Digitalization by Advantum

Digitalization is the “New Normal”

The Covid-19 pandemic did not usher in the new age of digitalization in the maritime industry, but it has certainly proved how essential it is for Caribbean shipping interests to embrace the use of digital technologies for the continuation of their businesses and to provide new revenue and value-producing opportunities.

Fortunately, companies such as Advantum have been providing port, shipping, freight and transportation companies in the Caribbean with the information technology (IT) services required for a smooth and effective transition to this new world of speed, efficiency and customer satisfaction.

The implementation of social distancing requirements necessary to combat the rapid spread of the virus means that employers have been forced to adjust their operating paradigm to facilitate work-from-home arrangements. This is one of the characteristics of the “new normal” that will continue long after Covid-19 and can only be effectively implemented through Workflow Automation; but what is workflow automation? How does it facilitate work-from-home arrangements without losing profitability? Will my company’s and my clients’ information be secure? Will it replace people by taking away their jobs? Will less human interaction cause the business environment to become more impersonal? Those are only a few of the questions that must be addressed in this new era.

Workflow Automation

Workflow automation is a created series of automated actions for the steps in a business process. It allows for the automation of processes where human tasks, data or files are routed between people or systems based on pre-defined business rules. Network engineers can therefore implement virtual private networks and other solutions to extend corporate resources into the household on an enterprise scale. Workflow automation is used to improve everyday business processes because when your work flows, you can concentrate on getting more done and focusing on the things that matter. It allows teams to spend more time on the actual work itself and less time on the processes that support them.

Benefits of Workflow Automation

By automating workflows, especially those processes that are primarily handled manually by employees, significant improvements can be made in:

• Reduced errors
• Better workload management
• Increased data security
• Continual process improvement
• Policy Compliance adherence
• Reduced approval cycles
• Reduced manual handling
• Improved visibility
• Improved employee satisfaction

Will the company’s and clients’ information be secure?

The storage of one’s data is a critical element where data encryption, implementation of data laws, the use of strong passwords and installation of firewall protection help to provide the peace of mind to the owner that the information is safe.

Other data protection steps that can be taken include:

• User Awareness Training: Make no assumptions about what staff might know about data protection; and ensure that they are provided with the information and support to make good decisions consistently.
• Two-factor Authentication: For example, setting a password for the device and the particular files being accessed on the device.

It is also suggested that businesses implement Work-From-Home (WFH) policies that establish an approval process for remote work and require adherence to the company’s data privacy, security, and confidentiality policies. The WHF policy should cover the maintenance of safety conditions and safety habits at the home office, as established at company facilities. All worktime can also be recorded using software designed to manage employee activities on their remote devices.

Computers replacing people?

It is a mis-conception that digitalization results in fewer jobs. Digitalization however changes the landscape of jobs being offered and is therefore an opportunity for employees to retrofit their skills to accommodate the changes. Contrary to thinking of opposing the implementation, staff should be encouraged to be involved in the process as the more knowledgeable they are, the more important they become for deployment in other areas of the entity.

Will the business environment become more impersonal?

Less human interaction has become the new norm in this Covid-19 era. It requires a change in how we think of doing things. Instead of thinking of an impersonal business, think of the joy of a customer not having to contend with a crowded space. Imagine their joy when you are able to deliver that item to their doorsteps without them having to leave their homes. 

If we continue to think of how things are now, we will forget to imagine how much greater the experience can be going forward.  Let us automate things so we can leave our offices earlier and have more time to be involved in human interactions at occasions for family and friends.  

How can ADVANTUM help?

A critical plank in successful workflow automation is the identification, understanding, modelling and optimization of current business processes. Advantum/Port Computer Services Limited is well suited to assist with this exercise. Advantum’s Logistics suite of products has an in-built work flow engine which allows for the upload, execution and monitoring of workflows; modelled using industry standards.

State-of-the-science applications have been developed by Advantum specifically for its partners in the shipping industry. At the Caribbean Shipping Association’s 18th Caribbean Shipping Executives’ Conference staged in May 2019 in Jamaica, the company screened a video presentation on its new Motor Vehicle Management System that provides digital real-time tracking of vehicle movement and location for offloading and transshipment. It has been deployed in Kingston and features the convenience of hand-held devices and smartcards for speedy and precise operations.

Advantum’s Port, Freight, eLabour, Equipment Management, GuardRoute Tracking, and Motor Vehicle Management Systems meet or exceed the highest industry standards worldwide. Also, clients have described Advantum Financials as “a money-saving and money-making application that is easily adaptable”.

“The Advantum vision is futuristic and client focused”, says Operations Manager and Project Lead, Kay Wilson Kelly, who adds that these new business applications are supported by speedy responsiveness and unparalleled service delivery. She states: “Advantum applications are custom-built to clients’ specific requirements while offering 24-hour on-call service and the most thorough on-site pre-testing of business solutions that satisfy our customer’s needs.”