DHL Logistics wanted to design, develop and roll-out a strategic IS application product capable of replacing various legacy and fragmented applications that supported their existing small parts express (3PL) logistics business.

This application would cover all transaction processes between DHL and their major small parts logistics customers as well as providing a foundation to easily onboard new customer contract accounts.

DHL Express Logistics, a part of Deutsche Post World Net required external services of a experienced IS Solution/Programme Manager for Programme SELIS. This was a Global-wide programme, with a budget of €14M.

SELIS (Small parts Express Logistics Information System) was a development project with its primary goal to create a logistics solution and a web-based information system to manage the express delivery and advanced swap of small parts, particularly for companies in the telecommunications sector.

Initial target customers were global telecommunication players who needed to be able to offer and provide world-wide maintenance and repair of phone handsets (like Motorola, Nokia, and Ericsson). However, the solution was intended to cover other industry and sectors products requiring similar guarantee of service engineer support.

He was responsible for the successful management of the IS solution programme for a new B2B web-based application architecture. This involved overseeing solution releases across business, development, and customer IS, infrastructure, integration, and solution management work groups.

The entire development programme lifecycle was managed, from initial design through to final delivery, utilising Sterling Commerce/Yantra’s OMS/WMS web-based supply chain execution application, along with customisation and configuration developed by DHL’s offshore partner Infosys.

The Solution Management scope is summarised as follows:

• Purpose: To streamline the logistics for high-value, time-sensitive small parts, enabling services like:
  • Advance Swap: Facilitating the rapid exchange of faulty handsets or components for replacements.
  • Repair and Return: Managing the flow of items needing repair back to service centres and their return.
  • Engineer Support: Providing a system for field engineers to manage the pickup and drop-off of necessary components at various locations.

Key Features of the strategic system were:

• Web-based and Internet-enabled: Allowing customers (initially like their existing customer – Motorola) and potentially DHL engineers to access and manage the logistics process online.

• Focused on Small Parts Express Logistics: Tailored specifically for the unique demands of transporting and managing small, often high-value, items quickly.

• Customer Onboarding: Designed to easily integrate new clients into this specialised logistics service.

• Order Processing: Managing the requests for advance swaps, repairs, or component pickups/drop-offs as “orders” within the system.

• Workflow Configuration: Utilising YANTRA’s tools to define and automate the various steps involved in the logistics process, such as dispatch, tracking, and returns.

• Inventory Management: Transactional features were needed to track the location and status of small parts and handsets.

Key service management and actions included:

• Programme Management: Successfully managed the entire IS solution programme for the strategic replacement of legacy logistics applications.

• B2B Web Application Architecture Implementation: Oversaw the implementation of a new B2B web-based application architecture.

• Cross-Functional Team Management: Effectively managed diverse work groups, including business, development, customer IS, infrastructure, integration, and solution management teams.

• Full Project Lifecycle Management: Managed all stages of the project lifecycle, from initial project design to final delivery and deployment.

• Sterling Commerce/Yantra Application Management: Managed the implementation, customisation, and configuration of OMS/WMS web-based supply chain execution application.

• Offshore Partner Management: Coordinated and managed the development activities undertaken by DHL’s offshore partner, Infosys.

• Solution Release Management: Managed the planning and execution of solution releases to the various stakeholder groups.

• New Customer Onboarding Support: Ensured the new application architecture could effectively support the onboarding of new customers.

His efforts resulted in:

• Successful Programme Delivery: The IS solution programme for the new B2B web-based application architecture was successfully managed.

• Strategic Legacy System Replacement: Various legacy applications supporting critical express logistics business processes were strategically replaced.

• Enhanced Customer Onboarding Capabilities: The new application architecture enabled efficient onboarding of new customers.

• Effective Cross-Functional Collaboration: Seamless collaboration was achieved across diverse business and technical teams.

• Leveraged Offshore Development and on-going support model set-up: The partnership with Infosys was effectively managed to deliver customisation and configuration requirements.

• Streamlined Logistics Processes: The implementation of Yantra’s OMS/WMS application likely contributed to more streamlined and efficient logistics business transaction processes.

• solution architecture
• programme management
• Business Operational Design

• Accelerated Solution Delivery
• Process Effectiveness & Automation

• Transport and Logistics
• Telecommunications