Metro Archives | Page 24 of 34

CargoWise and Metro’s MVT provide unrivalled technological edge

Apr 26, 2023 | Metro, MVT, Technology

Executing highly complex shipping transactions across multiple users, functions, offices, countries, currencies and languages, Cargowise automates workflows, optimises business processes and provides real-time data visibility.

Cargowise is providing more time for Metro to concentrate on the service it delivers and the development of the highest quality solutions for its clients.

Simon George, Metro’s technical solution director talks about Metro’s Cargowise investment and implementation.

“We care about our customers and our people, which is why we invest in technology like Cargowise, that supports the most valuable assets of our company, with tools that help them adapt swiftly to customer needs and make effective decisions immediately.

Metro began implementing Cargowise as our core freight forwarding operations platform two years ago, with large parts of the business successfully transitioning through the lockdown period, with modular learning, devised by our internal training team.

In adopting Cargowise we are enhancing our paperless office environment, with digital processes, business rules and workflows, designed to identify and eradicate errors before anything untoward happens.

Instead of ‘fire-fighting’ operational issues, our people will be free to concentrate on enhancing solutions and identifying opportunities that add more value for our customers.

Real-time visibility, detailed financial reporting and improved data quality provide the freedom to speed up processes and make strategic decisions faster than ever before.

The reporting and broad-based KPI’s that we can track is providing us with the accurate data that supports immediate and agile, customer-focused decisions.

Integrating Cargowise and our MVT supply chain platform increases the volume of data we can share with customers, enhances the way in which they can view and manipulate this information and means that most data feeds are in, or close to, real-time.

Shipment visibility is a core functionality, with real-time tracking monitoring schedules and global mapping of assets, together with our investment in AI for predictive ETAs, that support efficient planning, while avoiding fees and penalties.

Performance tracking is being simplified and means that customers can track our performance alongside carriers and key vendors globally.

In understanding our customers' ambitions and business goals, we can identify opportunities to cut costs and make improvement in their supply chain, with our innovative Cargowise/MVT technology providing total control and visibility.”

The Metro board continues to invest in internally developed and externally acquired innovation in 2023-2024, which promises to be an exciting and rewarding period for the business and our customers. EMAIL Simon George, Technical Solutions Director, to learn more.

WE NEED YOUR VOTE: Metro short-listed for Multimodal Award

Apr 26, 2023 | Metro

The UK’s only dedicated conference and exhibition for freight, logistics and supply chain – Multimodal – returns to Birmingham’s NEC centre on 13th - 15th June, for its 16th edition, with Metro a finalist in their trade awards.

The Multimodal Awards recognise excellence in air, road, rail, maritime, and freight forwarding (3PL), with finalists nominated and voted for by the industry, for the industry, through an independent awards nomination and voting system.

Metro has been shortlisted in the ‘3PL of the year’ category.

Grant Liddell, Metro’s managing director, “To be short-listed for any award, but particularly by your peers, is always a fantastic accolade. It is further recognition of our amazing team’s hard work, dedication, and expertise, all of whom are committed to delivering outstanding customer service and innovation.”

“Multimodal is an important event in our trade calendar, and we are delighted that Metro has been nominated for 3PL of the year, in their awards. It is a clear endorsement of our solutions and customer-centric approach, but we are acutely aware that nothing can be taken for granted and we wish all our fellow nominees the best of luck, while we very much look forward to the outcome of the public vote.”

Award winners will be announced at a gala dinner at the VOX Conference Centre located at Resorts Worlds, Birmingham, on the evening of 13th June, hosted by automotive journalist and TV personality Vicki Butler-Henderson on the first day of Multimodal 2023.

WE WELCOME YOUR SUPPORT AND WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR VOTE FOR METRO, 3PL OF THE YEAR. SIMPLY CLICK HERE AND FOLLOW THE ON-SCREEN INSTRUCTIONS.

Metro customer survey – We asked; you answered

Feb 2, 2023 | Metro

Our focus has always been on building long-term, mutually-rewarding relationships, built on understanding. Gathering regular feedback from you provides us with the insights we need to drive the future decisions that will help us maintain a truly customer orientated business.

Satisfied and happy customers are our complete focus, because that is the glue that keeps our relationship strong and regular customer surveys are not only an excellent tool to understand customer needs, they highlight issues that should be addressed. They help us differentiate the Metro brand and create and introduce new bespoke services and platforms, designed around our clients’ needs and requirements in an ever changing logistics market and global environment.

We understand how busy our customers are, which is why we make our customer surveys so quick and easy to complete, with the latest version comprising just ten questions, which could be completed in a couple of minutes.

Thank you for your time and considerations in answering ten questions that explore expectations for 2023, Metro’s performance and the relevance of these eNewsletters.

