Q&A with Cameron Worth, CEO & Founder, SharpEnd

Media 7 | April 22, 2020

Cameron Worth, CEO & Founder of SharpEnd leads the company’s mission to help brands move closer than ever to consumers by connecting packaging, retail and experiential activity.

He is a regular speaker and writer on how to build brands in a connected world. He has spoken at Cannes, the Festival of Marketing, LuxePack Monaco and New York, Ad:Week Europe and New York, DMA, the Connected Consumer Conference, Mobile World Congress and the IoT World Forum.

MEDIA 7: How did the idea of “the agency of things” come to your mind?
CAMERON WORTH:
 SharpEnd was created in 2015 as the world’s first Internet of Things focused agency, so there is a slight play on words when we say we’re the Agency of Things. I think the idea of giving things their own agency is an interesting concept, and the strapline fits our capabilities on multiple levels.

M7: In what way does technology drive the association of SharpEnd with global brands? What approaches are followed to enable sustainability?
CW:
Our simple proposition is to help build brands in a connected world, and to do that you must always start with identified consumer needs or pain points and look at technology as just an enabler to deliver an appropriate solution (when appropriate). 

Take the issue of sustainability, which is often a pain point for brands that grapple with issues such as how we can reward sustainable behaviour change. One of our approaches to this could be to look at communicating the recycling credentials of the different products. Whilst the consumer can engage with a product as part of a wider consumer experience, the same technology could also house content that could tell you whether the product is recyclable, which type of bin it goes in etc.

SharpEnd’s work with Unilever is a case in point. We built a digital product that incentivised recycling through gamification but also served to educate through informing people how and where to recycle in a clear fashion. All users had to do was simply scan their packaging to have all this information at their disposal.


"Brands tend to overlook their largest owned media asset - the product itself."

M7: What are the modern brands not doing enough to engage with their customers?
CW:
Brands tend to overlook their largest owned media asset - the product itself. It’s a costly oversight when you consider that brand owners have far more products in the market than they do TV spots, or outdoor posters.

For us at SharpEnd, we look at activating the product as a digital touchpoint – whether that’s an NFC enabled wine bottle, QR codes or augmented reality.

Ultimately, it’s about using the product as a direct channel for engagement. We believe every progressive brand that makes and sells products should be doing this.

M7: How important for you is creating value for your consumers? Could you tell us how connected packaging provides value?
CW:
It’s central to what we do - it's why we start with the pain point rather than the technology.

Our starting point creatively is always “how do we heighten the enjoyment in the context of use?”

Connected packaging is different to traditional advertising. You’re no more than 5cm away from the product, and usually the product is in hand at the point of engagement. You’re either thinking of using, or actively using the product. The relationship is arguably more intimate and therefore more compelling.

Take our work with  Böen Wines for example. As part of the world’s largest roll out of NFC in the wines category, the post-tap creative platform included providing food and wine pairings that complemented the wine consumers were interacting with, as well as sharing information on the brand’s heritage and tasting notes. Everything we implemented went towards heightening the consumption moment experience, and the brand has been reaping the rewards with high engagement rates and session lengths of well over a minute per engagement.


"Every progressive brand that makes and sells products should use the product as a direct channel for engagement."

M7: How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your work - what day to day processes have you had to re-tool to be able to pull them off remotely? What does your remote tech stack look like?
CW:
We are benefiting from the fact that as a five-year-old business, we’re natively connected. We’re very collaborative, we’ve always been working from Google Docs and we’ve been using Slack religiously for a few years now.

The very nature of our work means that the brand owners we’re supporting are based in various locations across the globe, so we’ve always been using video conferencing too. So there hasn’t been too much of an impact on SharpEnd’s ways of working.

That being said, one of the main things our leadership team is focusing on is mastering remote management and leadership. How do you keep the team motivated? How do you make sure everyone is feeling included? What are you doing on a weekly basis to make sure that it’s not just professional, but there are social elements as well? We’re being very respectful of the fact this is a lockdown from the greater world and not just from the office.

