Issue 2 2021

14 Acquisition International - Issue 2 2021 Nov20067 Leading Logistics Provider The importance of a smooth supply chain cannot be ignored in this day and age. A good supply chain doesn’t just revolve around moving products from one place to another, but building lasting relationships. This approach is why the team at Digistics has been named Most Outstanding Supply Chain Solutions Provider 2020 - South Africa in Acquisition International’s Global Excellence Awards. We took a closer look to discover more about how the firm achieved such an impressive accolade. or the last twenty-four years, the team at Digistics have been committed to putting together and executing a reliable supply chain on behalf of its clients. Moving products from A to B is only part of the team’s business strategy, with a focus on customer service that is second to none. When the Digistics team get involved, they go above and beyond to ensure that they achieve total success. The work that Digistics does is not completed in isolation. It is done in partnership with their customers, and their customer’s business. The success of the firm is measured in the success of this execution. The team approach their clients with a collaborative approach, knowing that both sides will find enormous benefit in simply working together. When Digistics works on a project, it is not simply about the procurement and movement of product, but the delivering of smart insights through collaboration. This holistic approach, based on data, enables the supply chain to straddle multiple stakeholders. Because of the team’s exceptional experience in the field, they have been able to act as the Lead Logistics Provider for numerous clients. Their capacity to cope with the difficulties inherent in traversing a customer’s unique environments and needs is why they are in such high demand. Once they are able to take account of the demand planning, the Digistics team are able to take a customer’s entire inventory, from protein to produce to packaged items, and deliver it to a distribution center where specialised orders can be constructed. These can be designed to recur on a regular basis, meeting client needs with ease. Of course, no supply chain is the same every time, and the team at Digistics provide customers with the ability to modify orders before the final delivery is made. This ensures that businesses can operate at maximum efficiency. To smooth the process, the team use the integrated Control Tower management of warehousing, transportation and delivery execution on behalf of customers. When combined with a customer portal that is designed to process orders easily and effectively, it’s a system that has proven time and time again to be incredibly effective in its operation. To keep things running smoothly, Digistics has expanded across the length and breadth of South Africa, with seven distribution centres in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban and Bloemfontein. These multi-temperature facilities are designed to be state-of-the-art, able to handle whatever is required. This includes being fully compliant with all food safety standards and regulations. The food safety management system run by the team at Digistics carries full FSSC accreditation, which is why so many people trust the team to handle their supply chain. F Despite the challenges inherent in the supply chain process, the team at Digistics have proven themselves to be worthy partners for clients. The team’s implementation of powerful technology has created the modern form of integrated logistics on which the best systems operate. Instead of focusing on one aspect of the supply chain, these systems allow the team to take a holistic approach, allowing costs to be reduced, reliability increased and better overall service. With this collaborative custom solution, bespoke fitted to suit the needs of the client, businesses have a partner who can react swiftly to the changing demands of the marketplace, giving them an overall advantage. The technology is not just limited to the systems that keep things moving. From voice operated warehouses to timely information from dispatch, sophisticated gadgets form the heart of what Digistics has to offer. Perhaps what is most important is that the firm don’t just use technology for technology’s sake. It’s a deliberate choice that is designed to help the customer as much as possible. Maintaining the balance between the warring demands of these systems is not always easy, but the team have managed to find new ways of cutting costs, saving time while ensuring that the team can continue to deliver a service that is truly exceptional. It’s easy to see why so many have turned to Digistics for support in maintaining a strong supply chain. The team have been proud to implement standardised processes throughout every level of the company. It ensures a strong continuity that treats every client with fairness and respect. Reliability is key to the team’s offering, because it ensures that their clients can focus on the needs of their own customers. Instead of worrying about what is on offer, the team ensures that they can deliver what is needed when it is needed. This means adapting quickly in a crisis, because failure is not an option for Digistics customers. If it means collecting an emergency order when a supplier cannot deliver or preparing something special for the customer within the hour, this is a team that always goes above and beyond to ensure that no one is left before. Adapting to the unexpected and the unknown is never easy, but it’s just another way in which the team excel. Ensuring that deliveries are available for final drop off is one challenge, but working around the needs of the customer is paramount when it comes to completing a delivery. The team know to schedule deliveries before and after peak times, sending some form of notification prior to arrival to prepare the customer’s staff for the arrival. These steps are small, but make an enormous difference to the speed with which an operation can be completed. It goes without saying that this is another