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Intelligent SME . tech spoke to two Unisys experts to find out more about their new PLT technology and what it means for the future of SMEs and the aviation industry .

OR SMES , DIGITAL

Transformation has opened doors to new markets across the globe . However , with increased pressures to provide positive customer experiences and enable operational efficiencies , SMEs need to utilise digital tools wherever they can , across a range of industries , including aviation .

Andrea Baur , Product Owner of the Shipment Handling , Customs and ULD Control modules of the Cargo Core solution at Unisys , and Rodney Melton , Senior Director of Industry and Client Management at Unisys , talk to Intelligent SME . tech about Unisys ’ cuttingedge Piece Level Tracking ( PLT ) software , how it will aid SMEs and change the aviation industry as we know it .

What drove the decision to develop this new PLT solution ?

RM : In my previous role at one of our airlines , the passenger side of the operation was using RFID on the baggage going into the belly of the aeroplane . They really pressured cargo , which I was under at that time , to catch up . Cargo has always been about 15 to 20 years behind the passenger side on technology and they really pressed us as a business unit to catch-up .

I reached out to Unisys about developing piece level tracking . No one in the industry was doing it but I knew we had an opportunity and Unisys had the skill set to do it . Unisys agreed ; jumped on this , worked on it and got it developed . PLT is phenomenal because I know down the road it is going to tremendously help a lot of airlines out .

Tell us more about how this technology addresses an important gap in the market ?

RM : Over the years , having been on the airline side , a lot of the forwarders and shippers in the industry have asked for this .

Large firms like eBay and Amazon will not ship on an airline unless they know full details of the shipment as it travels through the transportation cycle . This opens the door for Amazon to start sharing their shipments with our clients . They know that you can , step by step , scan each piece , notify the customer when it arrives , etc . and then to have it

THAT ’ S THE INNOVATION HERE – NOT THE PIECE- LEVEL TRACKING ITSELF BUT THE FACT THAT YOU CAN HIGHLY TAILOR WHAT IS TRACKED AND WHAT IS NOT TRACKED .