Figuring out what we can be doing in terms of team building exercises is on-going. This is something that I don’t think anyone can nail by themselves, and we’re looking online for a lot of inspiration on how to go about doing this.



"At SharpEnd, we look at activating the product as a digital touchpoint – whether that’s an NFC enabled wine bottle, QR codes or augmented reality."

M7: Do you think we will constantly be looking over our shoulders and have to have a remote plan ready?
CW:
I have made an active decision to not comment on potential long-term impacts of Covid-19. There will be a time for that, but now is the time for sensitivity on a human level, in my opinion.

My only request to the team is that we make sure we’re staying sensitive, responsive and productive.


M7: When did you start working and what was it?
CW:
I started when I was 16 in publishing and got to see first hand how brands were shifting spend from print to online. I was there when the publication I was working on launched its first website, and saw the ad sales starting to increase, and the print sales starting to shift over.

That was 15 years ago now, but my career path has always been in and around online, from digital innovation to engagement tech, to where I am now as the founder of the world’s first IoT agency.

ABOUT SHARPEND

SharpEnd – The Agency of Things™ - is moving brands closer than ever to consumers by connecting packaging, retail and experiential activity.  We are a full-service partner to some of the largest global brand owners across fashion, spirits and CPG including Estée Lauder Companies, Pernod Ricard, PepsiCo, Mattel and Nestlé. You can find out more here https://wearesharpend.com

More C-Suite on deck

'We treat information as a critical business asset,' says Vanessa Eriksson, SVP, Chief Digital Officer at Zenseact

Media 7 | November 15, 2021

We had the opportunity to interview the data-enthusiast and the former first Chief Data Officer in Sweden, Vanessa Eriksson, SVP, Chief Digital Officer at Zenseact and Board Member at Fidesmo, where she explored the different features of the autonomous vehicle. Read on to find out more about the Zenseact protects critical business and company information.

Read More

Q&A with Rachel Gabato, COO at ripe.io

MEDIA 7 | March 9, 2020

Rachel Gabato, COO at ripe.io is a highly experienced and proven Product Management executive and advisor with experiences in designing, developing and delivering enterprise SaaS solutions for start-ups, mid-size and large companies. I have demonstrated success is managing solutions across all stages of the software lifecycle. Deck 7: What is your favorite part of working at ripe.io? RACHEL GABATO: My favorite part of working at ripe.io is the diverse background of people that ripe.io has brought together. We’re a blockchain technology company with a mission to build long-lasting trust and confidence in our food supply chain through a platform where everyone can access transparent and reliable information on the origin, journey and quality of their food.  Our co-founders originate from the fintech space, so they were very familiar with blockchain as a technology. They assessed multiple industries and identified the food supply chain as a industry which could be transformed by leveraging this technology. I didn’t have any knowledge of agriculture and the food supply chain, but I had a background in retail supply chain technology. However, we also have food scientists, data scientists, farmers, sustainable agriculture specialists, flavor specialists, blockchain technologists on staff;  it’s a diverse group that has their own specialty but when we have ideation sessions, the education and sharing that happens is tremendous. This is one of my favorite parts of ripe.io – seeing us all educating, supporting and working together to work on our common mission. If you would have asked me two years ago if I would be visiting farms, I would have said no. However, much has changed, and I’ve been on hog farms, produce and citrus farms, sugar cane farms, etc. and visited all participants involved in the supply chain. I find this space incredibly fascinating and interesting. I now have a much better understanding where food comes from, how it gets to us, how it’s grown and handled. I’ve learned a tremendous amount from our team and it’s the intersection of technology and solving the challenges of the food supply chain which I’m incredibly passionate about.

