ISS Relocations in Dubai is over 20 years old and a member of many trade associations including: FIDI, PAIMA, Euromovers and BAR. It is an IAMX Validated company.

Reedge already has sophisticated IT tools to help movers run their businesses efficiently. Many companies already use Reedge to help them with their sales, move management, warehouse management and all aspects of the moving process.  It’s a modular system, allowing companies to adopt new technology in the areas of their business that are most critical, or in need of upgrading, and at a pace that will not break their budgets or their spirits.    

Kenneth Philips from Reedge said that the products are market leading and are under continual development.   “Our systems are super user friendly, have good reports and allow us to connect with other software suppliers’ products such as Microsoft or survey software, for example,” he explained.  “We offer a personal approach.  We’re not just giving people software and letting them get on with it.  We’re helping them set up their own environment.  We can also help with remote or on-site support.  We help them make the transition.”

And it’s a transition that, sooner or later, all successful companies will have to make. “It’s a difficult for companies, but you have to remind yourself that if you do nothing, and the market changes, you’re left with nothing.”

“But we are still facing challenges connecting with some other software products,” Kenneth added. “There’s not yet a seamless integration with them.  That’s why we come to conferences: to listen to the movers to find out what they need in their systems.”

Global integration
The challenge now is global integration.  To have a universal system that gives customers instant access to the industry, through mobile devices, and links the whole process together - origin agent, shipping line, customs, insurance, destination agent – into one seamless service.  It’s a concept that the industry has been working on for some time and the new ISO standard for digital inventories, developed by IAM (International Association of Movers) is an important milestone along the way. “To integrate the market, companies will have to share some data and, for some, that’s really difficult,” said Kenneth. “But the goal is for Reedge to be able to connect all those chains together .”

How far way are we from having such an integrated, universal system? Kenneth laughs.  “That’s a good question.  Rome wasn’t built in a day.  We have to take small steps. The first thing is to get the customer on the same journey so they can book the moves themselves. Customers want to use mobile technology to book and keep track of their move, so the moving industry should recognise that integrating with mobile platforms will be essential.  Next will be to provide software to movers that don’t have their own so that services can be shared.”

Once the unifying technology is available, one further development might be the growth of shared marketplaces: online platforms through which customers can book a range of moving-related services from a single source. Quality will be maintained through association with associations such as FIDI and IAM and through online reviews.  “We have to accept that we are all in this together,” said Kenneth.

How quickly the industry can get to this point will, according to Kenneth depend on how quickly the industry wants to move and how fast someone from outside will force it to move. He believes the industry should take the initiative and develop the systems before a disruptor comes along and does it. The fall in the average size of shipments and the resulting increase in interest in groupage services probably increases the opportunities for IT-driven systems to take a lead.

Could it be Reedge that does it?  “Absolutely,” said Kenneth.  “We need moving companies that embrace the new technology, getting a cutting edge and the rest will follow.  The systems are already in evolution.” He doesn’t believe that change will come as a revolution, just a steady development towards a critical mass, then an acceleration of adoption as the technology is accepted by the industry and demanded by the customers.  “The customer-facing side is already here.  It’s the moving business that will need to make the shift to the new software tools. Letting customers ‘swipe their moves.

Artificial Intelligence
But there is a new kid on the block: Artificial Intelligence.  Kenneth said that Reedge already has the data for origin and destination rates, but incorporating fluctuating shipping rates and surcharges is more difficult.  But that’s where AI has a role to play.  “AI will allow us to build in that flexibility because it can search the data and use it in real time,” said Kenneth. “We are working on this now and expect to have it incorporated in our systems by the end of this year. The technology is developing faster than the moving companies are willing to implement it.”

It’s an exciting time in the moving industry. Changing customer behaviour is reducing shipment sizes; increasing confidence with IT is giving them more freedom to make choices; the desire to reduce costs is making corporations re-assess their assignee programmes; and sustainability is in the front of everyone’s minds. This industry will have to become increasingly technology driven.  Those who adopt too late will be left behind. The future is not so far away.

Photo:  Kenneth Philips