Phase 4 is characterised by making data easily accessible to other businesses, both up and down the supply chain

A business that has completed this phase would check off the following as true...

Customers/suppliers have access to the system. This could be rates, availability, or expected due date. Your system captures the data needed and a job is created automatically.

• Customers can place orders electronically through the system, rather than by calling or emailing. They have access to all the information they need to make an order.
• The customer can track their job to completion, or from origin to destination, update information, all without the need for disruptive calls or emails. Meanwhile, you retain control over what is acceptable.

Most information is transferred through the system. Visibility is key, customers have access to the system, likely directly or through a web interface, allowing them to retrieve status updates or other information they require. In some cases, data is automatically transferred into the customers’ systems, meaning they have access to identical and up-to-date data.

• Job updates are transferring automatically into/out of your software systems from/to other organisations (e.g. customs), without people having to do anything!
• Rates transfer directly into your system from other organisations (such as carriers), without people having to do anything.
• Your people are seldom distracted from their other tasks, and your people rarely need to contact third parties directly for routine information.
• There are fewer staff disruptions due to third party information requests.