Read More

Q&A with Sangram Vajre, Co-founder & Chief Evangelist at Terminus

MEDIA 7 | January 9, 2020

Sangram Vajre, Co-Founder & Chief Evangelist at Terminus is also an author and host of the podcast FlipmyFunnel. He is one of the leading minds in B2B marketing. MEDIA 7: What are you passionate about? SANGRAM VAJRE: Three things: Lead professionally. Grow personally. Love family. M7: Terminus has been recognized as one of Georgia’s 40 fastest-growing companies by ACG Atlanta. What factors contribute to this pace? SV: One of our core values is #OneTeam – which means we think and act as one team and know that if we treat our team right, they will treat our customers amazing. There are no great companies, only great people that make those companies.

Read More

'We treat information as a critical business asset,' says Vanessa Eriksson, SVP, Chief Digital Officer at Zenseact

Media 7 | November 15, 2021

We had the opportunity to interview the data-enthusiast and the former first Chief Data Officer in Sweden, Vanessa Eriksson, SVP, Chief Digital Officer at Zenseact and Board Member at Fidesmo, where she explored the different features of the autonomous vehicle. Read on to find out more about the Zenseact protects critical business and company information.

Read More

Q&A with Rachel Gabato, COO at ripe.io

MEDIA 7 | March 9, 2020

Rachel Gabato, COO at ripe.io is a highly experienced and proven Product Management executive and advisor with experiences in designing, developing and delivering enterprise SaaS solutions for start-ups, mid-size and large companies. I have demonstrated success is managing solutions across all stages of the software lifecycle. Deck 7: What is your favorite part of working at ripe.io? RACHEL GABATO: My favorite part of working at ripe.io is the diverse background of people that ripe.io has brought together. We’re a blockchain technology company with a mission to build long-lasting trust and confidence in our food supply chain through a platform where everyone can access transparent and reliable information on the origin, journey and quality of their food.  Our co-founders originate from the fintech space, so they were very familiar with blockchain as a technology. They assessed multiple industries and identified the food supply chain as a industry which could be transformed by leveraging this technology. I didn’t have any knowledge of agriculture and the food supply chain, but I had a background in retail supply chain technology. However, we also have food scientists, data scientists, farmers, sustainable agriculture specialists, flavor specialists, blockchain technologists on staff;  it’s a diverse group that has their own specialty but when we have ideation sessions, the education and sharing that happens is tremendous. This is one of my favorite parts of ripe.io – seeing us all educating, supporting and working together to work on our common mission. If you would have asked me two years ago if I would be visiting farms, I would have said no. However, much has changed, and I’ve been on hog farms, produce and citrus farms, sugar cane farms, etc. and visited all participants involved in the supply chain. I find this space incredibly fascinating and interesting. I now have a much better understanding where food comes from, how it gets to us, how it’s grown and handled. I’ve learned a tremendous amount from our team and it’s the intersection of technology and solving the challenges of the food supply chain which I’m incredibly passionate about.

Read More

Q&A with Sangram Vajre, Co-founder & Chief Evangelist at Terminus

MEDIA 7 | January 9, 2020

Sangram Vajre, Co-Founder & Chief Evangelist at Terminus is also an author and host of the podcast FlipmyFunnel. He is one of the leading minds in B2B marketing. MEDIA 7: What are you passionate about? SANGRAM VAJRE: Three things: Lead professionally. Grow personally. Love family. M7: Terminus has been recognized as one of Georgia’s 40 fastest-growing companies by ACG Atlanta. What factors contribute to this pace? SV: One of our core values is #OneTeam – which means we think and act as one team and know that if we treat our team right, they will treat our customers amazing. There are no great companies, only great people that make those companies.

Read More

Related News

MANAGEMENT

Emergent Cold Latin America Achieves Status of Largest Regional Warehousing Provider

