Cargobase, Honeywell offer software solutions on the cargo market

Every week, we see another company debut its own cloud-based software or app that aims to address the industry’s call to digitize. After years of idle discussion about digitalization in logistics, it is evident that industry leaders are finally answering the call to implement their own paperless processes. Just this week, alone, we’ve witnessed an influx of company announcements of digital products.

While many of these services claim to be unique, there is often overlap in terms of features and services that these various products offer. Today, logistics software company Honeywell and Singapore-based logistics software company Cargobase have each thrown their own hats in the ring, offering their own digital answers to supply chain management problems.

Cargobase’s new product, “On the Go” is an extension of the company’s existing spot-buying software, which will now widen its reach from just shippers and parcel providers to include 3PL companies. The company says the app will bridge the gap between shippers and providers by displaying new and active quote requests from shippers in real-time.

Steering more toward the direction of inventory management, Honeywell’s platform will serve as a central management system for e-commerce operations, with modules for distribution and fulfillment, and features like automated order picking.

Yesterday, DHL announced its own e-commerce service for its customers, enabling them to access the company’s worldwide network via an online platform. This product will be convenient for DHL’s customers who exclusively use DHL’s logistics services for the delivery of their product, but this is not necessarily the case; often industry members have to do business with several third parties in order to encompass their entire customer base.

So, the question becomes, how does a shipper choose which digital solution is right for them? While many of these services claim to be unique, there is often overlap in terms of features and services that these various products offer, but their one-size-fits-all approach means that a software app will rarely end up tailoring perfectly to a customers’ specific operations management needs.

As these services are implemented into participating companies’ supply chains, we will likely see a few front-runners begin to dominate the market, making it easier for shippers to choose their digital solution. Until then, the competition among software companies will carry on.