How Rail Operators Use Telegraph to Power Everyday Business Operations
When we talk about technology changing the landscape of anything, what are we really talking about? Well, when we think about the advent of the smartphone, for example, that technology boldly changed the lives of ordinary people all over the world – it gave us ease of connectivity, access to information, and, perhaps as an unfortunate side effect, the dissolution of needing to shake a Polaroid picture to capture a moment in time. Ultimately, the smartphone transformed everyday life for everyday people. As with the smartphone, other technology has the ability to make many aspects of both our personal and professional lives easier.
At Telegraph, we felt the call to create the most dynamic, user-friendly platform for rail operators. Our technology is meant to propel a centuries old industry forward, while simultaneously making it easier for every person working with railroads to succeed at their job, by creating a process to adeptly manage exceptions, streamline communications, and increase visibility across every railroad in North America.
People Leaders Pave the Way
We sat down with Lynda Patterson, SVP of Sales at Watco Logistics, to chat with her about our ongoing partnership. Lynda recognizes that people are really at the core of everything we are doing together – whether that is equipping an operator to simplify her workflow, or giving a shipper better visibility into his shipments. Additionally, she is quick to point out that there is no forward momentum in any space without technology, and rail is no exception. With the rapid development of technology in the past decade, most people generally have an innate expectation of its capabilities and how it impacts their lives. With the same ease they have in ordering a pizza from their smartphone, it is paramount that rail operators be able to readily and quickly access what they need in order to efficiently deliver results for their customers.
Lynda says it perfectly, “Technology is going to be a requirement [in rail]. [The] expectation is going to be a quicker product, an easier product, and technology is going to be the enabler of that. At the core, it is really about our people, it’s our team members out there every day grinding…and obviously using technology, like Telegraph, and what you guys have availed to us as a differentiator. It’s the Telegraph tool coupled with our team members, that I would say are best-in-industry rail leaders.”
Every Day in Logistics is Triage
One of those best-in-industry leaders at Watco is Sabin Reynolds who serves as the Director of Logistics on Lynda’s team. We dove in with Sabin to really understand how Telegraph is changing the day-to-day life of a rail operator. It is imperative that operators have an arsenal of different tools at their disposal, and the ability to quickly pivot and execute. Sabin shared that his mornings often begin in a way akin to doing triage. He prioritizes his critical items, and only after those, plus his list of “just do its”, are taken care of is he able to then focus on strategy and relationship building. Prior to using Telegraph, Sabin would log in to three, four, five, or more portals just to get visibility access. Sabin’s ultimate goal is to spend less time on managing exceptions, and more time strategizing, teaching, and helping customers grow their business.
Every Day with Telegraph is Game Changing
It is crucial for rail operators to have access to technology that is easy to use and brings simplicity to complex operations. Sabin and his team have been empowered by using Telegraph. With proactive exception management capabilities, realtime ETAs across railroads, and advanced rail analytics to help customers identify bottlenecks and expand their rail business, Sabin is able to dedicate more time to those items he sees as crucial to long-term success. That’s why he says that with Telegraph, “Every step forward has been game changing – an enormous industry-first game changer for everyday rail operators…it’s my single source of truth, and [having a platform] that consolidates everything into one spot is what makes my life easier.”
Building the Right Platform to Get the Job Done
Ultimately, technology only works when it works for people in a way that makes some aspect of their life easier or better. At Telegraph, we have created a modern rail platform that enables rail operators to nimbly pivot, plan, and, ultimately, service their customers with ease.
Our team would love to help you schedule a demo and understand how Telegraph’s platform can optimize your rail experience.
Visit Watco to learn more about their customer experience and end-to-end supply chain solutions.