Services

4PL.COM provides business solutions with a Total Logistics Solution package. Our service categories can be summarised as follows:

• Practical physical logistics management system implementation – Transport Contract Management, including Business Process Re-engineering
  
• Reliable Base Fleets, Contractor Management (Business development BEE)
  
• Logistics Outsourcing
  
• System Integration, Weighbridge and Fuel Management Systems.
  
• Transport Networking – (Electronically Managed) Help Desk Management
  
• Project Management
• Fleet Management Technology

Contracting Management/ Project Management
Contracting (Transport): 4PL.COM will enter into Logistics Management contracts by means of a Manage-By-Project approach thereby keeping standards high. This also ensures that the conformance levels of requirement are carried out in a professional, comprehensive and mandatory fashion.

This will encourage:

• Organisational flexibility to meet contract specifications.
  
• Decentralised management responsibilities
  
• A holistic view of control and problems combining project, general and technical management skills.
• Contractor control & satisfaction with goal-orientated solution processes.

In order to achieve this, 4PL.COM will draw up a project charter. We will ensure pliable Project/Site Management as well as a speedy resolution to adapt to specific requirements. All this will be overseen by our COO and Project Manager, utilising the 4PL.COM Operational System and Bureau Service, as well as their team.

Project Management: In our experience, sound project management is vital and determines the success of both long and short-term projects. Excellent communication is of the essence for effective decision making, delegation of tasks and liaison with our clients at all levels.

Furthermore, it is the project manager’s responsibility to ensure that the project team develops a sound understanding and appreciation for our client’s business. We believe in a participative management style, stressing communication within the project team, as well as between the project team and our client, between the project team and 4PL.COM’s management and between the client’s management.

4PL.COM does not enforce the use of any specific methodology but prefers to use the methodologies, tools and standards set by mutual agreement with our clients. Our policy ensures that all participating parties involved from a system analyst level upward are trained in the system development life cycle (SDLC), which is also one of the many services provided. The system development life cycle (SDLC) is one of 4PL.COM’s defined and documented standards and procedures, which comply with SHEMS.

The project manager is also responsible to a company director or senior manager for regularly reporting who will ultimately be responsible to the client and to the company’s Board for the success of each project.

It is also preferred (and recommended) that the project is steered by a project steering committee that includes the senior representatives from the client and 4PL.COM, which meets regularly (at least once per month) for a formal report-back by the project management.

Fleet Management System: The Contractor Base Fleet concept applications provide an excellent life cycle standard for vehicle fleets within the industrial benchmark standards.
It is imperative to us that we ensure that the optimum operating performance of each vehicle or equipment operator in the base fleet is maximised, that the invaluable life cycle of the fleet is maintained whilst improving our clients’ bottom line as it offers reliable fleets to the our clients.

No matter the size of the fleet or of the vehicles, we can provide our customers with top quality information and directional management. This will assist our clients in getting the best out of their transport whilst at the same time being the key to profitable performance for any business. 4PL.COM’s advance operational system engages the latest GPS, GPRS and GSM technology which:

• Has the ability to locate any vehicle or operator anywhere within GSM coverage.
• Has visual product tracking capability - “Virtual Stock Control”
• May be linked to sensors, e.g. power supply or even access, to record events internally and externally of the vehicle, such as weighbridge and fuel transactions.
• Has Cost effective duel band GSM cellular communication linked with command SMS capability and vocal communication
• Ensures 24/7 monitoring of product, vehicles and operators if required.
• Makes available user-friendly software for ease of use.

Our model is a 4PL Logistics Solution that offers enhanced control of the client’s product and fleet with the focus on minimising lead times, administration costs, and capital tied up in infrastructures and inventory.

• Forwarding and Clearing: 4PL.COM specializes in formalising International delivery instructions either through import or export key transactions. We invoice via commercial invoicing as well as when it comes to invoicing, accounting, taxation, and payment formalities.
  
  Our Operations Coordination team will handle Export Documents, licences, permits, export declarations, inspection certificates, Insurance documents and commercial invoices.
  4PL.COM works in conjunction with the Forward & Clearing Alliance Agency and the Shipping Agency Alliance.

• Shipping: 4PL.COM utilises both Liner shipping and Container shipping. These services are usually charged according to published tariffs. Liner services offered are either container, bulk or break-bulk. The products are delivered to the liner’s terminal booked by a reservation slo.
  
  4PL.COM use Incoterms 2000 that addresses the following per transaction:
  
  
  • Sales Contract and the complete sale of goods
  • The indication of each contracting party’s cost, risk, and obligations with regard to delivery of the product
  • It establishes the basic terms of transport and delivery in a short format: EXW, FOB, CIF, CPT etc.

4PL.COM Operations Coordination makes all of this an easy task in conjunction with the Shipping Agency Alliance.