Follow us on Twitter!
Blog Header Logo
DG&A's Transportation Consulting Blog
Posted by on in Social Media
  • Font size: Larger Smaller
  • Hits: 24415
  • 1 Comment
  • Print

Social Media will Transform Transportation

This week I had the opportunity to participate in a Logistics Management webinar that featured Adrian Gonzalez, Director, Logistics Viewpoints, as one of the 4 speakers.  Adrian spoke on the topic of Social Media in Supply Chain and Logistics.  This is what he had to say.

Social Media are tools for communicating and collaborating.  Citing data from an October 2011 Adelante survey, Adrian commented that a large block of respondents (e.g. over 40%) agreed with the statement that Social Media will transform supply chains (for the better) in ways that we cannot envision today.  Young professionals, the key early adopter segment, are using them today primarily for Business to Consumer branding and marketing.  In his view, we are at an infection point where the emphasis will shift to Business to Business external and internal communication and collaboration, at all levels within organizations.

The world of smartphones, tablets and social media are coalescing and from this integration, new features and applications are taking shape.  E mail communication, at least for your professionals, is being superseded by texting and social media communication.  Adrian argued that “public” social media tools will become integrated with “enterprise” social media tools leading to faster connectivity and enhanced business integration.

Don’t be afraid of them and don’t ignore them since we will all be using them sooner rather than later.  He related the current infatuation with social media to our interest in the internet in the 90’s.  Smartphone usage, E mail communication and internet access have become second nature in the intervening years. He also suggested that we should look beyond Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.  He highlighted You Tube, Instagram, Pinterest and Foursquare as other media to investigate.  New social media tools are constantly emerging.

He cautioned against focusing on the buzzwords (e.g. LinkedIn).  Adrian suggested focusing on what needs to be done and then employing the social media tools that are the best fit for each organization.  Over the past few years, we are witnessing the rise in popularity of Skype for business, web meetings, blogging, RSS feeds and other mechanisms that foster teamwork and instant communication.  As was the case with the internet in the 90’s, it is helpful for less experienced users to seek out mentors from the younger professionals on the team.  They are often the most knowledgeable and sophisticated users. 

Some companies in our industry (e.g. BlueGraceLogistics) are taking a leadership role in this area.  Rather than restricting their employees from using the internet or social media during working hours, they are encouraging their personnel to use these tools to enhance their engagement with customers and suppliers. 

In addition to the personal side of Facebook, special interest groups (e.g. truck drivers) are forming to share information.  Similarly on LinkedIn, the service is being used for far more than recruiting.  Specific groups are being formed to discuss Best Practices in Freight Management and a host of other topics.  LinkedIn is also becoming a force in target marketing and advertising. 

Twitter gives users instant access to a broad array of ideas and opinions from thought leaders (and followers) throughout the transportation industry. It also provides those people who have something to say with a platform to build a following.   Twitter has immediacy and the ability to spark instant feedback on almost any topic or news story. 

There is no doubt that Social Media will have the same level of impact as has the internet over the past two decades.  For those individuals still sitting on the fence, it is certainly time to at least get engaged so as to understand how they can be used to provide a competitive advantage for your business.

Tagged in: Social Media
0

Comments

  • Guest
    Four Soft Thursday, 21 June 2012

    Four Soft

    Yes, Social Media plays an important role in promoting business these days. As we see there’s a lot of increase in the usage of social network these days. Transportation business updates reach customers and users very quickly.

