: we put together pallets with multiple products, which are given 1 packing unit label and 1 shipment label. Although iTOS is actually geared to coarse scanning, it also lends itself perfectly to such fine-scale picking," Peter Gheeraert concludes.
Looking for a partner with a customized IT service? iOnLogistics leaves you the choice. Either the team takes care of everything from a to z, or it limits itself to support and guidance. Want to know more? Contact us.
