TNT launches iConnections facility worldwide
TNT launches iConnections facility worldwide
JAKARTA (JP): Global delivery company TNT Express launched worldwide on Thursday its iConnections facility, allowing on-line businesses to offer customers or shoppers full access via their websites to a global door-to-door delivery network database.
Through the iConnections facility, on-line shoppers can check the cost of shipping their purchased goods via TNT or track the movement of orders around the clock.
"With iConnections our customers can now offer end-users the whole range of TNT services," said Colin Moran, director of PT Skypak International, which represents TNT in Indonesia.
"Time-consuming activities such as phone calls or shipment requests between the end-user, the vendor and TNT are eliminated. Our new iConnections software enables the vendor's IT system to communicate back and forth around the clock with the TNT globally integrated central computer system that has recently been upgraded to handle 1.3 billion instructions per second," he said.
In developing the iConnections facility, TNT is the first express delivery company to use the Extensible Markup Language (XML), a new Internet language that enables organizations to exchange information from one server to another over the Internet.
In addition, TNT also launched a wireless application protocol (WAP) tracking facility that enables TNT customers to track their consignments via their mobile phone or other wireless device.
TNT Express is a subsidiary of TNT Post Group N.V., a publicly listed company headquartered in Amsterdam employing more than 115,000 people and serving over 200 countries. The company had sales of 8.5 billion euros in 1999.
TNT started operation in Indonesia in 1979. Currently it has more than 400 employees and 21 branch offices.
Moran said TNT's local operation planned to open a new office branch on Batam island before the end of this year, and 12 new offices in various cities next year.
He added that the company was in the process of discussions with Indonesian airline companies to hire aircraft for transporting TNT packages overseas. He declined to name the airlines.
He said that another option was for TNT's own aircraft to resume flights to Indonesia.
The domestic business volume of TNT's Indonesian operation amounts to 3,000 shipments per month, while international shipments reach 12,000 per week.
The Indonesian operation is TNT's third highest revenue contributor in Asia after China and Hong Kong.
Colin said TNT's business volume in Indonesia was projected to grow by about 15 percent next year, but declined to disclose the company's estimated turnover for this year from its Indonesian operation. (rei)