Digital Trendsetter In Logistics

Bernhard Simon, the CEO and the chairman of the Executive Board at Dachser, in an exclusive interview speaks about how the 87-year-old and fully familyowned logistics company is making every effort showcase itself as a technological trendsetter in the logistics industry; but never without being humane.

- Reji John

While unveiling the iPad 2 to the world in March 2011, late Steve Jobs said: “It is in Apple’s DNA that technology alone is not enough — it’s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields us the results that make our heart sing.” Perhaps, platitudes like these are so common in Silicon Valley and among business leaders who frequently launch products in front of mass audience with such lofty language.

But for Dachser, the 87-year-old and fully family-owned global logistics company, it is guided by the incomparable sense of “us” that has been working favourably for such a long time.

“With digitalisation we need to have even more human relations; in fact more valuable ones,” says Bernhard Simon, the Chief Executive Officer and the chairman of the Executive Board at Dachser. “There is too much hype in the development of digitalisation in logistics and there are people who say we don’t need humans any more. Everything can be done by robots or machines. But we always said human factor is what really distinguishes and it is that factor that finally makes the difference.”

Dachser is of the firm belief that technology and the digitalisation process will enhance work and supports work. Much more will be done with digitalisation. There could be more sensors introduced into the logistics network with better technology on board for cargo tracking and tracing. Human resources can be better utilised for more crucial and real functions. Humans will offer far better relations with customers who are always looking for a real person to talk to and not a robot.