Microsoft looks to improve customer experience through supply chain transformation

Transparency18 sponsored article Between increasing consumer demands and omnichannel complexity, it’s no easy task to automate and optimize global supply chains—even for one of the world’s largest technology companies. Working with TMC, a division of C.H. Robinson, Microsoft was able to deploy a single, global transportation management system (TMS) platform—Navisphere® Vision—to drive supply chain predictability and transform Microsoft’s customer experience. Microsoft and TMC team up to build the next generation of supply chain visibility Microsoft, an innovator in fulfillment and logistics capabilities, wanted a single supply chain platform that delivered seamless visibility across modes and channels—from ecommerce to bulk government entities, retailers to its own brick-and-mortar stores—in over 150 countries. In addition to total visibility, the platform needed to provide superior service to the company’s global customers. Microsoft also wanted a tool that could help circumvent disruptions in the supply chain as early as possible, so predictive and prescriptive insights were also key. In 2016, TMC and Microsoft, a TMC customer, began developing Navisphere Vision together. “The level of collaboration, aptitude, and desire to springboard ideas off each other to develop the platform was incredible,” recalls Pat Flynn-Cherenzia, senior director of global logistics and fulfillment at Microsoft. Last September, after a year of development and testing with Microsoft, Navisphere Vision was introduced to the marketplace. “The industry has seen supply chain visibility tools before, but Navisphere Vision represents the next generation,” explains Jordan Kass, president of TMC. “Not only is it global, but Navisphere Vision goes far beyond visibility and helps our customers predict supply chain disruptions before they even occur.” Navisphere Vision provides unique benefits: It serves all global regions across any transportation mode; layers in potential disruptions; and provides customers with powerful data, insights, and opportunities to make changes quickly. Navisphere Vision utilizes application programming interface (API) technology to aggregate all other supply chain and information sources into one single location, giving users more streamlined, real-time solutions. And it brings a new level of machine-learning and data science the supply chain industry hasn’t seen to date. “The best way to describe Navisphere Vision is that we now have the ability to control and see freight as it is moving. The ability to control, despite outside influences, is key to the comfort level that we have that we can handle our supply chain efficiently,” states Flynn-Cherenzia. “It doesn’t mean that we won’t have disruptions—it means that we have better visibility to be able to provide the information to our management and to our customer base.” As the supply chain industry moves forward, real-time visibility and the ability to consume, combine and analyze data from growing number of integrations is essential to building a responsive, resilient, competitive and profitable strategy. And Navisphere Vision looks to help companies achieve those results. To see Navisphere Vision in action, join Microsoft’s Pat Flynn-Cherenzia and TMC’s Chris Cutshaw at Transparency18. Stay up-to-date with the latest commentary and insights on FreightTech and the impact to the markets by subscribing.