businesswire | May 31, 2023

Emergent Cold Latin America (Emergent Cold LatAm or the Company), the fastest-growing refrigerated storage and logistics service provider in Latin America, announced today its recognition by the leading industry association as the largest refrigerated warehousing and logistics provider in Latin America and the Caribbean, and the sixth largest provider in the world. These designations by the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) were determined by total capacity of temperature-controlled space operated by GCCA members as of December 31, 2022. This achievement represents an important milestone in the company’s short history. Emergent Cold LatAm was founded in August 2021 with a vision to reshape the food chain logistics across Latin America. Less than two years later, the Company now operates in 11 countries with more than 60 warehouses and more than 4 million cubic meters of storage capacity. Emergent Cold LatAm accomplished this scale through the completion of 14 acquisitions and 7 new development projects that are now under construction. “When David and I launched this venture in 2021, I could envision the extraordinary growth that we would enjoy, but not necessarily over such a short period of time,” said Neal Rider, CEO and Co-Founder of Emergent Cold LatAm. “This is a testament to the quality and commitment of our leadership team, and the thousands of Emergent Cold LatAm associates working across the region. I am extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished together, and grateful to our Board and investors for their support.” “We never set our sights on being the largest in Latin America, but we purposefully intended to offer differentiated services to our customers wherever they might be located,” said David Palfenier, President and Co-Founder of Emergent Cold LatAm. “It turns out we shared this goal with the founders whose companies are now part of our network. Together, we have assembled a collection of world-class assets and provide strategic solutions for our customers. So much yet to do, but this is a great first milestone for Emergent Cold LatAm.” As the region’s largest and most international cold storage and logistics platform, Emergent Cold LatAm is uniquely positioned to offer integrated solutions for customers across the food supply chain. The Company continues to invest in systems and people to provide a full range of value-added services including transportation and processing. In addition, the Company’s strategic alliance with Lineage Logistics – the world’s largest cold storage operator – creates additional opportunities to enhance customer service. About Emergent Cold LatAm Emergent Cold Latin Americais the largest refrigerated warehousing and logistics provider in Latin America and the Caribbean, building the highest-quality cold chain network to provide end-to-end temperature-controlled logistics solutions to their customers across the region. The company was founded in August 2021 to cover the need for modern cold chain solutions in the market and to meet the increasing demand from domestic and global customers. Emergent Cold LatAm currently operates more than 500 trucks and more than 60 cold storage facilities, including seven new facilities now under construction, to complete a total of 11 countries across Latin America.

Read More

SOFTWARE AND TECHNOLOGY

GEODIS Expands Drayage Offering with Acquisition of Southern Companies, Strengthening End-to-End Supply Chain Capabilities Across U.S.

prnewswire | May 29, 2023

GEODIS, a world leader in transport and logistics, announced today it has acquired Southern Companies, a leading drayage provider based in the U.S. that handles all phases of the import and export process. The acquisition enhances GEODIS' end-to-end supply chain capabilities across the U.S., further strengthening its position as one of the world's leading providers of logistics services. Southern Companies is a family-owned business founded in Miami in 1965 and has moved more than 1 million containers. The company runs operating terminals serving seven key ports: Port of Miami, Port of Everglades, Port of Houston, Port of Jacksonville, Port of Tampa, Port of Savannah and Port of Charleston. Southern Companies provides a range of import and export services, including warehousing and trucking, to ensure customer goods are moving swiftly through the supply chain. "The acquisition of Southern Companies represents an important addition to GEODIS as we continue to strengthen and grow our capabilities, our team and our client roster throughout the U.S.," said Mike Honious, GEODIS in Americas President & CEO. "Southern Companies has been a leader in drayage services, from warehousing to trucking, for nearly six decades and operates in ports that are critical to our clients. From their people and culture to their expertise and capabilities, Southern Companies is an ideal fit for GEODIS and aligns perfectly with our Americas growth strategy." Jorge Mora, Owner & CEO of Southern Companies, said, "We have been relentlessly focused on import and export logistics, with a special emphasis on port operations, and have witnessed tremendous organic growth since our beginnings over 55 years ago. We understand the unique needs of our clients and have proven expertise in maintaining the highest standards of excellence while meeting the ever-changing demands of a growing international market. By combining our capabilities with GEODIS' exceptional leadership, deep bench of experts and global footprint, we can expand our reach and provide an even broader range of services to our clients to help them navigate today's complex supply chain landscape." The acquisition complements GEODIS in Americas' existing transportation and warehousing capabilities, providing customers with an efficient and reliable end-to-end logistics solution. More than 80 employees spanning Southern Companies' seven facilities throughout the Southeast will officially join GEODIS. With its Americas region headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee, GEODIS currently operates more than 150 warehouse facilities for its clients with over 50 million square feet of warehousing space in the U.S. alone. GEODIS now has more than 17,000 employees across North America. About GEODIS GEODIS is a leading global logistics provider acknowledged for its expertise across all aspects of the supply chain. As a growth partner to its clients, GEODIS specializes in five lines of business: Supply Chain Optimization, Global Freight Forwarding, Global Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express, and European Road Network. With a global network spanning nearly 170 countries and more than 49,400 employees, GEODIS is ranked no. 6 in its sector across the world. In 2022, GEODIS generated €13.7 billion in revenue. GEODIS is a company owned by SNCF group.

