Over the last decade most Courier and Final Mile companies have made the transition of moving their dispatching systems onto the cloud. This was done by either purchasing an off-the shelf Software as a Service (SaaS) System or by migrating their proprietary system onto the cloud.

But a lot has changed in the cloud.

First Traditional Clouds Limitations.

Traditional cloud-based dispatching systems, whether they are SaaS or proprietary, rely on purchasing and maintaining a few servers in one or two data centers. But that is very limiting.

A good example is security and certification. Smaller cloud-based systems as described above rely on small teams of 1 or 2 people keeping such a system secure. Rarely do such teams have the time and resources available to have their cloud system ISO or government certified. This limits their customer, you, on what services you can provide. Therefore limiting the number of contracts you can fulfil.

Speed of scalability is another great example of how traditional cloud can be limiting. The ability to quickly pivot is why so many companies have survived since March of 2020. Companies need the ability to quickly scale up…and down. Without having to wait for their SaaS provider or their IT Team to purchase, set up and implement a new server.

The final example is the ability of old cloud systems to keep up with technology and changes. Cloud is more than just storing data on multiple servers located off site. It should also include the middle layer of code that lies between the database and client. What we call the business logic of a system. Traditional cloud is very limiting in its business logic scope. For example, for SaaS providers to add Artificial Intelligence, they must create the framework from the ground up. This is very time consuming, expensive, and tedious.

What’s new with the Cloud

Move over SaaS, it is now all about Platform as a service (PaaS).

PaaS is a complete development and infrastructure environment in the cloud. With resources that enable the ability to deliver everything from simple apps to sophisticated enterprise applications. PaaS includes infrastructure – servers, storage and networking – and also middleware aka the business logic.

_{source: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-ca/overview/what-is-paas/}

A good example of a PaaS is Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Microsoft’s Azure. I will use Azure to explain the benefits of having your dispatch system hosted on a PaaS.

Remember, as you read through this article, a modern SaaS Dispatching system can and should be built upon a modern PaaS system.

Security

When an existing dispatching system provider uses a system like Azure, they move away from a small one or two person team who oversee and maintain a few servers. They move to a much larger system overseen by thousands of highly skilled employees. Which uses millions of servers located all around the world.

For example, Microsoft’s Azure System has over 4 million servers located in 200 datacenters. Which is overseen by over 3,500 security experts who monitor and safeguard the system.

Certification

But what does that mean for you and your company?

Your dispatching system running on Azure’s platform provides your company with ISO and Government Certification. For example:

1. For security, you have IS0 27001 Certification for Information Security Management Standards
2. Are you delivering Healthcare shipments? HITRUSH, a certifiable framework to help healthcare organizations and their providers demonstrate their security and compliance in a consistent and streamlined manner.
3. Or even better, HIPAA Certification.  The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and the regulations issued under HIPAA are a set of US healthcare laws that, among other provisions, establish requirements for the use, disclosure, and safeguarding of protected health information (PHI).
4. For more security, you can have CIS Benchmarks which are configuration baselines and best practices for securely configuring a system
5. More Azure certification can be found here: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/compliance/

Beyond your own piece of mind, these certifications allow you to go to market with a dispatching system that is certified as secure, allowing you to close those more lucrative contracts. It also future proofs you for when, not if, these certifications become industry standard.

For security, PaaS means that the older cloud system running your current dispatch system is replaced with customized hardware that has security controls integrated into the hardware and firmware components with added protections against threats such as DDoS.

And it has next level security with A.I. monitoring actionable insights by analyzing vast sources of data including 18 billion Bing web pages, 400 billion emails, 1 billion Windows device updates and 450 billion monthly authentications.

Speed of Scalability

For scalability, PaaS’s massive number of servers and datacenters mean with a few keystrokes your dispatching system can quickly pivot as fast as your business needs.  

Even better, this upgrade can happen in an automated fashion.

Imagine it’s the holiday season and the sheer number of shipments you must deliver grows exponentially. You are too busy scrambling for drivers and trucks to worry if your dispatching system can handle the extra volume. The good news is that a PaaS, like Azure, can see the extra load and will just upgrade you onto a more powerful system automatically.

Business Logic

The final and most important piece is PaaS allows your dispatching system to not only keep up with changes in technology but makes you a leader. A PaaS like Azure provides a prebuilt ecosystem for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. If you want an AI system that can help with dispatching, it is faster, easier and more powerful to create this for your dispatching software on a system like Azure.

Now is the time to ask your existing dispatch system providers if they use their own cloud-based system or do they operate using a PaaS system like Microsoft’s Azure. It will help you pivot, stay secure and keep up with needed technology.

