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Wiremind Cargo takes you into the creation of its new CMS
[ July 6, 2022 // Gary G Burrows ]Human intelligence, research, business acumen, agility, and market knowledge are just a few of the ingredients required to come up with the perfect, AI-driven SaaS Cargo Management Solutions (CMS) suite.
“CargoStack is a Cargo Management Suite that is built around a core CMS. We believe that this CMS is the most innovative of the industry: if you look at the user experience and the way in which quotes, bookings, schedules, flights, allotments, etc., can be handled, as well as at our AI-powered forecast for revenue optimisation, then we really offer a range of solutions that makes it a very different CMS compared with legacy systems,” Guillaume de Montecler, Senior Product Manager at Wiremind Cargo, is convinced.
Before its first holistic product suite enabling seamless interaction between airlines, GHAs, GSAs, and forwarders, came into existence, Wiremind Cargo undertook thorough research into how existing systems functioned, what their drawbacks were, and what the industry required. In-depth interviews with stakeholders from all levels of the industry revealed several issues that airlines were experiencing. The three main ones were the difficulty in implementing and deploying reservation systems within existing systems, as these were often a complex collection of functionalities as opposed to work-flow oriented design, and required internal and external dedicated resources for maintenance. Revenue optimisation was also insufficiently covered by existing systems, with airlines often relying on inefficient, manual, excel-based processes. Finally, the unappealing design and user experience of existing legacy systems meant that many people were reluctant to use them.
Having established the status quo, Wiremind Cargo set out to develop a solution that would fulfil two main requirements: a modern, intuitive, inviting, and work-flow-based user experience on the front end, and a fast, flexible, and robust back end. Wiremind Cargo’s own development teams, based in France, set to work developing the software in agile, 4-week development cycles. They interacted with system users and industry experts at every stage, to get direct feedback which was then directly applied within the next cycle where the product was adjusted accordingly. The design and user experience of each page of the app was painstakingly examined by experts to ensure it was easy to use and fulfilled all the requirements. The ultimate challenge was in finding the balance between the notions of speed and innovation and the software’s robustness and user experience.
The eventual result, CargoStack, boasts four clear differences to conventional CMS systems. First and foremost, its user interface (UI). “The ‘look and feel’ of a system is no longer something which is ‘nice to have’,” Guillaume de Montecler maintains. “It has become a ‘must-have’ if you want to retain talent. CargoStack offers the best UI in the market.” Secondly, CargoStack offers a unique capacity management approach with the company’s flagship SkyPallet module embedded inside. Thirdly, the Data Science capabilities that are embedded in CargoStack modules directly help bring the airline’s revenues up. , With its proven AI expertise, Wiremind Cargo offers Dynamic Pricing and Overbooking forecast, and is working on its Revenue Management engine to be released soon. Fourthly, connectivity. “All our architecture is API-centric, which means every single data point belongs to a dedicated API. This enables fast and efficient interface connections to any system and was something we identified as a unique selling point from the beginning of the design process,” de Montecler explains.
“Modern SaaS development is a game changer when it comes to implementing new systems as it significantly simplifies the process for airlines. The amount of resources required to start a project, nowadays, is far less than what it used to be just ten years ago,” Nathanaël de Tarade, Chief Executive Officer of Wiremind Cargo, points out. “The same applies to enhancing the systems. We are no longer bound to static tools. Instead, we now work in 4-week development cycles, adapting the software after direct user interaction and expert feedback. Wiremind Cargo offers ‘perfection in evolution’ since we are continuously and dynamically adapting our products to changing industry requirements.”
Tags: Wiremind Cargo