Monthly Member’s Meeting in April 2022: What You Need to Know
The highlights of our April Member's Meeting are included here. This monthly meeting is a chance to learn about Digital Freight Alliance's planned projects. We begin with a brief overview of last month's meeting and then examine many of the important debates that occurred.
This article will outline the agenda for future meetings and provide information on upcoming Digital Freight Alliance events that you may be interested in attending or participating in.
Today’s digital world demands we work in an entirely new way.
Vision & Strategy
The DFA is a network association designed to connect freight forwarders to each other and to cargo opportunities.
Uniquely among such associations, this design is part of a wider vision to facilitate digital transformation for members, by providing the best online digital tools and access to a dynamic cargo booking platform.
Digital Freight Alliance & SeaRates
We set up DFA in 2020 as a development from the SeaRates.com freight booking platform, which was designed to help smaller cargo owners looking for spot rates to make up that 10 - 15% of their overall freight spend that is not already committed on a contract logistics basis.
Why digital matters
Digitisation can help businesses grow. To deliver this growth, however, we must provide the opportunity for SME forwarders to digitise easily, to compete with large-scale players who are digitising at scale. SME forwarders who are able to “go global” are the key to prosperity, we believe.
Digitisation is time-consuming, costly, and requires a plan. SME forwarders frequently do not have the luxury of time and capital to develop own systems, so DFA has undertaken that task. The power grid has been provided; all that is required is for DFA members to have a strategy to plug in and integrate their systems.
How to plug in
- Integrate your website with the Logistics Explorer product. This product is a rate management system that allows customers visiting the website to quickly obtain rates. There is zero cost to do this when joining on a standard membership no-charge package.
- Take a further step and on a premium package use that same Logistics Explorer software to utilise a widget which permits you to either advertise your rates and services to up to 20,000 cargo enquiries a day on SeaRates.com and/or advertise your rates among a select group of premium members whom you nominate as partners.
- These first two stages are about deciding the size of the funnel, the size of the shop window, to attract business. The choice of scope is always with the member. In all cases, a premium membership will come with an account manager who actively pushes cargo leads in your direction.
- Next, if you are interested in an ERP system that executes the entire supply chain from quotation to final invoicing, try the one year free trial for CARGOES Runner.
How to leverage DFA
As a member of DFA, you have the right to use the DFA identity to add value to your company’s image.
Once your Know Your Customer (KYC) form is approved and you have received your directory access (login and password) together with your member ID, you can sign into the directory with your credentials where you will be able to download your certified DFA membership with your ID:
You can download your member's certificate, which you can present as accreditation in the lobby or reception of your organisation or you can post it online on your website.
You can also order the original certificate by contacting the DFA support team at support@df-alliance.com
Why join the Digital Freight Alliance?
DP World’s Digital Freight Alliance was founded in 2020. The Digital Freight Alliance is a digital network designed to meet the needs of the freight business.
DFA web-based tools can help digitize your business!
Associate your business with a leading enabler of trade
Web-Based Tools - Digital & Services Ecosystem
Digitize your business with our web-based tools, DP World Services & Products. Our suite of web-based tools will help you:
- Improve efficiency
- Have more transparency
- Reduce your costs
- Increase customer satisfaction
Incremental Business Opportunities
The Digital Freight Alliance is a digital network that connects freight carriers with shippers, so they can increase their business via digitization. Grow your business with DFA:
- Get access to the DFA network for business opportunities.
- Get access to the booking platform - SeaRates
Knowledge sharing from DP World & Partners
There are many ways to share knowledge, and DP World & Partners has each one covered.
The company’s monthly virtual gatherings enable our alliance members to share insights on their business and discover new ideas. The physical gatherings give members the opportunity to interact with other professionals in their field. And information and opinion sharing on blogs is a regular occurrence.
Membership Tiers
Digital Freight Alliance is the first global supply chain association created by DP World, a leading enabler of logistics and trade. With both a free and premium membership, it's the start of your journey. Choose one and enjoy all the benefits of the Digital Freight Alliance.
If you are a member of the DFA and missed this meeting, please contact your account manager to get a copy of the presentation. If you would like to join us, please contact us so that you don’t lose out on any opportunities for your freight forwarding business.