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Over the last few years, there has been a lot of attention given to 5G and how it will change so much in our society. (Learn more about 5G, by reading 5G – The Hype and the Reality)

But there is a major update to our mobile devices that is getting little to no attention. Without this update, 5G’s impact on our society will be greatly diminished.

That update is the roll out of the next generation of GPS.

In this article I will explain how GPS works, debunk some of the myths, then explain the GPS update and why it is needed.

How GPS Works.

Let me explain how GPS works, you maybe surprised. 

A Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system made up of at least 24 satellites. Each one of these satellites travels around the earth two times a day each transmiting a unique radio signal.

This is a one-way signal; GPS satellites do not receive a signal from your mobile device.

This signal is saying, “At this time, the satellite is at this location”. Your mobile device then uses this information to figure out the distance between itself and the GPS satellite.

How is distance is calculated?

Remember the last time you watched a firework display. You saw the firework explode then a few seconds later you heard the explosion. That’s because the sound had to travel over a distance to reach your ears.

Now imagine your friend is standing the same distance away with a loud speaker shouting out the current time.

They yell into the loud speaker, “its 10:01 am”. By the time you hear, “its 10:01“, its now 10:02 am. That means it took 1 second for their voice to reach your ears. Knowing that sounds travels at a speed of 343 meters per second (1125 feet per second), we can quickly calculate your friend is 343 meters (1125 feet) away from you.

That’s exactly how the GPS Satellite signal works. When a signal from a GPS Satellite is received by our mobile device, our device can calculate the distance between itself and the GPS Satellite. Except the signal is traveling at the speed of light which is 299,979 km per second (186,282 miles per second)

Now that we know the distance from a single GPS satellite then how do we know our location.

We use a process called trilateration.

Using a simple two-dimensional example, let’s imagine we have three GPS satellites each with a known position in space.

The first satellite broadcasts a signal and our mobile device calculates the distance between itself and satellite 1.   

We then can draw a circle, equal to the calculated distance, around satellite 1.

Now we receive a signal from a second satellite, we calculate the distance and draw another circle.

With two satellite’s, we can see that our mobile device could be at either of the two places where the circles intersect (red dots).

If we add our third satellite, we can pinpoint our location (red dot).

Myths.

If we are to believe Hollywood, we would believe that GPS can consistently locate our precise location within centimeters (half an inch). All we have to do to confirm our belief is turn on Google Maps and ask for directions.

But….

Google Maps and other GPS mapping apps are using a bit of smoke and mirrors. The true reality is, that at best, these apps can locate our phones within a 5 meters (16 feet) radius. And that’s under an open sky away from buildings, bridges and trees. Most of the time its around 12 to 15 meters (40 to 50 feet)

If you have ever used a “find my phone” app to locate your phone somewhere in your house, you will know, that the app cant pinpoint your phone under your chair’s cushion.

The app might even incorrectly show the phone is in your neighbour’s house.

The trick that most GPS navigation systems use is to look at your calculated GPS location and direction and then guess which road or path you maybe on.

Then the question arises, “who cares, if the smoke and mirrors are working, why change it.”

Imagine two self driving vehicles are approaching an intersection using our current GPS technology. They both “think” they know where they are, but they could both be off by 5 meters (16 feet) or more.

Or imagine that Boston Dynamics has finally produced a commercially viable automatous robot and it is trying to navigate along a very fine pathway.

I think we can see what could happen.

5G’s promises autonomous vehicles. But what’s truly the point, if all of these devices only know where they are within a 5 meters (16 feet) radius.

For us in the delivery industry, this margin of error is why we are still use location barcodes. Proving a shipment was delivered to a certain location simply cant work in an urban setting when the location is off by 5 meters (16 feet) or worse.

The Big GPS Update

In our explanation above, our mobile device is only receiving a single signal from our GPS satellites using one bandwidth. But, here is the thing, those satellites are transmitting multiple signals on different frequencies.

Multiple signal GPS devices are called Dual-Band GNSS (aka Multi-Band)

Up until recently, dual-band receivers would cost $5000 or more. But now low-cost Dual-GNSS chips are making their way into our consumer grade mobile devices.

By receiving two signals with varying bandwidths from our satellites, we can over come signal loss from weather, buildings and bridges. Which also means, we have a greater chance locking into more GPS satellites at one time, which means better accuracy.

On top of the cost reduction of Dual-Band GNSS chips, a set of new more robust satellite have also come on-line.

