Electronic shipment tracking by means of "cargoNET" system - modernization of operations in company "City Express"

Shipment delivery company "City Express" celebrates the 2nd anniversary since it became the property of "Austrian Post", the Division for Packages and Logistics. Company "City Express" successfully uses logistics software "cargoNET" for almost a year. Every shipment has its special bar code, and all shipments can be electronically tracked from the moment they are collected to the moment of their delivery. In addition to modern software, the company has also improved the shipment classification system in its headquarters (HUB Belgrade) by introducing conveyor belts. Another innovation is measuring of shipments during the classification process, which is something that all the companies of the kind in the countries of Western Europe do, so that this significant investment by "Austrian Post" raised "City Express" one level above its competition.

What is "cargoNET"?

It is a software solution, based on IBM's database, which enables individual shipments to be fully tracked from the time the order is placed until the order is received by the consignee. "CargoNET" is based on the principle of unique number assigned to individual package. Unique, individual number is printed on every package in the form of a bar code.

Stickers with unique numbers are printed by the clients utilizing "City Ship" application, which also represents the database of their customers and enables simple tracking of all dispatched packages. The application is user-friendly and it makes the package marking process significantly easier because the recipients are selected from the existing database, and there is even an option for import of all information on packages for bigger customers, so that the client only needs to press the button to print the shipping documents.

For the clients who use their own bar codes, an application (script) is developed in association with the client's IT department and it enables the client's bar code to be scanned, so that no additional marking and attachment of shipping documents are required. The client only needs to inform the recipient when the shipment is to be taken and that's it.

"CargoNET" forms the "history" of package with the list of all events that occur from the moment it is collected to the moment of its delivery. That "history" is available on the web page of "City Express" and it makes the exact positioning of the package easier.

In addition, bigger customers are also offered the option to receive detailed report to their e-mails, so that, at the agreed time, the client receives "excel" table with the list of all of its packages on that or the previous day and their statuses.

Beside this, certainly the most important step in modernization of the operations of "City Express", the innovations that are expected in the near future include the introduction of SAP finance solution, moving of the company's premises to a new building, modernization of network infrastructure (primarily the increase in speed of communication between the centers) and merging with all other members of "Austrian Post" into unique network, that is, merging with Montenegro, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

(Dragana Živić)

- Until only one year ago, the company's basic communication was at the level of "dial-up" system. Today, we use all the advantages of new technologies. The work of the employees has been made much easier and we've moved from manual work to automation of many activities. By introducing "CargoNet", "City Express", as the leader in the logistics industry in Serbia, offers higher quality of services to its clients. When a package reaches our center, it is measured on cutting-edge electronic scales that give accurate information on the weight of the package, while the clients receive all the information on the package they sent, including its type, the time of delivery and the name of recipient – says Dragana Živić, the Sales Administrator in company "City Express".

As Dragana Živić explained, if the clients use CAS (one of the options in the automated application that is completely free of charge), they can keep the records of the packages they send by themselves, and all the information are permanently saved.

- They can always track and trace their shipments actively. The only thing they need to know is the subscription number in "City Express" and, based on their special reference number, they can find all the information on our website. We currently have 800 active clients who use the "City Ship" application that is completely free of charge and enables easier work for both them and the employees in company "City Express" – she said.