Read More

SUPPLY CHAIN

AFS Logistics recognized with two accolades for technology platform

businesswire | May 31, 2023

AFS Logistics a non-asset based, non-asset biased third party logistics (3PL) provider, announces it has been named a top 3PL technology company by Inbound Logistics magazine, with its AFSmart suite recognized as a best-in-class solution. AFSmart Audit, one of the tools that makes up the integrated AFSmart package, is also a CIO 100 award winner, named by CIO.com to its annual list of 100 innovative IT solutions that deliver business value. “Logistics operations face significant challenges, from constant disruptions and complicated pricing to lack of visibility and invoice overcharges,” says Nathan Johnson, Chief Information Officer, AFS Logistics. “AFSmart is the robust technology suite that logistics professionals need to handle logistics data with the level of speed required by today’s complex market.” The technology suite offers responsive controls, clear visuals and intuitive navigation and search functions for instant access to relevant data, presented through a unified, cohesive user experience. The AFSmart platform consists of several cloud-native tools designed to help logistics professionals automate their operations and more effectively manage their logistics networks across modes of transportation. AFSmartAudit (CIO 100 winner) – Freight audit and payment (FAP) processing solution that provides a comprehensive view of freight expenses across modes to uncover and resolve overpayments, billing errors and discrepancies, while identifying new opportunities to streamline processes. AFSmartTMS – Transportation management system (TMS) that allows users to stop wasting time searching for critical information and instead rely on an intuitive, state-of-the-art portal that fully integrates with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems to manage everyday freight tasks in one location, from creating quotes and bill of lading documents to confirming shipment information and filing claims. AFSmartTrack – Provides full shipment visibility with real-time updates and analytics for all inbound and outbound freight, equipping users with the most informed perspective for critical logistics decisions. Users can get regular, daily reports with key metrics to help manage operations with greater efficiency. AFSmartClaim – Automates the creation, tracking and management of overage, shortage and damage (OS&D) claims for faster, easier resolutions and access to additional LTL coverage. Integration with AFSmartTMS allows for easy retrieval of key documents, information, contacts and more. AFSmartAnalytics – Provides easy access to a comprehensive range of critical metrics through standard or customized reports, including high-level aggregate data sets and transactional metrics to track lanes, carriers, accessorials, spend, service levels and more. About AFS Logistics AFS Logistics helps more than 1,800 companies across more than 35 countries drive sustained savings and operational improvements, while turning their logistics operations into competitive, customer-centric differentiators. As a non-asset based and non-asset biased 3PL, AFS provides a range of logistics services, featuring freight and parcel audit, parcel cost management, LTL cost management and transportation management, which includes freight brokerage and freight forwarding. Founded in 1982 and employing a team of more than 380 logistics teammates in eight major locations across the U.S. and Canada, AFS is regularly part of the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies.