All of this simple means, if your mobile device has a new Dual-Band GNSS receiver, then two things will happen:

1. Two times reduction in positioning error.
2. Can provide accuracy within 30 cm (1 foot)

If you want to read more, please check out this article: https://insidegnss.com/galileo-hits-the-spot-testing-gnss-dual-frequency-with-smartphones/

If you combine this new GPS update with the faster data speeds promised by 5G and include Starlinks roll out, providing faster data speeds to rural location, within a few short years, we will really start to see and experience another large leap forward in technology.  

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Barcodes are just Morse Code

If you want to know even more about barcodes, then take a moment to read my previous blog, “How do Barcodes Work” where I explain how barcodes were invented.

The Basics.

If you don’t have time to read the linked blog, I will break it down this way; when you scan a barcode the device translates the image into numbers and letters.

For example, if you scan this barcode:

you will see the number, “1”.

If you scan this barcode:

you will see the letter, “a”.

If you put them together into a single barcode:

you see “1a”.

Great, so how does this help with scanning a package?

Imagine you had an Excel sheet with a list of packages. Each row listed a package’s pick-up address, delivery address, weight and piece count.

Then you assign a unique name to each package, for example “package1” and “package2”. Your Excel sheet looks like this:

This would allow you to quickly find a package by using the “Find” button in Excel and typing in a package name, for example “package1”.

Putting that all together, we can:

1. Make a barcode that translates to “package1”
2. Stick our barcode onto our shipment.
3. Click the “Find” button in Excel.
4. Scan the barcode
5. Which translates to “Package1”
6. Click “Find”
7. And we find our package.

Now that we have selected our package, we can update it by changing its “status” field from “dispatched” to “picked up” or “delivered.”

Essentially, when you break down all the fancy computer code, that’s what’s happening when you scan a shipment.

They key take away is: if you don’t have “Package1” listed as a name in your Excel sheet, you will not find anything when you scan “Package1”. That means all the barcodes on all your shipments must also be in your database and they must be unique for each shipment.

Locations and Chain of Custody

For those who need proof that a shipment has been delivered to the right address, then location barcodes can also be used and they are just as simple.

In our example Excel Sheet we see “Bobs Work” as a delivery address.

All we have to do is make a barcode that translates to “Bobs Work” and stick this by Bob’s loading dock.

When we scan the location barcode and click “Find” we can then see that “Package3” is for delivery at that Bob’s Work.

We can then add another scan for the Package Name. If anything other than a barcode that translates to “Package3” is scanned, we will simply say: “Not for this location”.

Advanced Scanning

Now that we have the basics all sorted, its time for some fun stuff. This is usually where my conversation starts with clients.

How do you scan a barcode such that it magically creates a shipment record in the software?

It’s actually very simple: you just do everything backwards.

First, you scan the location barcode and that tells you the delivery address.

Then you scan the package name barcode which tells you the unique package name.

With those 2 pieces of information, your system creates a new shipment using the matched delivery address and unique package name.

While this works most of time, I’m sure you can see some failings. What about the shipment’s pick-up address, weight, piece count, customer account, etc.

We have two options. One is some coding magic, but that’s a secret. The other is to use a different type of barcode.

Here is a “traditional” Picket Fence barcode that contains the pick-up address, delivery address, weight and piece count.

That’s just way too long for a scanner to read. If we add a street address and customer account details the barcode would not fit on our package.

One solution is QR barcodes.

Picket Fence barcodes are read horizontally from left to right, just like reading a book. Thats why when we add more information the barcode gets bigger

QR barcodes are read horizontally and vertically.

For example, here is a QR Barcode

This barcode contains:

1. Full pick-up address details, including street, state, country and postal/zip
2. Full delivery address details, including street, state, country and postal/zip
3. Weight
4. Piece count
5. Customer account details.

That means you could scan a QR barcode and create a shipment that doesn’t even exist in your database, which would then allow you to properly track and trace your shipment.

Its magic.

Watch IDS scan a Barcode to Deliver a Shipment

If you want to see how IDS scans a barcode to deliver a shipment click here to see and read more.

If you found this blog helpful, feel free to subscribe by completing the form in the menu on the right hand side and you will receive future blogs as they become available.  

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“Circular Economy is an economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources. Circular systems employ reuse, sharing, repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing and recycling to create a closed-loop system. Minimizing the use of resource inputs and the creation of waste, pollution and carbon emissions.“

– “The Circular Economy – A new sustainability paradigm?”

After 2 years of researching, I finally took the leap and purchased an Electric Vehicle (EV).

In doing my research I noticed car reviews were consistently asked about the EV’s battery at the end of its life.

