BLG Logistics Group AG & Co. KG
6 months PoC: Supported project launch enables predictable ROI
What was the specific challenge?
Founded as Bremer Lagerhaus Gesellschaft, the company has been shaping port operations on the North Sea coast since 1877 – with a soft spot for IT. Back in the 1970s, the company had already co-developed the world's first port information system. Today, the globally active BLG LOGISTICS has more than 100 locations on almost all continents and serves customers in industry and trade with fully integrated ancillary logistics services.
To further strengthen its role as the leading provider for the automotive, container and contract logistics divisions, BLG is focusing on the continuous optimisation of its own processes.
Requests for new digital solutions for individual processes are continuously made from within the company. The logistics company has recognised that the next technological step is to embrace special process apps.
High investment costs for the creation of such individual, custom-made apps have so far prevented widespread use at BLG. In the case of an individual development together with an app agency, small change requests would have to be made in long processing loops. In this type of cooperation, BLG lacked the flexibility needed for the individual cases of everyday working life.
How was the solution developed?
smapOne was recommended to the digital innovation project team. The high flexibility of the app's modular system immediately enabled the use of mobile applications for all areas of BLG. Familiar with the concept of a PoC, BLG Logistics decided to use smapOne's proof of concept offer for six months.
The aim was to identify possible application scenarios and the required scope of use, to train app creators quickly, to clarify data protection and integration issues and to determine a calculable ROI.
Procedure for the PoC
1. Hackathon: ideas workshop BLG x smapOne
The first on-site workshop was mainly about collecting, evaluating, prioritizing and getting to know the most popular business apps of other users.
"The benefit-complexity matrix has brought structure to this", confirms Christian Reining from the BLG project team.
The result: 64 application scenarios came out of the workshop as ideas.
2. Hackathon: potential workshop BLG x smapOne
A second workshop focused on concrete implementation. Selected process scenarios, which the team of app creators wanted to digitalise first, were implemented in their own apps (known as "smaps"). In the on-site meeting, questions about the smapOne app designer could be answered 1:1 and further assistance provided.
At the end of the day, the finished smaps were presented in the team and distributed to app users as "homework".
3. Quality check: phase after the workshops
After only two months in the supported project, five smaps were tested in productive use; after another two months, the number doubled again. In addition, the interest group within the company became larger and larger. This enabled, among other things, the evaluation of new ideas and playful implementation in other specialist departments.
Including smaps such as: Waste Walk, QM Process Inspection, Proof of Delivery, Company Car Accident "Car Crash", Forklift Hours, Safety Instruction, and the "MTM/TMU Evaluation App".
The app users gave their feedback in a quality check that ran parallel to the introduction of the smaps: did have any questions about the application, especially about its use? did they have suggestions for improvement and what was their general level of satisfaction?
4. Completion of the proof of concept
After six months, a summary was compiled. What were the results?
- Within just half a year, 14 smaps were tested by 30 users
- Feedback from app users was consistently positive
- The pool of ideas is constantly growing beyond the initial 64 scenarios
- A roll-out to other specialist departments and countries is planned
ROI calculation of the smap "QM Process Inspection":
Process without smapOne:
A DIN A5 slip is printed in colour → handwritten documentation on the slip → photos are taken with camera → journey to the office → transfer to PC and document filing → slip is attached to the package → info sent to other departments by email.
Process with smapOne:
Label is attached with a continuous barcode from the roll to the package (no further adhesive aids required) → barcode is recorded with a mobile phone → data is recorded (guided process enables higher data quality) incl. photos, sound recording, sketch in the smap → information is forwarded on site by email (no journey).
Savings with smapOne:
- ime saving: 50
- Reduction in paperwork: approx. 4,000 sheets p.a.
ROI calculation of the smap "QM Process Inspection":
Process without smapOne:
A DIN A5 slip is printed in colour → handwritten documentation on the slip → photos are taken with camera → journey to the office → transfer to PC and document filing → slip is attached to the package → info sent to other departments by email.
Process with smapOne:
Label is attached with a continuous barcode from the roll to the package (no further adhesive aids required) → barcode is recorded with a mobile phone → data is recorded (guided process enables higher data quality) incl. photos, sound recording, sketch in the smap → information is forwarded on site by email (no journey).
Savings with smapOne:
Time saving: 50%
Reduction in paperwork: approx. 4,000 sheets p.a.
How does the solution work in the company?
By implementing different smaps, BLG can use the opportunities of digitalisation to increase process efficiency. In addition, opportunities are created to break new ground and to change the cost structure positively.
With the modular app designer from smapOne, it is now possible for the company to make small adjustments to the process apps at short notice. The creation of additional smaps is intuitive and fast. Thus, countless other individual processes and special cases can be digitally supported at any time. The individual app solution can be used across locations and departments.
Shortly after the start of the project, the identified potential is cautiously estimated at 300 internal users. With the modular system, BLG Logistics has a tool at hand to optimise processes and digitalise everyday business – with all its facets – quickly and, above all, on its own initiative.
Foto: BLG LOGISTICS