Read More

MANAGEMENT

Emergent Cold Latin America Achieves Status of Largest Regional Warehousing Provider

businesswire | May 31, 2023

Emergent Cold Latin America (Emergent Cold LatAm or the Company), the fastest-growing refrigerated storage and logistics service provider in Latin America, announced today its recognition by the leading industry association as the largest refrigerated warehousing and logistics provider in Latin America and the Caribbean, and the sixth largest provider in the world. These designations by the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) were determined by total capacity of temperature-controlled space operated by GCCA members as of December 31, 2022. This achievement represents an important milestone in the company’s short history. Emergent Cold LatAm was founded in August 2021 with a vision to reshape the food chain logistics across Latin America. Less than two years later, the Company now operates in 11 countries with more than 60 warehouses and more than 4 million cubic meters of storage capacity. Emergent Cold LatAm accomplished this scale through the completion of 14 acquisitions and 7 new development projects that are now under construction. “When David and I launched this venture in 2021, I could envision the extraordinary growth that we would enjoy, but not necessarily over such a short period of time,” said Neal Rider, CEO and Co-Founder of Emergent Cold LatAm. “This is a testament to the quality and commitment of our leadership team, and the thousands of Emergent Cold LatAm associates working across the region. I am extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished together, and grateful to our Board and investors for their support.” “We never set our sights on being the largest in Latin America, but we purposefully intended to offer differentiated services to our customers wherever they might be located,” said David Palfenier, President and Co-Founder of Emergent Cold LatAm. “It turns out we shared this goal with the founders whose companies are now part of our network. Together, we have assembled a collection of world-class assets and provide strategic solutions for our customers. So much yet to do, but this is a great first milestone for Emergent Cold LatAm.” As the region’s largest and most international cold storage and logistics platform, Emergent Cold LatAm is uniquely positioned to offer integrated solutions for customers across the food supply chain. The Company continues to invest in systems and people to provide a full range of value-added services including transportation and processing. In addition, the Company’s strategic alliance with Lineage Logistics – the world’s largest cold storage operator – creates additional opportunities to enhance customer service. About Emergent Cold LatAm Emergent Cold Latin Americais the largest refrigerated warehousing and logistics provider in Latin America and the Caribbean, building the highest-quality cold chain network to provide end-to-end temperature-controlled logistics solutions to their customers across the region. The company was founded in August 2021 to cover the need for modern cold chain solutions in the market and to meet the increasing demand from domestic and global customers. Emergent Cold LatAm currently operates more than 500 trucks and more than 60 cold storage facilities, including seven new facilities now under construction, to complete a total of 11 countries across Latin America.

Read More

SOFTWARE AND TECHNOLOGY

GEODIS Expands Drayage Offering with Acquisition of Southern Companies, Strengthening End-to-End Supply Chain Capabilities Across U.S.

prnewswire | May 29, 2023

GEODIS, a world leader in transport and logistics, announced today it has acquired Southern Companies, a leading drayage provider based in the U.S. that handles all phases of the import and export process. The acquisition enhances GEODIS' end-to-end supply chain capabilities across the U.S., further strengthening its position as one of the world's leading providers of logistics services. Southern Companies is a family-owned business founded in Miami in 1965 and has moved more than 1 million containers. The company runs operating terminals serving seven key ports: Port of Miami, Port of Everglades, Port of Houston, Port of Jacksonville, Port of Tampa, Port of Savannah and Port of Charleston. Southern Companies provides a range of import and export services, including warehousing and trucking, to ensure customer goods are moving swiftly through the supply chain. "The acquisition of Southern Companies represents an important addition to GEODIS as we continue to strengthen and grow our capabilities, our team and our client roster throughout the U.S.," said Mike Honious, GEODIS in Americas President & CEO. "Southern Companies has been a leader in drayage services, from warehousing to trucking, for nearly six decades and operates in ports that are critical to our clients. From their people and culture to their expertise and capabilities, Southern Companies is an ideal fit for GEODIS and aligns perfectly with our Americas growth strategy." Jorge Mora, Owner & CEO of Southern Companies, said, "We have been relentlessly focused on import and export logistics, with a special emphasis on port operations, and have witnessed tremendous organic growth since our beginnings over 55 years ago. We understand the unique needs of our clients and have proven expertise in maintaining the highest standards of excellence while meeting the ever-changing demands of a growing international market. By combining our capabilities with GEODIS' exceptional leadership, deep bench of experts and global footprint, we can expand our reach and provide an even broader range of services to our clients to help them navigate today's complex supply chain landscape." The acquisition complements GEODIS in Americas' existing transportation and warehousing capabilities, providing customers with an efficient and reliable end-to-end logistics solution. More than 80 employees spanning Southern Companies' seven facilities throughout the Southeast will officially join GEODIS. With its Americas region headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee, GEODIS currently operates more than 150 warehouse facilities for its clients with over 50 million square feet of warehousing space in the U.S. alone. GEODIS now has more than 17,000 employees across North America. About GEODIS GEODIS is a leading global logistics provider acknowledged for its expertise across all aspects of the supply chain. As a growth partner to its clients, GEODIS specializes in five lines of business: Supply Chain Optimization, Global Freight Forwarding, Global Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express, and European Road Network. With a global network spanning nearly 170 countries and more than 49,400 employees, GEODIS is ranked no. 6 in its sector across the world. In 2022, GEODIS generated €13.7 billion in revenue. GEODIS is a company owned by SNCF group.

