BDP International, a company that specializes in shipping sensitive materials, has a history of investing in technology as part of its strategic plan. So when it became clear that the aging system it was using for clients' business processes wasn't as efficient or as cost-effective as it could be, the company's IT leaders knew it was time for a change.
Since joining BDP 11 months ago, Global CIO Angela Yochem has focused on streamlining operations. Optimizing the experience for customers was one of the company's goals, and Yochem, 42, is helping BDP do that by automating the booking process. She is also creating a line of software-as-a-service-based systems for product management and engineering to sell directly to clients, and she adds that she's "building advanced analytics capability for customers, allowing them to run scenarios and better streamline their supply chain."
The SaaS product line benefits both BDP and its clients. It reduces the barrier of adoption for customers because it doesn't require them to add infrastructure, and it cuts costs for BDP.
BDP Chairman and CEO Richard Bolte sees the value in using IT to enhance business. "Companies that are able to project visibility over the business horizon for their clients through digital products and predictive analytics will set the new standard for supply chain insight," he says.
Reflecting on the part she played in bringing change to BDP, Yochem says, "The great thing about this role, which is very exciting and dynamic, is that using technology to enable differentiation is very satisfying."
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