This is an excellent question that I, too, had concerns about.

Conversely, when purchasing an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicle, no reviews were asking what happens to the engine.

The conversation about EV batteries reflects an increase consciousness of the Circular Economy.

In short, a recent survey conducted by Accenture found:

• 83% of respondents said its important or extremely important for companies to design a product that is meant to be reused or recycled.
• 72% of respondents said they’re currently buying more environmentally friendly products than they were five years ago.

What does this mean for Reverse logistics?

Reverse Logistics. A complete supply chain dedicated to the reverse flow of products and materials for the purpose of returns, repair, remanufacture, and/or recycling.

– Reverse Logistics Association

The reuse and recycling of returned products, combined with the era of free returns, places a high demand on reverse logistics .

As such, experts estimate the world wide reverse logistics market value at US $967.89 billion. Experts further estimate a growth of 5.9% CAGR

What Does this mean for the Final Mile ?

Final Mile (also known a Last Mile) is a phrase widely used to refer to the final leg of a delivery.

The increased volume of products flowing back from the consumer is increasing pressure on Final Mile and Logistics companies.

Interestingly, with the mass adoption of smart mobile devices starting in 2007, the final mile industry has progressed from 2 way radios, pigeonholes, paper slips and excel sheets to real time tracking, online entry and automated routing. Sadly, most are using this technology only for “forward” logistics.

• Only 6% of the companies who use our technology for forward logistics are using technology for reverse logistics.
• 34% are using excel sheets, paper-based or nothing at all. Some are simply providing no tracking.
• 60% don’t participate in the Final Mile of reverse logistics. Though they could easily take part.

Why is this?

Simply put, companies aren’t sure whether “the struggle is worth the outcome”.

Given most Final Mile forward logistics technology doesn’t fit the needs of reverse logistics, a technology investment needs to be made.

Here are some good reasons why you need to invest in the Final Mile reverse logistics chain:

1. Illicit Trade. Theft during the Final Mile helps to fuel illicit trade.
2. Brand Protection. The resale of damaged goods through illicit markets damages the perception of a product’s brand.
3. Data Gap. This can be broken down into 2 categories which are:
   • Big Picture. Decision makers need the data from each silo to see the big picture and make decisions. Neither paper-based tracking nor Excel provide the Final Mile reverse logistics data to decision makers. Reverse logistics Final Mile technology will provide this needed data.
   • Predict and Prepare the Returns Center. Operation Managers need this data to visualize the Final Mile picture. This will allow them to prepare for the change of flow back at the returns centers.

How do we address this?

Previously, I wrote a post discussing Innovative Ways to Pick Up a Return which laid out two ways to address reverse logistics in the Final Mile space. These two was are:

Looking Forward with Technology

Blockchain.

Organizations and manufacturers are creating unique hash keys for each product that then connects to its unique block chain record. With this in mind connecting reverse logistics Final Mile technology to access a product’s block chain record adds extra layers to security, tracking and auditing.

For instance, Blockchain can confirm the right product at the point of pick-up and can assist with sorting by ensuring the right product goes into the right shipping container en route to the right location.

Similarly, blockchain helps to correctly place products into a destruction shipping container, which means you can confidently create death certificates en masse for all products inside a destruction trailer.

Dual GNSS

You maybe surprised to know there is a new technological upgrade being quietly deployed with little notice: Dual GNSS GPS.

Dual GNSS GPS consistently brings mobile GPS accuracy down from 5 meters (16 feet) to 30 cm (12 inches).

There are two reasons why this hidden upgrade will have a positive effect on reverse logistics:

1. Creating Shipments in the Field. Unfortunately with reverse logistics, drivers can arrive at pick up locations without an electronic shipment. For that reason a driver needs to use their mobile device to create a shipment, in the field, at the point of pick up. Thankfully GPS coordinates can accurately be geolocated to an address using the consistent refined accuracy of Dual GNSS GPS. Using the geolocated pick-up address, a shipment is created. As a result tracking and tracing can take place right from the point of pick up.
2. Chain of Custody. Proving a pick-up location when returning controlled substances like pharmaceuticals, cannabis, and tobacco has relied heavily on location barcodes. As a result, the cost of implementing and managing location barcodes has been a burden since the 1970s. With the real and consistent accurate GPS coordinates captured by Dual GNSS GPS, location barcodes will become a thing of the past.

In summary, consumer engagement into the Circular Economy is putting more and more pressure on the Final Mile industry. By using the right technology, reverse logistics can become a source of gain and no longer a source of pain.

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