Information Builders Case Studies Ozburn-Hessey Logistics Puts a New Spin on Supply-Chain Visibility

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	Ozburn-Hessey Logistics Puts a New Spin on Supply-Chain Visibility Information Builders

Ozburn-Hessey Logistics Puts a New Spin on Supply-Chain Visibility

Information Builders

Technology Category	Analytics & Modeling - Real Time Analytics Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration
Applicable Industries	Retail
Applicable Functions	Logistics & Transportation Sales & Marketing
Use Cases	Inventory Management Predictive Quality Analytics Supply Chain Visibility
Services	Software Design & Engineering Services System Integration
Challenge	Ozburn-Hessey Logistics (OHL) was facing a challenge in providing its customers with timely and accurate reporting about its performance across all its lines of business. The company had a different customer-facing web application for each of its four lines of business: freight forwarding, customs brokerage, warehousing/e-fulfillment, and transportation. Each application had a separate URL and required a unique log-in procedure. This made the reporting process time-consuming and cumbersome. OHL recognized that multiple websites and manual reporting did not represent a world-class experience. They wanted to provide customers with a user-friendly, one-stop portal that could deliver comprehensive performance information for all lines of business. Read More
About Customer	Ozburn-Hessey Logistics LLC (OHL) is one of the world’s largest third-party logistics companies. It provides integrated global supply-chain management solutions, including transportation, warehousing/e-fulfillment, customs brokerage, freight forwarding, and import/export consulting services. The company manages every stage of direct-to-consumer fulfillment for global companies – moving products from overseas manufacturers to U.S. ports, through U.S. customs, into domestic warehouses, and through e-fulfillment to customers. OHL operates more than 130 distribution centers, employs approximately 10,000 people, and has annual revenue of $1.2 billion. Read More
Solution	OHL used the WebFOCUS BI and analytics platform from Information Builders to build a state-of-the-art dashboard that provides information on more than 50 key performance indicators (KPIs). The user-friendly InfoApp™ allows customers to drag-and-drop KPIs into the dashboard to get information about every aspect of OHL’s performance. Reports are displayed using interactive graphs that track essential metrics such as on-hand inventory levels, open order summary, and orders to ship today. KPIs are updated hourly and users can click the graphics to drill into the granular details. The team also used WebFOCUS to create a KPI dashboard and embed it into OHL’s “Ovation” portal. They developed single sign-on capabilities to embed WebFOCUS seamlessly in the portal and used native customization capabilities in WebFOCUS to match all fonts, styles, colors, logos, and other aspects of the OHL brand. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Real Time Analytics

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration

Applicable Industries

Retail

Applicable Functions

Logistics & Transportation

Sales & Marketing

Use Cases

Inventory Management

Predictive Quality Analytics

Supply Chain Visibility

Services

Software Design & Engineering Services

System Integration

Challenge

Ozburn-Hessey Logistics (OHL) was facing a challenge in providing its customers with timely and accurate reporting about its performance across all its lines of business. The company had a different customer-facing web application for each of its four lines of business: freight forwarding, customs brokerage, warehousing/e-fulfillment, and transportation. Each application had a separate URL and required a unique log-in procedure. This made the reporting process time-consuming and cumbersome. OHL recognized that multiple websites and manual reporting did not represent a world-class experience. They wanted to provide customers with a user-friendly, one-stop portal that could deliver comprehensive performance information for all lines of business.

About Customer

Ozburn-Hessey Logistics LLC (OHL) is one of the world’s largest third-party logistics companies. It provides integrated global supply-chain management solutions, including transportation, warehousing/e-fulfillment, customs brokerage, freight forwarding, and import/export consulting services. The company manages every stage of direct-to-consumer fulfillment for global companies – moving products from overseas manufacturers to U.S. ports, through U.S. customs, into domestic warehouses, and through e-fulfillment to customers. OHL operates more than 130 distribution centers, employs approximately 10,000 people, and has annual revenue of $1.2 billion.

Solution

OHL used the WebFOCUS BI and analytics platform from Information Builders to build a state-of-the-art dashboard that provides information on more than 50 key performance indicators (KPIs). The user-friendly InfoApp™ allows customers to drag-and-drop KPIs into the dashboard to get information about every aspect of OHL’s performance. Reports are displayed using interactive graphs that track essential metrics such as on-hand inventory levels, open order summary, and orders to ship today. KPIs are updated hourly and users can click the graphics to drill into the granular details. The team also used WebFOCUS to create a KPI dashboard and embed it into OHL’s “Ovation” portal. They developed single sign-on capabilities to embed WebFOCUS seamlessly in the portal and used native customization capabilities in WebFOCUS to match all fonts, styles, colors, logos, and other aspects of the OHL brand.

Impact #1	WebFOCUS eliminates manual reporting processes to drive new sales, support new lines of business, solidify customer retention, cut costs, and improve internal performance monitoring.
Impact #2	Interest in the WebFOCUS system has helped OHL launch new lines of business. For example, some prospective customers have been so impressed with Ovation that they partner with OHL mainly for the reporting and analytic services that come with the portal.
Impact #3	Ovation has also proven useful for internal performance tracking. The WebFOCUS dashboard displays operational metrics at a glance, without requiring customers to access multiple systems.

Impact #1

WebFOCUS eliminates manual reporting processes to drive new sales, support new lines of business, solidify customer retention, cut costs, and improve internal performance monitoring.

Impact #2

Interest in the WebFOCUS system has helped OHL launch new lines of business. For example, some prospective customers have been so impressed with Ovation that they partner with OHL mainly for the reporting and analytic services that come with the portal.

Impact #3

Ovation has also proven useful for internal performance tracking. The WebFOCUS dashboard displays operational metrics at a glance, without requiring customers to access multiple systems.

Benefit #1	Eliminated thousands of hours per year spent on manual data-access and reporting procedures.

Benefit #1

Eliminated thousands of hours per year spent on manual data-access and reporting procedures.

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Overview

Ozburn-Hessey Logistics Puts a New Spin on Supply-Chain Visibility

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit