Augmented Intelligence in Logistics

Few industries rely on as much internal and external communication as logistics. Short and long-term tours depend on a well-organized and efficient planning structure. Customers generally require goods at a fixed time. Reliability therefore plays a crucial role, which is why any deviations or planning errors can lead to delays or, in the worst case, to a tour being canceled.

Scheduling requires a lot of information that must always be up-to-date and available at short notice – including:

• Which driver can the dispatcher deploy?
• Which drivers are available at which locations and with which hourly quotas?
• Who can cover the tour if a driver is unavailable?

This data comes from various sources such as human resources, accounting and inventory management. Scheduling must be forwarded quickly to all parties involved, particulary in the event of last-minute changes.

Especially in case of spontaneous incidents, for example if a colleague falls ill or an urgent order is added, the company’s dispatchers must find solutions as quickly and effectively as possible. They have to reschedule routes and assign drivers accordingly to ensure that everything runs smoothly. The forwarding of updated planning data and general communication with all drivers takes an enormous amount of time every day.

“Fred”, Brain4Data’s digital assistant, joins the driver deployment planning process.

“Fred” analyzes all relevant data, such as the drivers’ existing hourly quotas, location and availability of the vehicles as well as planned delivery times. Based on this, he proposes a weekly deployment plan in a matter of seconds that merges all variables in a logical way.

If changes occur at short notice, for example if a driver calls in sick, “Fred” reviews the existing planning and recommends alternatives. The dispatchers have access to current plans and planning recommendations from anywhere and at any time via the assistant’s browser-based service platform. However, the final decision remains with the human operator.

Once the route plan has been confirmed, “Fred” informs all drivers about the upcoming weekly schedule or last-minute changes. The relevant information for each tour is sent by email or via the Brain4Data smartphone app, meaning that drivers no longer need to be constantly available by phone.

The digital employee “Fred” optimizes the day-to-day work processes at drs Mail. Employees are freed up as they need significantly less time to gather information. “Fred” also saves a considerable amount of time when it comes to scheduling and communicating with drivers. Even if changes are made at short notice, all relevant instances in the company are notified immediately. The deployment planning at drs Mail has become 50 percent more efficient thanks to “Fred”.