"The human factor must not be missing"

What area do you work in?

I'm currently working in the Service Delivery Support department, the operational interface between the customer and the company. We ensure the operative processing of the transport order and are the direct contact to our customers, both for freight forwarding and rail logistics services. Within the department, I am in charge of the System Support division, where I am responsible for the "FleetIS" dispatching program, among other things. With this program not only the responsible employees at RCG but also the customers themselves can order their empty wagons. In addition to the dispositions, the system also offers a lot of other data about the individual wagons. It is possible, for example, to check their inspection deadlines, the wagon's route, so where and when the wagon has moved in the past, the respective persons authorized to dispose of the wagon and so on. It is a very complex software. But it makes the advantages of digitization in the field of freight transport very clear, as it provides a good overview of a large amount of data. Some even in real time.

What are the requirements of your customers?

We are busy creating new features every day. Because customers are looking for good digital solutions. They expect a functioning system that is constantly evolving. These are characterized by a user-friendly interface, but also a source of abundant information. The motto is to get as much information as possible with just a few clicks. We are currently working on partially automated scheduling in individual areas of freight transport - a very complex project that is putting me, as well as our programmers and logistics experts, to the test. But the efforts will be rewarded as the digital tools will make our work easier in the future. We are also working on integrating the data we receive from GPS boxes on individual freight wagons better into existing systems. This will enable us to locate the wagons even more precisely in the future. 

What are the advantages of this digital solution?

Semi-automated dispatching will help us to find the wagon that is best suited logistically for each customer's needs, for all wagon movements during the day. I am already looking forward to it, as it will help us and our customers to simplify work processes in the future. Nevertheless, the human factor must not be missing: All schedules are checked by the employees before they are completed to ensure that the algorithm has not made any errors.