Analysis
Opening Analysis on UPS Processes
Structured Processes
Tracking Parcels is a big part of UPS' goal as a shipping and recieving company as they need to know when and where their products are being delivered. Information systems for customers use the UPS tracking system to let them know when their package has been processed, shipped, and later received with an estimated date of arrival. However, for management the ETT or electronic tracking and tracing system is used to constantly know the location of the product at all times. ETT also helps management as it helps automate the sorting process of deliverables into ground or air bound transportation. Then when the parcels reach their modes of transport, COMPASS than keeps track of trailer and aircraft locations and destinations where they need to be taken.
Dynamic Processes
Collaboration
Social Media Plan
Define Goals
Success Metrics
For UPS to succeed in brand awareness, they label everything done by them. Whether it be flying packages, delivering, or the package themselves. They make sure the people know they that they are always out, doing whatever they can for customer satisfaction. The company also increases brand awareness through their Facebook postings. So, if you don't see them out, then you still know that their services are always available.
Target Audience
UPS tries to appeal to smaller businesses by offering them different types of shipping plans. So for example, online retailers such as, a clothing retailer could outsource their products to UPS. So this, way they could work together to send out products. The company also tries to appeal to the individual consumer to use them as their median to get their desired goods to them. UPS doesn't stop there, as they also appeals to well known companies due to their vast amount cargo holders, which is useful for big retailers who need to fill up their shelves consistently.
UPS' Value
UPS does their best to meet customer expectations when it comes to shipping out products. Giving an estimated time of deliver with different day packaging that the consumer can buy. UPS also offers a simplified return label which means they will accept any form of package to send somewhere. As long as the customer gives an address they will see that it gets to the destination it is intended for. Also, the company does well to swiftly correct any errors occurred during the shipping process.
Make Personal Connections
Highlighting their essential workers is something UPS upholds as they are the backbone to the operations. Especially when handling deliverables. While also interacting with the consumer on the companies social media platforms allows for the company to listen to customer needs. Also, the company promotes a no waste system as they are willing to ship salvageable parts as well as potential inventory for other companies.
Gather and Analyze Data
Although UPS' presence on social media isn't insanely high opposed to their counterparts, they are among one of the highest conversion rates. Meaning that they draw in the most of their fanbase who enjoys their delivery process.
Recap of Social Media Plan
UPS' social media plan is used to highlight their seemingly boundless efforts to send out any form of package. Since the company is a shipping company, outbound logistics play an essential role being the heart of the company. If their deliverables couldn't reach someone then they would fail. However, with multiple reasons to send out packaging such as; reusable parts, simplified packaging, upcoming business, and just a consumers needs. UPS has plenty of reasons to constantly be sending out packages to different locations for a multitude of different reasons.
Tools and Equipment Used
Hardware
The company uses a wide variety of hardware to update and maintain information on parcels. That way the employees can act accordingly with customer service questions and company based shipments. More importantly however, as we are focusing on the outbound logistics of UPS this helps the overall shipping process run at a high optimal point to where the company isn't wasting much time. Some of the hardware used are as follows; Lenovo Thinkpad T14 Gen 2 Intel Laptop, Dell OptiPlex 780 SFF Windows Computer, and Scanners.
Software
To use the hardware at UPS' disposal they have chosen to run software that most shipping based companies use. One of them being the use of the software ETT or Enterprise Tracking and Trace so that the company can keep track of packages scanned on by the Scanner. That way they know whether or not a package has reached its destination and can act accordingly if something were to happen and issues would occur. As the company also uses Windows 10 with a heavy usage of Microsoft based software systems, UPS also uses DOS or better known as a disk operating system. Which then creates a filing system to store all of the companies data and outbound logistics on time frames for sending out packages. Where then COMPASS can evaluate a packages cycle and determine where changes need to be made for package processes and shipments. So that shipments made could be of the best quality and in the best time. HMMS also manages outbound logistics by tracking hazardous material and acting accordingly so no set backs are created from misinformed package labels.
UPS' Usage of Information Systems
Critical Procedures
Critical procedures all start with the basic label of any package received by the United Parcel Service. From there scanning the packages using the ETT process than enables the user to locate the package at any given time. Than the loaders divides packages up based on the HMMS system having to separate the hazardous material from other parcels that need to be sent out. Once that process gets finished and the information gets checked by the clerks, the loaders begin the process of loading. Either the freights or aircrafts will then be loaded with their respective packages, separated by material and distance. Once that is done the freight drivers and pilots take off and then COMPASS is used by supervisors and clerks people to ensure package delivery and revision of the process itself.
Our team when looking at the critical procedures needed by UPS to preform optimal outbound logistics involve the entire step by step shipping process. Since, a delivery service is the median between consumer and product there are a lot of people to have to please in the industry. With that being said, one misstep could lead to a profit loss and a hit on reputation that could slowly diminish the company in invested stock. When the company can act the most efficient and orderly, using all of their resources to their advantage then the company is reaching their overarching goal. Since, the mission statement that the company has followed is "What We Seek to Achieve" which, can be inferred to the fact they want to give the best quality service then can.
People
The United Parcel Service need a wide variety of people to operate soundly such as; Loaders, Pilots, Freight Drivers, Clerks People, Part-Time or Full-Time Supervisors, Gateway Managers, and Upper Management. All of these people hold some form of importance when using outbound logistic information systems. Whether that be ETT to scan in and out package tracking for deliverables, or HMMS to divide up where packages should be loaded. COMPASS as well helps any form of management to understand the process and how to act accordingly with the information given.
