ASI Logistics
Company Name: ASI Logistics
Locations: China, Hong Kong, Cambodia, Vietnam
Industry: Logistics and freight forwarding
Company Size: 70+
Partner Name: DevReaction (https://www.devreaction.com/)
Apps Implemented: Freight, Project, Accounting, Sales, Invoicing, Knowledge, Social Marketing, Expenses, Attendances, CRM, Contacts, Website, Employees, Appraisals, Dashboard, Documents, Link Tracker, Email Marketing, Survey, Payroll, Time Off, Live Chat
Hosting Type: On-Premise
Established in 2008 in Shanghai, ASI Logistics offers a complete range of international, value-added logistics and freight forwarding services to businesses worldwide, accompanying them at every stage of their global journey from, to, or within Asia.
The Challenges
with Other Software
Legacy systems with limited external connections.
Maintenance risk
ASI Logistics was previously supported by legacy management software written in an unpopular programming language. It had put system maintenance at risk as fewer people were proficient in the language as the industry moved towards Python, Java, etc. What frustrated the team so much was its speed. The software ran "very slow," according to General Manager Igal.
Scattered information
The company intended to use Freight Management 3000 (FM3000), Cargosoft, or Cargowise to replace the outdated system that did not support API connections. However, the new systems still did not support other crucial parts of the business, such as website integration, social media, and human resources management.
The additional software further increased the difficulty for the distributed workforce in finding the information necessary for an industry that relies on precision and is time-sensitive.
"It was a nightmare for our IT department," complains Igal. "Our business is about connection, yet our systems supported none. They had to be individually installed on every laptop, and the IT team had to manage countless databases with information scattered across all of them."
Lacking regionalized support
Headquartered in Shanghai, ASI Logistics faced additional compliance issues as the legacy software did not generate or support Fapiaos as a legal invoice required as proof of purchase for goods and services in China.
As the company continued to grow over the years, it realized they were losing an increasing amount of customers and business opportunities due to the lack of regionalization. The company lost customers because of the systems' lack of connectability and compliance with local invoicing platforms and regulations. This prompted them to venture out to sea in search of a solution fit for their ongoing needs.
The All-in-One
Odoo Solution
"Odoo is intuitive, easy, and fast."
Sales
"I would recommend all freight forwarding companies to use as many apps as possible to gain the full benefit of Odoo. You won't need any other business management software or systems."
The logistics company bases its operations on Odoo Sales. After the customers have submitted a quotation request on the company website powered by the Odoo Website app, an SO (sales order) is automatically created for the sales team's approval.
Since Odoo CRM shares the same set of data with the Sales app and the rest of the system, the team can organize and manage leads within one window with easy access to all the history ASI had with the prospect in the past. The system's scheduling features enable the workforce to efficiently make external calls and automate emails to nurture leads.
Freight
The operations team then takes over the SOs on the Freight app once they've been confirmed.
Developed by our local partner DevReaction, Freight functions as a core app to support ASI Logistics' everyday operations. The app centralizes the SOs, quotations, and job orders into one place to support an automatic profit margin calculation.
More importantly, the Freight app is connected with the Chinese Golden Tax System, a nationwide value-added tax (VAT) administration and monitoring system. The company can generate and upload Fapiaos (e-invoices) from Odoo directly through this API connection. Upon successful submission, the Fapiao number will automatically reflect on Freight with the receipt attached to the job orders.
Finance
In terms of accounting, ASI Logistics has transitioned to a completely paperless system for improved efficiency by utilizing Odoo's cloud-based accounting solution.
Previously, the company processed all financial documents and reports on paper. A lot of time and resources was wasted on printing, cataloging, and getting approvals from the managers.
"Everything is now processed on Odoo."
Now, Odoo consolidates bookkeeping within one place for all eight entities. Besides the smart bank reconciliations, the app also automates the approval process by sending auto-reminders to the reviewers' email, helping the team to save time and resources.
Marketing
On top of that, ASI Logistics' marketing team finds the Odoo Social Marketing app tremendously helpful in unifying the management of different social media platforms into the social stream feed.
"It is so easy to use I might create a YouTube channel as well," says Igal. "I am not a social media expert, but I was able to jump in and maintain the running of our social media channels when our marketing executive resigned before a replacement could be hired, as everything is presented clearly on Odoo."
Human Resources
At the office, the staff use the Attendance app daily to punch in and out. With a full suite of Odoo's Human Resources apps installed, the logistics company digitalize 90% of its HR processes—job posting, recruitment, payroll, and appraisal, to name a few. These HR functions were not previously available to the company, marking a substantial improvement in their operational efficiency.
Operations
The company utilizes the Odoo Knowledge app to keep records of the company and HR policies. Sales and operations teams can access updates made to their SOP (standard operating procedure) to optimize business flow from start to delivery.
Communication
Last but not least, ASI Logistics appreciates the simplicity and efficiency of the "Log Note" feature within every app.
Before using Odoo, the team would have to communicate the problems encountered by either email or text. The managing director realized much time was spent clarifying the situation and creating "an engaging title, hoping people will click into the email."
Now, on Odoo, the team leaves a comment and tags the person responsible directly; for example, the sales team can start the conversation with the finance team on the exact invoice where the problem occurs. This practice allows for precision in communication, which saves the team 30% of project time.
A Close-Knitted Community
"Odoo is becoming one of the advantages for us in connecting with new customers that are also using Odoo. We can imagine the efficiency internally and externally, thanks to the interconnectivity of Odoo."
As a business focused on strong connections, ASI Logistics appreciates not only the efficiency Odoo delivers but also being part of the close-knit network of industry leaders in China who use Odoo. Through regular Odoo-hosted events, the logistics company has frequent opportunities to network and engage with business pioneers in the country.
Start using Odoo for free today to scale your business.
ASI Logistics
