Analyzing the Role of ICT in Modern Courier Business Operations Report

This report delves into the transformative impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on the courier industry. It highlights how ICT integrates modern technologies to revolutionize traditional supply chain management, enhancing efficiency, automation, and customer satisfaction. The report emphasizes the importance of information as a key integration factor, with examples from companies like Pack & Send. It discusses how technologies improve shipment tracking, reduce labor costs, and facilitate better customer service through real-time communication and data management. The analysis covers various aspects, including database design for customer information and the overall modernization of courier operations, supported by references to relevant research and industry practices. The report concludes that ICT has significantly improved the efficiency and customer experience in the courier sector, leading to a more advanced approach to business execution.

Running head: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY IN BUSINESS
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY IN BUSINESS
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ICT IN BUSINESS OPERATIONS
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has an important role to play to give the
traditional supply chain management a complete makeover by integrating various modern
technologies that will make the process more automatic and efficient. In this age of technologies
driven by the digital innovations, there has been a complete revolution in various sector of
business only made possible by the technological advancement (Alavi & Yoo, 2015)
In recent years, organizations and firms dealing with courier business are recognizing the
importance of information technology in automation and more error free decision making
(Frenkel, 2014). The importance has only increased in these years that it had in the past.
In recent years, as the demand and competition has increased, the focus has been shifted to
create supply chain that is more efficient, fast and reliable so that more and more customer can
be served with lesser but effective resources. ICT, by making fine use of the technologies are
making these strategies possible to implement (Taylor , 2015).
In the modern supply chain management , information is regarded as the key integration
factor .information is so highly regarded as the key to the integration process that it get much
more importance even more than the direct ownership. Manufacturers are constantly demanding
the courier partners to conduct the supply operation electronically as it gives speed and accuracy
in the delivery process (Monczka , 2015).
Pack & Send, one of the top courier companies in Melbourne, Australia, has implemented the
information technology for their courier operations (Packsend.com.au, 2018). The use of
technology has helped a lot in managing various aspects of courier services like shipment,
tracking and product delivery.

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ICT IN BUSINESS OPERATIONS
Due to the technology, customer can have more precise idea about the delivery time and they
need not to wait for the delivery without any idea about the delivery time. This has improved the
customer experience a lot that plays an important role in any kind of business as far as the
reputation and business values are concerned. Due to the advance technologies to deal with vast
amount of information, it is possible to track the delivery status (Taylor , 2015). It not only helps
the company to keep track of the delivery process more accurately, it also helps the customer
doing the same as they can track their product anywhere anytime as mentioned by the author.
The technologies have also made it possible to reduce the labor as the process has become much
more automated. The switch from manual to automation technique has made it possible to
manage vast amount of workload with lesser resources. This has improved the performance as
well as made it cost effective. Customers can now chat with the operational executives about
their quires regarding price, quality of services and get it resolved much more quickly (Wu,
Straub & Liang , 2015). Use of advance technology for the database design that stores the
customer information regarding their address, phone no and delivery details helps to smooth the
process once a registered customer opt for the service next time. This makes the process of
delivery less hassle free and fast.
Based on the above discussion, it is justified to say that Information and Communications
Technology has revolutionized the field of courier services by giving it more modern and
advanced approach for business execution.

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ICT IN BUSINESS OPERATIONS
References:
Alavi, M., & Yoo, Y. (2015). Use Information Technology for Organizational
Change. Handbook of Principles of Organizational Behavior, 595-614.
Frenkel, K. A. (2014). Automation of Business Processes Drives Benefits. CIO Insight,
ISSN, 15350096, 1.
Monczka, R. M., Handfield, R. B., Giunipero, L. C., & Patterson, J. L. (2015). Purchasing and
supply chain management. Cengage Learning.
Packsend.com.au. (2018). PACK & SEND - Courier & Freight Deliveries in Australia &
Internationally. [online] Available at: https://www.packsend.com.au/ [Accessed 14 Mar.
2018].
Taylor, P. (2015). The importance of information and communication technologies (ICTs): An
integration of the extant literature on ICT adoption in small and medium enterprises.
Wu, S. P. J., Straub, D. W., & Liang, T. P. (2015). How information technology governance
mechanisms and strategic alignment influence organizational performance: Insights from
a matched survey of business and IT managers. Mis Quarterly, 39(2), 497-518.