Did you know that a modern family car can have over 30 individual computers in it? Each computer controls a different element of the driving experience; all operated by input from you, the driver. When driving, few of us are aware of the computing power that is going into improving every aspect of our journey.
In contrast, as we use our business management systems, we sit at a terminal or PC and perform a series of operations to either directly input the transactions of the business or extract calculated data. In the future, as technologies such as wireless devices, voice recognition and internet delivery become more widespread, users will no longer be tied to a terminal, but will be able to operate the business management systems without the need for direct input.
In the same way drivers indirectly use stability and traction computers when they turn the steering wheel, so a customer’s delivery of timber will automatically be booked out of stock as it leaves your premises. It may sound a pipe dream, but the technology for achieving this has already been implemented in other industries. An example is at airports, where labels on luggage activate sorting computers to ensure it is put on the right flight.
With internet order tracking we are starting to see a first phase of computing where the ‘users’ of your business management system are not only your own staff, but customers and suppliers as well. This will continue to develop, removing the flow of paperwork between companies and improving supply chain efficiency.
So what will all this mean for the timber merchant of the future? With the day-to-day operations of the business being recorded by the system, information will be accurate up to the second; managers will be free to make strategic decisions aided by computer recommendations; and yard operators will handle stock without having to stop to maintain the computer’s records.
For the next generation of timber business systems, ‘transparent computing’ means that software will bypass traditional manual input, while continuing to deliver increased benefits to the business.
