When people think of Bos Logistics, the first things that probably come to mind are trucks, warehouses, planners, and drivers. But behind those visible logistics operations, a second development has gained momentum in recent years. Data, systems, and smart digital processes are playing an increasingly important role in how we work, make decisions, and drive improvement.

Based on the newly formulated Bos Logistics strategy, there was a need for a team that would combine knowledge of processes and technologies to identify and implement improvement initiatives.

What began as a consolidation of existing knowledge has since evolved into a multidisciplinary team that operates at the heart of the organization and assists employees with various analyses, reports, and the implementation of process improvements. All these projects are centrally coordinated and equipped with clear objectives, a schedule, and the necessary resources.

The knowledge was already there

When forming the team, we looked to the knowledge and expertise of existing employees in the areas of processes, data, and systems. One employee knew the Warehouse Management System inside and out; another knew exactly how the Transport Management System and its related systems functioned. Yet another was an expert in financial and operational analysis.

Michael van Leeuwen brought these various disciplines together in the BIC, the Business Intelligence Center. “It was great that we already had a lot of in-house expertise, so we could get started quickly and hire specifically to fill in where certain areas of expertise were lacking.”

It was precisely this combination of system knowledge, process knowledge, data, and business analysis that proved valuable. To successfully apply technology in logistics, you first need to understand what’s actually happening in a warehouse, in planning, in Customer Service, and en route.

From Looking Back to Daily Management

One of the first key developments was consolidating information from various systems. Financial data, operational data, and information from sources such as WMS, TMS, on-board computers, and time logs were combined into Business Intelligence solutions.

This led to an ever-increasing understanding of what was happening within the organization—not only for management but especially for employees involved in day-to-day operations. Up-to-date information on performance, availability, and shipment status, for example, is available across various departments. Data is thus used not only for retrospective reporting but increasingly to make better decisions throughout the day.

At the organizational level, too, this information helps to make adjustments more quickly. How did we perform last week? How does that compare to the same period last year? Where are deviations occurring, and where do we need to make adjustments? By linking financial and operational data and integrating it with forecasts and budgets, we gain an increasingly up-to-date picture of the organization’s status.

As data became more readily available, the need for reliable and up-to-date information also grew. And with that, the team grew as well.

Step-by-step development of new expertise

Cybersecurity, for example, took on an increasingly prominent role. In addition to bringing in outside expertise, Bos Logistics also wanted to develop more internal knowledge and control over digital security. This included employee awareness and training, phishing tests, multi-factor authentication, access rights, and security protocols.

At the same time, there was a growing need for more capacity to conduct analyses and implement improvement projects. As a result, the team was expanded to include an additional project manager, and for some time now, the team has also had a full-stack developer on staff, enabling certain applications to be developed internally more quickly.

A concrete example is a ticketing system for Customer Service at Schiphol. Relevant information from various systems is consolidated in real time, enabling an employee to respond immediately to an incoming inquiry. Other examples include the Bos BI control tower, which provides employees with up-to-date shipment statuses, performance metrics, and developments. Customer portals are now also active for clients.

As a result, the team grew to about eight employees within a few years, supplemented by external specialists. This growth did not follow a predefined plan for a large IT department, but was driven by specific needs as they arose.

Forty improvement projects, one shared direction

To date, the BIC has defined approximately forty improvement projects. These range from improvements in hardware, software, and cybersecurity to reporting, automation, and process improvement.

Many improvements take place within operations and are implemented by employees from various departments. The BIC helps initiate projects, bring together expertise, monitor priorities, and prevent overlap between initiatives.

As a result, the team has increasingly taken on a connecting role. A good idea on the shop floor can develop into a digital improvement project, while insights from data can prompt a redesign of an operational process.

First time right

One of the most important principles on the improvement agenda is “first time right”: the more accurate and complete the input, the less corrective work is needed later in the process.

After all, an error made when entering an order can resurface multiple times further down the line. Operations must correct the information, Customer Service may receive inquiries about it, and ultimately, Finance is also affected.

Automation and on-screen reporting are already widely used to quickly identify unusual or anomalous input. In addition, Michael sees significant potential for automation in preventing duplicate work and avoidable corrections. This gives employees more time for tasks where their knowledge, experience, and customer contact truly make a difference.

Why We Don’t Want to Build Everything Ourselves

Meanwhile, technical capabilities are advancing at breakneck speed. Modern programming techniques and artificial intelligence make it possible to develop applications in a much shorter time than just a few years ago. As a result, BIC itself has also begun to develop more and more in-house. Not everything that is technically possible needs to be built internally. “While we are originally a transportation company and not a software house, we do want to be at the forefront of using and applying the latest technologies,” says Michael.

For applications closely tied to our own processes, in-house development can actually offer many advantages, because the practical logistics knowledge is already within the organization and we can adapt quickly. Business-critical systems that must be available 24 hours a day have different requirements, including professional support and sufficient technical capacity.

Technology must adapt to the operation

That pragmatic approach fits well with the logistics sector in which Bos Logistics operates. Especially in air freight, circumstances can change rapidly. Customers want to be able to make last-minute adjustments and expect their logistics partner to adapt accordingly.

A system may be technically flawless, but if it doesn’t allow enough flexibility for the dynamics of daily operations, it will ultimately work against you. It is precisely the combination of system knowledge and logistics experience that helps bridge those worlds.

For Michael, that is also the essence of development: automating where it makes sense to do so, letting technology support employees in their work, and creating space for situations where experience, personal contact, and quick action remain essential.

The Larger Team

Perhaps the most important development, therefore, is not technical. Data, IT, and digitization are becoming less and less isolated topics and increasingly an integral part of how Bos Logistics operates as an organization.

Michael also explicitly refers to the “larger team”: all colleagues within Bos Logistics who will ultimately be working with new processes and solutions. A dashboard only has value if the information is used, and automation only works if it aligns with daily practice and the data is in order.

It is precisely this collaboration between specialists and operations that is essential for the next phase. Among other things, Bos Logistics is continuing to work on the “first time right” approach, automating route planning, paperless logistics, further system integration, and new applications of AI.

The ambition here is to connect logistics knowledge, people, data, and technology in increasingly smarter ways. This will enable our employees to do their jobs better, further improve operations, and ultimately allow our customers to benefit from logistics that are becoming smarter, more reliable, and more efficient.