Trucking Technology Report - Oct. 19
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Both the online report and e-mail are sponsored by @Track Communications, a supplier of wireless communications and dispatch services.
Today's Technology Headlines:
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Sprint PCS Customers Get Instant Messages
Sprint (FON) PCS recently installed three new messaging services on its Web-enabled phones. Customers now have access to Wireless Chat, a real-time chat room; Short Mail, which creates shortcuts for sending text messages to other subscribers that have Sprint phones; and AOL Instant Messenger, which sends real-time messages to wireless and wired devices.
J.C. Penney Becoming Click-and-Mortar Powerhouse
J.C. Penney (JCP) is at the forefront of multichannel integration, by tying together its highly ranked Web site, catalogs, and physical stores. J.C. Penney can take advantage of its more than 2,000 in-store catalog desks and 400 million-strong catalog circulation as well as having its complete 250,000-SKU inventory online with stores in every U.S. state.J.C. Penney is increasingly using a synergistic strategy: Web kiosks allow the department store to extend shelf space virtually, especially within inventory-heavy departments, while catalog desks accepts orders and returns of items received at customer homes. Store managers and retail associates alike are rewarded for online/catalog sales and the
umber of e-mail addresses collected, respectively. In addition, 65% of J.C. Penney catalog shoppers pick up or pay for their orders at the stores.
Even J.C. Penney's new television commercials stress the company's three-pronged shopping approach. Nielsen NetRatings reports that J.C. Penney's site is the most visited apparel and home furnishings retail destination online, and retail industry analysts laud the chain's decision to give its site a separate identity.
J.C. Penney was also a pioneer with virtual modeling and other new technologies. The retailer's "Just4Me" feature provides 500,000 virtual models to help large and tall women shop for clothing privately and conveniently. J.C. Penney understands its overwhelmingly female customer base, unlike many e-tailers, and thus, the site is due to hit profitability next year and may see $1 billion is sales by 2002. Industry Standard (10/16/00) Vol. 3, No. 42, P. 108; Buel, Stephen
Location-Based Tech Moving Ahead of Schedule
The FCC's recent decision to extend the deadline of wireless carriers' compliance with the Enhance 911 Initiative has not deterred developers of mobile applications from offering location-based technologies in upcoming months. According to the FCC's new schedule, carriers will have until the end of 2002 to equip at least one quarter of mobile phones with automatic location identification (ALI) technology. Carriers will be given until 2005 to equip all handsets with ALI.
During the last few months, carriers have sent a large number of letters to the agency asking for a more reasonable schedule. But some companies, such as Oracle (ORCL) and SnapTrack, are moving forward with their own plans for offering location-based services in the interim. SnapTrack has created its SnapTrack SnapSmart server software for providing location features that rival the accuracy of those offered by the Global Positioning System.
Oracle, starting this December, will offer its Dubbed 9I Application Server Wireless Edition. The server's Oracle Spatial feature will offer location features that can triangulate users. Oracle will also allow customers who are concerned about their privacy to turn off the tracing function. eWeek (10/09/00) Vol. 17, No. 41, P. 39; Nobel, Carmen
The 7 Immutable Laws of Collaborative Logistics
By following the seven immutable laws of collaborative logistics, carriers and shippers alike can realize reductions in costs.The guidelines are described in detail in a white paper written by Dr. C. John Langley, Jr., the John H. Dove Distinguished Professor of Logistics at the University of Tennessee, entitled: "The Seven Immutable Laws of Collaborative Logistics."
These laws can be summarized as follows:
- real and recognized benefits to all members;
- members must be allowed to dynamically evolve, create, and measure collaborative partnerships;
- must provide flexibility and security;
- co-seller and co-purchaser relationships must be supported;
- collaboration across all business process integration stages must be supported;
- open integration with other services has to be supported;
- and finally, collaboration around all five of the basic logistics flows has to be supported.
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