Your feedback will help us:

Manage our carrier relationships
Plan manning levels
Launch new services
Communicate effectively with customers
Prioritise technical development

1. Half of responding customers expect freight volumes to increase in 2023, compared to 2022, with a third expecting values to stay the same and just 16% anticipating a reduction.

2. While it is gratifying that more than 83% of survey responders rate Metro’s service above competitors, we are not complacent, because we know that keeping our customers’ support is the most important factor for continued success. Our aim is always 100%, which we will endeavour to achieve. The balance of 17% of the responses to this question advised that we were equal to other providers.

3. Almost one in five customers scored Metro as the market Leader in technology, customer service and innovation, with 80% affirming that we are agile, professional and enjoyable to work with.

4. We are so pleased that no one is anticipating a big drop in demand, with a third of Metro customers anticipating stable business performance in 2023 and the remainder expecting increases in demand, market growth and new market expansion.

5. Our question on traffic flows for 2023 did draw a mixed response, with two thirds predicting a stable year, or demand spikes. A quarter expect a slow start to the year with a busy second half, or final quarter. Just over 8% expect a strong start falling away through the summer with a peak in the final quarter, and 4% think traffic flows will deteriorate if we head into recession.

6. The Metro eNewsletter is read avidly by a quarter, while well over a half read stories of interest and 16% read the occasional article.

7. While two thirds of respondents said that eNewsletter content quality and relevance was about right, and just over 20% find some relevance and interest in all content, we are not complacent because 4% only find a story of interest and relevance very rarely.

8. We asked you where freight forwarding should be innovating and your responses provide valuable insights for our technical development plannings. Exactly half want to see enhancements in track and trace and predictive ETA’s, 20% see value in on-line pricing and document portals, 16% in on-line spot quote tools and booking confirmations and 12% would like to digitise and automate trade documentation

9. Only 4% of respondents are not currently considering the environmental impact of their supply chain, with 80% considering the issue important and very important and the remaining 16% seeing it as a definite future consideration.

10. Our final question, which asked for feedback on our logistics platforms, knowledge distribution, client management, or overall performance, gathered 100% positive responses.

Haven’t responded? You can still have your say and participate in our latest customers survey, buy clicking HERE

We would like to thank you for your participation in this survey and hope that you find the analysis as interesting and informative as we have. We value all feedback and comments and will use them to make necessary adjustments, so that that we continue to meet, and ideally exceed, expectations and requirements within your supply chain and logistics platforms. Through innovation, passion and our pride in what we do for you, we will ensure that your business continues to flourish.

Metro expand further in India

Jan 5, 2023 | BPO, Metro

With an expanding team of 50+ colleagues, led by UK trained ‘super-users’, Metro have taken possession of a newly commissioned premises in Chennai, after a traditional Puja ritual to spiritually celebrate the office opening and launch of our new Indian entity, M-ISC Shared Service Centre Private Limited.

Metro has been managing and transforming industrial, manufacturing and automotive supply chains since 1982. By taking responsibility for their supply chains and documentary requirements, outsource clients are free to concentrate on growing their business, producing products and opening new markets.

Our documentation and process outsourcing solutions are entirely bespoke for each client, and designed to optimise documentation, streamline processes and introduce digital efficiencies. To scale capability and provide 24/7 coverage, Metro launched its inaugural international business process outsource (BPO) operations in 1998.

In 2018, following the EU exit referendum and with the massive increase in customs declarations that Brexit would create (estimated at >400million p.a.) an additional outsource operation was launched in India, to support the original Malaysia-based team.

The combined business process and outsource (BPO) functions in India, Malaysia and UK has grown consistently and processes millions of individual tasks annually, to expedite the global transport and border clearance of 1000’s of individual consignments. In addition the process optimisation created through the ‘back office’ function ensure we are slicker, competitive and have full coverage across all continents, regardless of the time of day.

The launch of M-ISC Shared Service Centre Private Limited and the move of their team of 50+ into the larger and plusher office facilities in Chennai, after the inclusive Puja ritual (see pictures below) will support further growth and increase resources in India.

For two months, at the end of last year, we had the pleasure of hosting six M-ISC colleagues at our UKHQ in Birmingham for extensive ‘Super-User’ training. Spending time with colleagues and departments across Eclipse House, they have gained unique insights, technical knowledge and operational experience, that will be invaluable when they are training their own colleagues in Chennai.

We look forward to further knowledge-sharing and the further expansion and integration into the global Metro team, with regular colleague learning and experience exchanges to India and the UK on a continual and regular basis.

This is just one of many developments in the first quarter of 2023, which will add value and greater depth to the Metro solution. Many more announcements to come in coming weeks and months – stay alert!

For further information please contact Paul Moss or Andrew White, who leads our UKHQ based BPO team or Simon George who will be delighted to explain how our technical solutions streamline/standardise/digitise complex processes.