Episode 435: Velostics – Streamlining warehouse scheduling with AI
In the latest episode of The New Warehouse podcast, Kevin sits down with Gaurav Khandelwal, CEO and founder of Velostics, to shed light on the revolutionary strides his company is making in the industry. Velostics has been carving its niche by creating custom logistics software for heavyweight industries, ranging from oil and gas to e-commerce, delivering solutions that transcend the typical boundaries of operational efficiency.
Whether it’s the lines of trucks waiting outside plants, driver fatigue, detention frustrations, or rigorous compliance with ELD mandates, Velostics provides a novel approach to automate the traditionally manual scheduling processes, a solution poised to transform how plants and warehouses operate. But Velostics is more than just about automation; it’s a story of delayed disruption in the critical relationship between shippers and brokers and the intricate check-in and check-out operations.
Please tune in to uncover how Velostics drives the warehousing industry forward and the potential impacts of its AI-powered solutions on your operations.
Streamlining Warehouse Scheduling: Lessons from the Digital World
The traditional approach to warehouse scheduling, as Khandelwal analogizes, resembles “the old school Craigslist” – a one-size-fits-all solution buried within warehouse management systems (WMS), yard management systems (YMS), or transportation management systems (TMS) that treated scheduling as an afterthought. This has led to a cumbersome process, with “20 clicks to get an appointment or change an appointment,” hardly aligning with the agility needed in modern logistics.
Khandelwal’s company leaps forward, offering a “branded website” for shippers, where appointments for pickups and deliveries can be automated based on various factors, streamlining what was once a labyrinthine task. This digitization of scheduling extends beyond mere convenience. As Khandelwal underlines, it’s also about optimizing dock usage and labor management, reducing detention times, and, ultimately, cost savings. “It’s all set around optimization,” he stresses, ensuring that “the truck in and out as fast and as safely as possible” is the norm, not the exception.
Harnessing AI for Enhanced Warehouse Scheduling
Khandelwal captures the essence of this advancement, “Where our customers want it, we can integrate with their visibility provider… we can let the customer know… Do you want me to move this appointment automatically?”
Warehouses are no longer static spaces but intelligent hubs that react and adapt in real time. Khandelwal’s insight into the power of predictive analytics in anticipating delays is a testament to the evolving landscape, “We started to notice…certain lanes, certain brokers, certain type of shippers, those trucks are like, you know, 10 percent late, 20 percent late.” Such data-driven foresight enables warehouses to mitigate the domino effect of delayed shipments, which can ripple through the supply chain, causing significant operational disruption.
It’s this level of detail that AI captures and analyzes, providing recommendations to ensure warehouses stay a step ahead. For instance, he elucidates the benefits of this intelligent system, “…70 percent of the time, this truck’s not shown up when it said it would. Do you want to keep an opening for later in the day?” The potential of AI to actively suggest operational changes ensures warehouses aren’t just receivers of goods but proactive players in a larger, interconnected supply chain.
Key Takeaways
- Innovation Through Customization: Velostics is setting a new standard in logistics software by offering tailored solutions that cater to the unique demands of industries as varied as oil and gas to e-commerce. Their innovative approach redefines the efficiency of check-in and check-out operations in warehouses and plants.
- Digital Transformation of Scheduling: By creating an automated, customizable “branded website” for shippers, Velostics is revolutionizing the appointment setting process. This leap forward not only enhances dock utilization and labor management but also significantly cuts down on detention times, leading to substantial cost savings.
- Predictive Power of AI: Integrating AI with real-time data provides unprecedented predictive analytics, enabling warehouses to adjust to delays and maintain smooth operations proactively. This shift from reactive to proactive management positions warehouses as pivotal players in a responsive and integrated supply chain.
EP 435: Velostics – Streamlining Warehouse Scheduling with AI
