How can we as SMEs benefit from artificial intelligence (AI)? This question is of particular concern to us. There is no doubt in our minds that we can and must benefit from it in order to position ourselves for the future. I cannot tell you today exactly what the fields of application will look like. We are currently in the exploratory and test phase.
Nevertheless, I would like to give you a few “insights” into our AI approach – “handmade” and guaranteed to be written without Chat GPT. The “AI at Haeger & Schmidt Logistics” project is supported by the entire HSL management team. There was already a kick-off meeting this summer with our partner for the future, the company Neuland AI. This was the start of bringing together our competencies and needs as logistics specialists with the expertise of an AI specialist. The AI project is also part of our “forward strategy”. This includes growing with our own assets, as the recent investment in the Dutch inland shipping company Rijnmond Logistics shows once again, as also the active implementation of the digital transformation.
My participation in a panel discussion of DigitalX, Europe’s cross-industry digitalisation initiative, was also related to this. There, I was invited to speak on behalf of SMEs and the logistics industry together with Neuland AI. Such impulses are also important: because the digital transformation and AI offer immense potential for our industry. Particularly in view of the worsening shortage of skilled workers, we need all the resources we can get and relieve the workforce from routine tasks. It should not go unmentioned that HSL, like many other medium-sized companies, is making all the AI investments on its own. Here, too, an insight: we have no possibility of participating in the corresponding funding pots. The bureaucratic hurdles are simply too high. Here, a pragmatic approach from the politics would be desirable in the sense of the German economy, which is characterised by small and medium-sized enterprises.
We will develop various AI tools such as chatbots, data analytics and chat GPT, both for our internal and external activities, in the short term. These can be reply suggestions for emails, but also digital support for reporting, personnel planning and sales forecasts.
Digitizing logistics processes is a great way to make the workflow more efficient. Automated systems can reduce manual work on various tasks, such as tracking container numbers, freeing up time for customer-focused services and business strategy development.
I am convinced that digitalization will give people more time to interact with customers and employees.
Yours, Heiko Brückner
CEO Haeger & Schmidt Logistics