Andrew Sobko is a seasoned business leader and entrepreneur with extensive experience in complex supply chains and building logistics technology solutions to solve them. The founder and CEO of BATCH Freight, he is intimately familiar with technology’s potential to change the world. a
With BATCH, Andrew is at the forefront of developing AI-based software solutions to enhance supply chain logistics operations for his company and customers. His entrepreneurial spirit is matched only by his passion for technology. These qualities have established him as a pioneer in innovation, sustainability, and integrity in his field.
Technology’s Role in Enhancing Connectivity
Nowhere is the breakneck pace of technology development more apparent than in the realm of communications. The timeline from the invention of the telephone to the widespread usage of smartphones and social media is actually quite short in the grand scheme of things.
The ability to communicate with people across the globe has been commonplace for many years now. For better or worse, we now live in an increasingly connected world where different cultures and people are practically neighbors in a virtual sphere.
At BATCH, their Advanced Trucking & Logistics Automation System (ATLAS) orchestrates and automates the tedious communication and manual processes required to execute modern supply chains. Built on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and quantum computing, ATLAS’ proprietary and integrated ecosystem increases operational efficiency, reduces human errors, saves time & money, and enables real-time communication and visibility of active shipments.
According to Sobko, “BATCH has invested $200M to develop ATLAS. Over the last five years, ATLAS automated communications and processing tasks for more than 750,000 drayage and truckload shipments.”
Technology’s Impact on the Workplace
The workplace is another area where technology has made its presence felt in a significant way. With automation and artificial intelligence now just as ubiquitous as the fax machines and answering machines from decades past, it’s hard to ignore the impact that technology has had on the way we perform work tasks and conduct business.
Although the increasing reliance on automation and artificial intelligence inspires heated discussions about job displacement and a shift toward a less human work experience, the benefits and opportunities that these technologies present should be acknowledged as well.
Operations teams at BATCH are able to maximize their ability to manage by exceptions with ATLAS’ foundation in AI. Sobko elaborates, “It helps our Operators concentrate and prioritize their focus on loads that need extra attention, drastically improving how well we move freight, and increasing overall customer satisfaction.”
Technology Complements Sustainability
Believe it or not, technology is actually used to support sustainability efforts in many ways. Significant strides have been made in solar power and wind energy, as well as energy storage.
Although still expensive, solar panels are more affordable than they’ve ever been and wind turbines now routinely power entire communities. These are only some of the ways by which technology supports sustainability while making people’s lives better.
With BATCH’s Carbon Tracking as a Service (CTaaS) technology, shippers have the tools and ability to manage their supply chain emissions more effectively, improving sustainability while reducing their impact on the environment.
“BATCH is helping our customers monitor and strategically reduce carbon emissions across their supply chains. It’s important. We have to help each other fight to make logistics more sustainable” says Andrew.
How Technology is Shaping Supply Chain Logistics
Key technologies like AI, machine learning, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are driving dramatic transformations across supply chain logistics, enabling shipment visibility, optimizing processes and planning, reducing costs, and significantly improving collaboration, efficiency, and customer service.
Such technologies are making it easier than ever to track shipments in real-time, instantly collaborate and communicate with others throughout the supply chain, achieve previously unheard-of transparency, solve problems, speed up processing times, and even achieve and exceed sustainability targets at levels never before possible.
At BATCH, over 80% of logistics processes required to move a drayage container or full truckload is automated by ATLAS. This not only drives up processing speed and reliability, but lowers shipping costs and maximizes trucker efficiency for every load.
Technology Now and in the Future
The unprecedented rate at which technology is advancing brings to mind legitimate concerns. Although issues such as job automation, privacy risks, and the widening digital divide should definitely be addressed, it’s equally important to acknowledge technology’s potential to drive positive change, including the areas of connectivity, across the workplace (through ATLAS A.I.), sustainability, and each aspect of the supply chain.
For supply champion leaders like Andrew Sobko and the team at BATCH Freight, the key is to use technology responsibly and creatively, with a healthy measure of conscientiousness and objectivity. Furthermore, it’s vital to maintain focus on the human behind the machine, which it should serve in the first place.
With this approach, technology can continue to be a positive force for shaping our world. Just as importantly, it will help us address urgent challenges and open opportunities for growth and progress.
