The last year saw its share of bumps in the road for the supply chain and logistics space.
Steering through the pandemic-impacted landscape has required considering how product and strategy can be in sync with the shifting demands of the industry.
“Due to the pandemic, we’ve definitely examined our roadmap to see how we can build in options for our truckers and shippers that explore a ‘contactless,’ digitized world,” Senior Product Manager Peter Vu of NEXT Trucking said.
A digital-centric approach has always been at the core of the El Segundo, Calif.-based freight tech company. Launched in 2015, sporting more than $125 million in funding and boasting clientele like Hitachi, Pioneer and TCL, the startup’s platform helps facilitate routes for truck drivers, provides shipment tracking and other support for shippers and carriers.
Vu plays his part through a litany of projects, including working on the company’s mobile app and its web portal for managing containers. According to him, PMs at the startup aren’t constricted in focus or impact.
“That’s a unique thing about serving as a PM here: You’re given the latitude and responsibility to deliver value across the org chart,” he said.
Built In LA caught up with Vu to learn how teammates have the opportunity to make an impact on the field, why technology is crucial right now in their sector, and the startup’s plans for 2021.
Broadly speaking, how has COVID-19 impacted the industry in which NEXT operates?
When COVID-19 first hit, it was a relief to us and our truck drivers to hear that we would be considered an “essential” industry. However, in a striking turn of events, we have seen record-high imports at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in the second half of 2020, a time known as “peak season.” This extended peak season is keeping us busy heading into 2021, when things would normally slow down by year-end.
Additionally, as we look ahead, we expect that our partners will prioritize products that emphasize safety and reliability after COVID-19.
Historically, has your industry been quick or slow to embrace technology? And what are the fundamental opportunities to impact it right now through tech?
The logistics industry is one of the last industries to truly be disrupted by technology. Many organizations in the space rely on manual processes — such as paper documentation, fax machines, phone calls and spreadsheets — to run their businesses. With simple, intuitive products, we find that we can make it more efficient for truckers to run their business and operate with the same level of automation, integrations and data that a lot of other industries have taken advantage of in the past decade.
In my role, I work directly with truck drivers to build easy-to-use products to optimize their work and I help with the adoption of new technologies. In the past few years, we have seen a substantial increase in adoption of new technologies across what is now coined as the “freight tech” space.
The logistics industry is one of the last industries to truly be disrupted by technology.”
In your opinion, what makes NEXT Trucking’s embrace of technology notable or unique within your industry?
NEXT Trucking operates in drayage, or the “first mile” of the supply chain. This is the most complex sector in the industry involving multiple participants, such as steamship lines, customs, terminals, chassis providers, yards, warehouses, truck drivers and shippers.
The drayage industry is a $50 billion market. However, there has been little innovation in this area of trucking compared to the larger, “over-the-road” (long haul trucking) area with several well-known startups and larger incumbents. We believe that we can be the leader in the drayage market.
Executive Vision
How does NEXT Trucking’s embrace of technology allow teammates to have an impact — especially at a time when it’s presumably important to be tech-focused?
Our office and leadership acted swiftly to ensure all teams across the company could work virtually when COVID-19 first took hold last year. Given that operations for a typical logistics company require in-person interaction, our embrace of technology from the beginning let us transition seamlessly to a remote model.
On a normal day, I’m interacting with our onboarding team to understand how to improve our signup experience; speaking to our operations team to answer questions about truckers moving loads on our platform; or connecting with our accounting team to follow up on payment authorization for a driver. Since we’re now remote, all of this can be done instantly through our virtual setup without any delay in service for truckers.
You’ve mentioned improving your mobile experience for carriers over the last few years. What did those efforts entail, and how does it ultimately benefit end users?
Over the past year, I’ve been really proud to improve the load booking experience in our app for drivers. Over the past five months, this has led to over 50 percent growth in weekly jobs taken per truck driver. In early 2020, we also revamped our process for users to submit delivery documents digitally, growing uploads by over 25 percent within our app. At NEXT, given the scope of what we’re trying to achieve over the next several years, we’re not siloed into one part of the product.
Lastly, what key projects do you have on the horizon?
We’re constantly focused on how we can serve all drivers in the trucking industry, from the individual owner-operator to the fleets with more than one truck. In 2021, we’re looking to make further inroads with all of our truck driver segments. Secondly, as we invest in our trucker products, we expect to have more data to better improve our experiences, ranging from job pricing to planning a driver’s day.
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