Customers

DHL

DHL"We can now give our customers increased transparency and better service. Crystal Reports from Business Objects has given both Philips and us better control over the product flow."

Jenny Boman
Head of Project Delivery and Product Management
DHL Exel Supply Chain

Challenge

DHL Exel Supply Chain operates within the integrated third party logistics, 3PL. DHL covers the whole logistical chain from production to final delivery to the customer's customer. To optimise the chain's product flow, DHL uses advanced IT-tools.

"An optimized product flow can reduce capital tied up in, for example, customers' stock. Effective IT-tools which give customers control and transparency of logistical flow can therefore save huge amounts of money for our 3PL-customers", says Jenny Boman.

Before DHL implemented Business Objects' IT-tools, their personnel spent a lot of time trying to answer customer questions with traditional methods such as fax, e-mail and telephone calls.

Approach

Thanks to Business Objects' Crystal Reports service, DHL Exel Supply Chain customers can access status reports for their products at any time via an extranet.

"It is of supreme importance for us to be able to give our 3PL-customers a tool which gives them full control as to which products are on their way in and which products are on their way out".

Together with CapGemini, Business Objects has specially adapted Crystal Reports to the needs of DHL Exel Supply Chain as regards logistical reports.

"The transparency and degree of service which this IT- tool provides to DHL's customers gives a clear competitive edge over other transport businesses", says Sean Farrington.

The total solution comprises a Java-based application with Oracle as the database and Business Objects' Crystal Reports service as the reporting tool. This tool gives customers the possibility to develop their own updated status reports and easily export information into Microsoft Excel.

"We use Business Objects’ tools in other applications and have a very good experience of their products and this also applies to their Crystal Reports service. The possibility of integrating products made Business Objects a natural choice", says Jenny Boman.

Results

Thanks to Business Objects’ Crystal Reports service, DHL Exel Supply Chain customers can access status reports for their products at any time via an extranet.

“It is very important for us to be able to give our 3PL-customers a tool which gives them full control as to which products are on their way in and which products are on their way out”.

Together with CapGemini, Business Objects has specially adapted Crystal Reports to the needs of DHL Exel Supply Chain as regards logistical reports.

“The transparency and degree of service which this IT- tool provides DHL’s customers with a clear competitive edge over other transport businesses”, says Sean Farrington.

The total solution comprises a Java-based application with Oracle as the database and Business Objects’ Crystal Reports service as the reporting tool. This tool gives customers the possibility to develop their own updated status reports and easily export the information into Microsoft Excel.

“We use Business Objects’ tools in other applications and have very good experience of their products and this also applies to their Crystal Reports service. The possibility of integrating products made Business Objects as natural choice”, says Jenny Boman.

Next Step

The next stage will probably mean the implementation of Business Objects’ graphical tool, Dashboard Manager, which gives the user graphical status reports in real time.

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