Have you ever ordered something from a website such as amazon? Most everybody has and has received that package via UPS. So you know the problem of being given a four hour window as to when that package would arrive at your home, with no update as to how close they are or if they are going to be later than that set period. This paper will address this problem and its association to the ERP used by the United Parcel Service (UPS).
Background
This paper will attempt to answer following four critical questions:
• Identify a company or industry of interest to you
• Answer the question, “What/How are some of the ways this company is using information systems?”
• What are the problems or deficiencies in the system?
• What would be your recommendations to improve it?
Identify a Company or Industry of Interest
The company chosen for this project is the United Parcel Service (UPS). UPS was started in 1907 by Jim Casey, under the name American Messenger Company (AMC), in Seattle, Washington. In 1913, they changed their name to Merchants Parcel Delivery (MPD) when they acquired their first Model T Ford. After making their first expansion to Oakland, California, in 1919, they once again changed their name to what it is today: United Parcel Service. In 1981, UPS bought its first aircraft and in 1982, UPS obtained a portion of the Louisville Airport for use and began operations from the Louisville International Airport’s air hub ("UPS: About UPS", 2014).
The decision to open in Louisville was no mistake: the city of Louisville, Kentucky, serves as a major transportation hub for supplies and center for logistical support throughout the United States. Possessing an international airport with customs access allows UPS to be centrally located in t...
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...deliveryman.
What would be your recommendations to improve it
A system that sends real time updates to customers to let them know a closer range of time as to when your package will make it to you, would make it so more customers would be home to sign for their package. This would not only save time on the person receiving the package but would also save time, money and gas for the drivers as there will not be as many redelivery tries for the following day.
Works Cited
Expedited Freight, UPS Worldwide Express Freight: UPS. (2014). Retrieved February 25, 2014, from http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/bussol/browse/worldwide_express_freight.html
UPS: About UPS. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/about/
UPS: Logistical Management of Distribution Networks. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://people.hofstra.edu/geotrans/eng/ch5en/appl5en/ch5a2en.html
As mentioned in the case, there is a significant market potential (almost 870000 pieces per day) for documents and small package mailing. An analysis shows that in FEC stations, the volume for Courier Pak is 30% more than Priority One. That means Courier Pak market has a growing potential. In addition, it is found that the variable cost of it is the lowest among all other overnight delivery services provided by Federal Express (Table. 2). That means Courier Pak may be a more profitable product.
Delta Airlines has been a vibrant company in the airline industry, with great success over the years. Delta airlines started as a crops dusting company to serving more than 572 destinations, in 65 countries on six continents (Allan, H., David. H. ,2012). Delta airline moved its headquarters from Monroe, Louisiana to the city of Atlanta, Georgia. The great management strategies have portrayed from time to time to be fruitful even in the verge of a recession. With these consistency in delivery of services, it is clear that the company is out to outdo its competitors and turn out to be the greatest airline in the world.
In early August of 1997 the United Parcel Service (UPS) had a predicament on its hands, a teamsters strike. UPS, the world’s largest package distribution company was coming off a year [1996] in which they reported sales of $22.4 billion. UPS Employed 75,000 management and non-union employees compared with 185,000 teamsters who are part of the AFL-CIO that were going on strike. The teamsters rejected a contract extension offer from the company leaving the fate of millions of packages carrying everything from lobsters to laser printers up in the air (Johnson).
UPS is the world's largest package delivery company and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The company was started in 1907 by James (Jim) Casey at the age of nineteen. Jim Casey borrowed $100 from a friend and started the American Messenger Company in Seattle, Washington. Despite stiff competition, the company did well because of Jim's strict policies: customer courtesy, reliability, round-the-clock service, and low rates. He used the slogan: "Best Service and Lowest Rates." (www.ups.com).
Federal Express Corp. started tracking packages electronically well before the commercial Internet emerged. Now, that infrastructure has been firmly plugged into the Internet, letting customers track shipments in real time and even pull reams of shipping data into their internal systems.
UPS is the largest parcel delivery service in the world. They also help their customers its customers with supply chain management, logistics, and financial services. UPS used to be a trucking company with technology, now it¡¦s a technology company with trucks. One of the UPS¡¦s key success factors is the way they manage their operations. Their carefully designed network of vehicles, sorting facilities, and hubs combined with their IT system, allows them to pick up 13 million packages each day from 2 million addresses for delivery to over 6 million commercial and residential addresses worldwide with highest levels of reliability, efficiency, and speed. Also the integration of its air and ground operations gave UPS the ability to optimize utilization of its assets while still meeting customer service requirements. Other key success factor is UPS¡¦s human resource management. UPS has lowest turnover rates in the industry and succeeds in developing a portion of its workforce for management positions each year. The company¡¦s unique culture emphasized accountability and efficient execution at every level of the organization.
Express mails are for individuals who need their item delivered overnight. It is guaranteed to arrive at the desired location on time and is less pricey through this mailing distributor. Priority mail is the method most people prefer. It will get a package or letter to its wanted whereabouts in three to four business days. Price wise this is less expensive in comparison to competitors offering the same service. In addition, they make a flat rate priority mailing option. Flat rate means, as long as, the contents fit into pre-sized boxes the cost is always one rate for that carton. If a person wishes to trace their parcel during transportation, they need one of two utilities. They are delivery and signature conformation. Both are used to track mail piece...
UPS and FedEx are the leading parcel carriers in the U.S. FedEx has significantly expanded their capability to compete with UPS’s dominant ground delivery service. UPS has continued its strong marketing efforts in overnight and deferred air services. Both of these carriers have introduced information systems, which include user-friendly Internet interfaces. The carriers have also expanded logistical services and improved integration with customer supply chains.
Besides to the dramatic change of internet to the consumer purchasing pattern and retailer selling pattern, the consumer today have become less tolerant of service failures and likely to expect better services that are more than the average. In addition to this, the consumer demands more for personalized service. It can be a difficult task for FedEx to satisfy all customer needs.
FedEx's modeling capability gave them a competitive advantage as they enforced new strategies and technology. They presently have a brilliant Hub with many regional hubs and packages area unit managed and tracked by a system referred to as COSMOS. this technique allowed customers to understand wherever their packages were in any respect times and was later integrated for internet use, permitting customers to trace packages over the web. Today, UPS conjointly permits clients to trace packages over the web and has improved customer service. I’d assume that they need developed a mainframe almost like that of FedEx to decrease FedEx's competitive advantage. The us mail, that has lower rates, has conjointly exaggerated their client service and quality. FedEx should notice new technological advancements to mention previous the competition within the package delivery trade.
Turning to the issues related to information handling, the definition of the information management should be mentioned. According to Hinton’s perspective (2006, p.57) the information management is “the conscious process of gathering information”. A brief overview of the presumable information sources in a high-technology company can help to outline the situation. T...
UPS was founded in 1907 as a messenger company in the United States and now
The United Parcel Service (UPS) is a US fortune 500 company founded in 1907, which is becoming one of today’s largest global largest provider of parcel delivery, with approximately 12 Million package a day and that of 80% of it prior to strike in United States.
FedEx is one of the world’s largest freight companies it is based in Memphis, Tennessee and employs more than 290,000 employees and contractors worldwide.
In August of 1971, Smith started his venture by buying controlling interest in Arkansas Aviation Sales. While operating his new firm, Smith recognized the tremendous difficulty in getting packages delivered within one- to- two days. This dilemma motivated him to do the necessary research for resolving the current inefficient distribution system. Thus, the idea for Federal Express was born: a company that revolutionized global business practices and now defines speed and reliability1.