Leave your comment

Guest Friday, 29 March 2024

Most Recent Posts

Search


Tag Cloud

Truckload CSA scores Outsourcing Sales Digital Freight Networks transportation news Business Strategy IANA USA Truck 2014 freight forecast General Motors Load Boards Leafs FCPC freight marketplace Hudsons Bay Company Management US Housing Market shipper-carrier roundtable Facebook Donald Trump customer engagement FCA Justice Loblaw intermodal marketing pipelines 3PL freight transportation conference Whole Foods Twitter broker bonds capacity shortage JB Hunt routing guide Doug Nix Politics Tracy Matura CN Rail fuel surcharge broker security New York Times capacity shortages Ferromex MPG TMS Hockey truck driver China Dan Goodwill e-commerce Transloading freight transportation BlueGrace Logistics Warehousing USMCA Comey YRCW Sales Management Colilers International automation transportation audit Online grocery shopping Freight Shuttle System Adrian Gonzalez dynamic pricing driverless freight rate increases hiring process KCS Wal-Mart digital freight matching cars freight bid financial management 2014 economic forecast CITA Shipper Pulse Survey Stephen Harper Trade Vision Canada-U.S. trade agreement YRC Global experience David Tuttle Swift tanker cars Canada's global strategy RFP Freight freight agreements CRM small business driver pay Consulting coaching Canadian Protests Career Advice Schneider Logistics Yield Improvement Freight contracts Rail Microsoft Business skills Retail Freight Matching Canadian truckers 2015 Economic Forecast LinkedIn President Obama Transportation service Covid-19 BNSF computer security US Election TMP Worldwide NCC Scott Monty Spanx robotics FMCSA peak season Load broker Driving for Profit Transcom Fleet Leasing Associates EBOR economic forecasts for 2012 Transport Capital Partners (TCP) freight broker Digitization freight cost savings Inbound Transportation shipping wine Job satisfaction bulk shipping LTL LCV's Conway ProMiles Crisis management Rate per Mile Railway Association of Canada Blogging Canada home delivery Packaging CP Rail Right Shoring University of Tennessee driver shortages Infrastructure trade Harper Davos speech Accessorial Charges Impeachment Rotman School of Business Sales Strategy Broker Masters in Logistics Anti-Vax employee termination NMFC Uber Freight Canadian economy CN Sales drones Climate Change dark stores Transplace US Manufacturing freight payment Deferred Packaging Training network optimization Dedicated Contract Carriage shipper-carrier contracts autonomous vehicles Blockchain APL US Auto Sales Crude Oil by Rail buying trucking companies home delibery Transportation Value Proposition $75000 bond asset management Electric Vehicles Driver Shortage risk management selling trucking companies Montreal Canadiens Doug Davis computer protection Training New Hires business start-up truck drivers Distribution Trump computer carrier conference professional drivers small parcel Education freight forwarders Business Transformation Strategy future of freight industry MBA Success Retail transportation Regina 2014 freight volumes dimensional pricing 2013 Economic Forecast Business Development Freight Recession technology Freight Management Social Media in Transportation 2012 Transportation Business Strategies. Jugaad laptop cheap oil US Economy economy Grocery business security freight transportation in 2011 FMS Cleveland Cavaliers derailments Success failure entrepreneur Coronavirus CSA Dedicated Trucking Government shipping Derek Singleton Canadian Transportation & Logistics online shopping supply chain management Canadian freight market 3PLTL freight payment freight audit freight RFP Map-21 Life Lessons NAFTA Freight Rates recession freight audit Social Media ShipMax Freight Carriers Association of Canada Canada U.S. trade Carriers UP Omni Channel Tariffs FuelQuest last mile delivery Amazon Trucker Protest Entrepreneur Fire Phone CSX Search engine optimization shipper-carrier collaboration Global Transportation Hub Toronto natural disasters trucking company acquisitions Trucking energy efficiency Muhammad Ali Sales Training Leadership rail safety truck capacity Werner autos Emergent Strategy Finance and Transportation solutions provider Horizontal Supply Chain Collaboration consumer centric Reshoring Failure Bobby Harris the future of transportation Transportation Buying Trends Survey Software Advice Geopolitics Keystone Pipeline driver Otto ELD Shipper Toronto Maple Leafs NS Celadon Habs cyber security transportation newspaper Surety bond economic outlook freight costs Freight Capacity mentoring TransForce 360ideaspace

Blog Archives

March
February
December
October
September
August
June
May
April
March
January