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FedEx can track your package, from California, to Memphis, to Ottawa, to the truck, to your front door. But then what...?

Background.

This client operated a large campus with a single receiving point for courier packages. From the receiving point, the packages moved on, through one or more mail stops to their final destination, a process that sometimes took several hours. People waiting for a package could track it to the front door but no further. From time to time packages were delivered to the wrong internal location, and sometimes, a package that was urgently required could not be located as it was “in the system, somewhere”.

All packages are important. Some contain valuable items. Some contain items that have little intrinsic value, but which are vital for a project schedule. And there are secure documents which must be tightly controlled. The loss of any of these items is critical.

The Solution.

SageData implemented an internal courier tracking system for the client. The existing courier barcodes are scanned to identify the packages as they are received and as they progress through the system. Progress is tracked through various mail stops to the ultimate recipient. The internal couriers used handheld computers with integrated barcode readers to track the packages and to collect a receipt signature for final delivery.

The Result.

First, the location of any package can now be confirmed. Its exact time of receipt, and progress to the final recipient can be confirmed. This helps to resolve issues around delivery. As an example, in one recent case, a “lost” package had in fact been received by an administrative assistant and put “somewhere safe”. Second, because the traffic patterns can be analyzed, delays could be identified, and the process adjusted to improve delivery times.

The Bonus.

As part of the tightened security following 9/11, all packages are routinely scanned and processed by security personnel. One unanticipated bonus was that the tracking system can be used to confirm that each item had indeed been properly processed by security.

Tracking the Delivery of Secure Documents.

Although intended to provide internal tracking of packages delivered by outside courier companies, the system is also used to track secure documents through the internal mail system. These documents can be identified so that each transfer of custody is confirmed by identifying the recipient's security pass and, where appropriate, capturing their signature. The pass is identified by the hand held computer reading the pass identification number, which is in barcode format, though RFID could have been used for this.

The Application.

The courier tracking application is a variant of the SageData’s standard BassetPro asset tracking application. For this client, the handheld computer used is a Workabout Pro from Psion Teklogix operating in batch mode, with an integrated barcode reader.

Benefits.

The recipients of the packages benefit from faster delivery, and confirmation that the packages have been processed through the security screening system.

Couriers benefit from the absence of paper receipts for signatures, and because packages, locations, and recipients can be identified, quickly, easily and accurately, by means of barcode identifiers.

Security Personnel and managers benefit from the ability to confirm that all received packages are passed throuh the security screening process.

Managers of the internal courier system benefit from their ability to confirm the deliveries are made in accordance with standard operating procedures, the availability of information that enables them to “fine-tune” the system, and by an increased confidence in the integrity of the data collected.

For more information contact SageData: info@sagedata.com

July 06, 2006