According to a recent McKinsey Global Survey, 9 out of 10 of executives are currently experiencing an overall talent shortage or expect one in the next few years. When asked where the greatest need exists, they most often say data analytics (43%) and IT management (26%).
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics supports these findings in its prediction that at least over half a million new IT jobs will need to be filled in the next 10 years in order for American businesses to keep up with advances in technology.
Tasked with meeting new and changing shipper demands, DDC found that carriers are in need of a cost-effective way to leverage an expansive range of programming languages and skill levels in order to extend a consistent experience across their shipper base, regardless of each one's individual IT investment.
To help fulfill this need, DDC recently announced a new assortment of IT services to help transportation and logistics providers secure the programming and development talent they require - within budget.
We sat down with Chad Crotty, VP of Sales at DDC FPO to dive into the details of how IT Outsourcing with DDC works and why many industry leaders are outsourcing top talent to hit IT milestones.
If a transportation company lacks the internal resources to keep up with IT demand, where does DDC fit in?
Our team is equipped to provide dedicated and highly skilled IT support, whether it be for specific short-term projects or for ongoing support to overcome the integration and visibility hurdles. We offer four primary service offerings - Systems Development, Database Development, .NET Programming, and E-commerce.
Many of DDC’s carriers have thousands of customers. But not all of their customers are ready or willing to take the leap to API integration. This requires balancing between customers who are proactive and embrace innovation and those who are a little slower to jump on the bandwagon. We help fill that gap.
How does rollout, plan execution, and communication work when outsourcing IT capabilities?
We assign a project manager from our client account management team to guide you through the rollout and maintain a regular cadence on communication and service delivery. Your dedicated IT team will work with you and alongside your internal staff for the duration of the project or contractual commitment.
What kind of training is put into effect with IT Outsourcing?
We have a steadily growing in-house team with a wide variety of programming language capabilities. Once we understand what the needs of the client are, we provide any other training requirements if it does not already exist in-house. DDC also continues to cross-train, hire, and educate new recruits through a hands-on training program.
What is the working schedule of your IT Outsourcing team?
We are a 24-hour operation, and your devoted team would work around the clock to ensure you get the support you need, when you need it most.
Does DDC’s IT talent have experience in the transportation and freight industry?
All of DDC’s IT team members have been with the company since its first freight projects kicked off over 15 years ago. However, it’s worth noting that our team is agile and able to provide IT support to almost any industry and/or organization.
How does DDC’s expertise in PHP support carriers and 3PLs?
PHP-based applications can run on OS like UNIX, Linux and Windows. A key benefit for the transportation industry is that it is platform-independent.
Used in web development, one common example of where our PHP expertise supports clients is within online dashboards.
What types of .NET programming projects or programs does DDC provide?
In our Systems Development offering, we are able to help clients build and deploy a wide range of programs that leverage .NET. We’ve actually found that desktop applications are faster to develop in .NET. One example would be internal tool desktop applications.
Is RPG on it’s way out? Why does DDC offer this capability?
Many transportation companies still heavily rely on AS/400 systems, and the majority of AS/400 business applications are written in RPG. Tightly integrated with DB2 UDB/400, RPG programming can be used to further enhance client business applications support ERP system integrations.
What is the most complex programming language DDC offers / has capabilities of?
One capability that is increasing in demand is Android mobile application development. Its complexity is rooted in the fact that it requires a knowledge in object-oriented programming (OOP), and which is a bit complex in itself. In addition, an API must be created in order to centralize the data for mobile activation. We build the APIs with PHP, Java, Python, etc.
What about EDI Mapping capabilities - does DDC supply resources to assist?
Yes, we provide talent to support EDI Mapping today and it is readily available for continued growth in this area. Due to its intricacies and little room for error, many in transportation and logistics are leaning on third-party experts like DDC to manage their EDI capabilities and ensure business process success.
A lack of qualified programmers and developers, combined with a company's tendency to run on tight budgets, has made it easy to put IT hiring on the back burner. This approach is dangerous in a rapidly changing tech landscape and will inevitably force industry leaders to seek a partner with the expertise needed to keep their operations afloat.
Watch this quick video to learn more about how DDC has risen to meet programming and development needs:
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