Read More

SUPPLY CHAIN

AFS Logistics recognized with two accolades for technology platform

businesswire | May 31, 2023

AFS Logistics a non-asset based, non-asset biased third party logistics (3PL) provider, announces it has been named a top 3PL technology company by Inbound Logistics magazine, with its AFSmart suite recognized as a best-in-class solution. AFSmart Audit, one of the tools that makes up the integrated AFSmart package, is also a CIO 100 award winner, named by CIO.com to its annual list of 100 innovative IT solutions that deliver business value. “Logistics operations face significant challenges, from constant disruptions and complicated pricing to lack of visibility and invoice overcharges,” says Nathan Johnson, Chief Information Officer, AFS Logistics. “AFSmart is the robust technology suite that logistics professionals need to handle logistics data with the level of speed required by today’s complex market.” The technology suite offers responsive controls, clear visuals and intuitive navigation and search functions for instant access to relevant data, presented through a unified, cohesive user experience. The AFSmart platform consists of several cloud-native tools designed to help logistics professionals automate their operations and more effectively manage their logistics networks across modes of transportation. AFSmartAudit (CIO 100 winner) – Freight audit and payment (FAP) processing solution that provides a comprehensive view of freight expenses across modes to uncover and resolve overpayments, billing errors and discrepancies, while identifying new opportunities to streamline processes. AFSmartTMS – Transportation management system (TMS) that allows users to stop wasting time searching for critical information and instead rely on an intuitive, state-of-the-art portal that fully integrates with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems to manage everyday freight tasks in one location, from creating quotes and bill of lading documents to confirming shipment information and filing claims. AFSmartTrack – Provides full shipment visibility with real-time updates and analytics for all inbound and outbound freight, equipping users with the most informed perspective for critical logistics decisions. Users can get regular, daily reports with key metrics to help manage operations with greater efficiency. AFSmartClaim – Automates the creation, tracking and management of overage, shortage and damage (OS&D) claims for faster, easier resolutions and access to additional LTL coverage. Integration with AFSmartTMS allows for easy retrieval of key documents, information, contacts and more. AFSmartAnalytics – Provides easy access to a comprehensive range of critical metrics through standard or customized reports, including high-level aggregate data sets and transactional metrics to track lanes, carriers, accessorials, spend, service levels and more. About AFS Logistics AFS Logistics helps more than 1,800 companies across more than 35 countries drive sustained savings and operational improvements, while turning their logistics operations into competitive, customer-centric differentiators. As a non-asset based and non-asset biased 3PL, AFS provides a range of logistics services, featuring freight and parcel audit, parcel cost management, LTL cost management and transportation management, which includes freight brokerage and freight forwarding. Founded in 1982 and employing a team of more than 380 logistics teammates in eight major locations across the U.S. and Canada, AFS is regularly part of the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies.

Read More