Essential Skills
Skills needed to be able to work at UPS are mainly People Skills and Communication Skills. People
skills are more or less for customer service purposes as you are there mainly to help the customer in question. People skills however, can be also useful when optimizing the loading process because these effective skills can directly impact the speed in which the process is done in. However, Communication skills play a dire role in the UPS culture as there are a lot of information silos that can be created due to the companies dynamic process. Which more or less, cannot be helped due to weather concerns regarding safety issues. The issue in question could be whether or not the grounds people say a package cannot be out bounded. As grounds people have to notify the clerks of the change instead of being able to manually update the system themselves. Since, the hardware at the grounds people disposal is more of the hand-held variety. They don't have the capability to update the systems as efficiently as those who are in the offices managing the information themselves. This issue alone could create delays amongst the companies system. Therefore, critical communication skills are requested in working at UPS so delays aren't increased in time.
Information Security Analysis
The IT Department
UPS' IT department in Newark Airport consists of one person on call. This person checks all systems in the beginning of the shift to ensure all hardware is functioning for the day. The facility only requires one IT personnel because all the computers and laptops are well managed. In the event a problem does occur, one must place a work order through a given email in order for that IT person to resolve the problem. Essentially, the IT department is made up of one person and UPS technology assistance hotline.
Information Systems Security
In order to access any computer software, computer hardware, or sensitive information. There are procedures that must be followed and protocols in place to prevent misuse. Access to any computer requires a username and password given to the employee based on their purpose and need of the hardware. The internet access is not accessible to anyone unless their job role requires internet usage. The computer security is set up so no employee is allowed to access any outside websites that could cause harm to the UPS network. All passwords are required to be changed on a monthly basis and not are not allowed to be the same. The system does this automatically so the employee is not allowed to access the systems without the change. In the event, an employee attempts to misuse the company internet, the computer will shutdown the access of the user and the IT department will be notified of the action. The employee will be revoked their access until further notice. Essentially, the only smart devices connected to the internet are UPS owned and operated.
Information System Analysis
Concerns with the ETT Information System
The main issue with ETT is that packages can be left behind due to human error. Human error should be easily worked around with protocol, however, there is no alert system if a package is forgotten. As ETT follows the package, the only way to find out if a package is left behind and lost is when the data in the system conflicts with other information systems. When UPS figures out that a package is left behind, the package could have to wait for a whole other cycle of transporting. Which isn't very well conceived for their business strategy. The current procedure to locate missing packages is a physical search of any potential packages being left behind due to human error or any kind of misplacement. This is not an efficient way to ensure the packages have been sent out at their scheduled transporting cycle.
Concerns with the COMPASS software
This computer-based software has not always been the most reliable on those rare occasions. It is clear human errors are a common cause for concern with this information system or lack of. For example, a clerk would update information regarding an inbound trailer in terms of the trailer number, container numbers, and type of volume in those containers. The clerk makes those changes in the system but fails to inform the destination site of such changes. Now a concern has risen in terms of unexpected changes in volume without any notification to the destination site. The only way to know of any changes is a constant visual on the software for any changes made. With everything going around in the job at the hand, the clerk has a very limited time looking for direct changes. There needs to be a way for the clerks to be better alerted of changes made to inbounding trailers than a constant visual check or phone call (sometimes even a phone call is rarely given).
Another point of concern involves directly with the Load supervisor and their inbounding/ outbound trailers. The supervisor relies on trained ground personnel for alerts on where a trailer has been sent to offload. The supervisor must then verify with a download sheet what trailer needs to be downloaded. This requires the supervisor to be on high alert for trailers that could end up positioning themselves indoors they previously were not meant to or not get staged at all due to the urgency of drivers to leave the facility. The moment ground personnel calls out, it falls down to the supervisor to direct traffic off the trailers and offload said trailers. This causes a slower download time and leaves room for human error such as the failure to offload a trailer. The current ETT system only alerts the clerks, not the supervisors, of trailer arrivals which don't help considering they are not the ones offloading the trailers. This information system can only be accessed through a computer or laptop that only the clerks have direct access to. There needs to be a way for supervisors to receive notification of inbounding trailers and current door positioning in the yard without the reliance on clerical assistance.
This is just a point to mention. The system is not without its potential to be offline. There have been times where access to COMPASS has been shut down. This is either due to emergency maintenance or the application's sudden inability to work. It is very uncommon to occur but when it does, it is causing unscheduled delays in the loading and unloading process.
Information Silos
Since, UPS follows an enterprise system where all of the data is pushed to one place. However, following protocol, information needs to be green lighted between other workers. So, data may get outdated depending on delays for the information to get through. Also, UPS follows a paper trail for some ground work which manually needs to be inputed into the system later on. Which, in and of itself creates a silo as the only way to get that information is through individual diligence to update the systems data.
Summary of Information Systems Analysis
Information Silos are the biggest problem for UPS to overcome when it comes to both the ETT system and COMPASS. The inability to move forward in the process due to implications that ETT isn't programmed to handle can slow the entire process. That being said, however, the company does well with obtaining consumer information and handling it for customers in customer service. Yet, focusing on the outbound logistics of UPS we can see that slowing the process of shipping out deliverables is not the set goal. As safety and quality are the priority, both the ETT system and COMPASS can manage the quality and timing in which a product comes out but, is not set up for safety protocols. Therefore, an implication of other information systems to act accordingly with the dynamic process of handling delays. Since the biggest issue that the company faces is communication and the company needs to keep updated with information based on their merchandise. Security policies can't be worked around as they could create more issues on package whereabouts.
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