UPS expands technology for greater inbound visibility
UPS (NYSE:UPS) today unveiled a technology enhancement that automatically notifies customers of every package in the UPS system moving toward them, providing a new tool to better manage the demands of business.
The software technology opening a new "window" into the UPS system is called UPS Quantum ViewSM Inbound and represents the most recent addition to the UPS Quantum ViewSM suite of visibility services.
Quantum View Inbound provides proactive notification of UPS air express, ground and international packages that are en route to the receiver's location. The technology helps businesses better prepare for delivery activities in such areas as staffing, accounting, stocking and customer service.
The strength of Quantum View Inbound lies in UPS's proprietary "address matching" system that retains multiple variations of street addresses within the United States. For example, for a package destined to Atlanta, Ga., shippers might enter "55 Glenlake Parkway, NE," or possibly "55 Glenlake Pkwy" or "55 Glen Lake."
In addition to Quantum View's ability to match to different addresses, it also recognizes variations in business names such as UPS and UPS, Inc. This is a unique feature that sets the system apart from other address matching technologies. Once this information is filtered and matched to the recipient, the customer is then able to see inbound shipments to their address or another designated location.
"The ability to see what shipments are scheduled to arrive is extremely useful to businesses because it enables them to make educated decisions about workforce and inventory planning," said Jordan Colletta, UPS vice president of e-commerce marketing. "Prior to Quantum View Inbound, visibility of incoming packages had eluded transportation managers, but we're confident UPS has cracked the code with its powerful address matching system."
One company using Quantum View Inbound has already experienced significant savings. Bullock & Jones, a San Francisco retailer of fine men's clothing and sportswear for more than 150 years, has improved its catalog and online retail operations by precisely forecasting necessary staffing needs for incoming inventory based on information provided by UPS Quantum View Inbound. In fact, Bullock & Jones estimates it has reduced the time it takes to process newly arrived inventory from suppliers by approximately 15 percent.
Prior to using the service, Bullock & Jones relied on weekly and bi-weekly faxes and e-mails from suppliers to obtain the status of orders en route. This manual process was much less efficient and far less reliable than the automation provided by Quantum View Inbound. In addition to better warehouse planning, Bullock & Jones is also able to quickly determine if an order is delayed. This helps them maintain their reputation for outstanding service because they are then able to notify customers proactively that their purchase may not arrive as scheduled.
Quantum View Inbound is available in multiple file formats, including CSV, XML, TEXT, EDI and Web-based HTML. There is no charge for the service to UPS account holders. More information on UPS Quantum View Manage and an online demo is available at UPS.com/qvdemo.
UPS is the world's largest package delivery company and a global leader in supply chain services, offering an extensive range of options for synchronizing the movement of goods, information, and funds. Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS serves more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. UPS stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange (UPS) and the company can be found on the Web at UPS.com.
