June 1 - Members of heavy and oversize cargo network, Project Professionals Group, will trial new technologies designed to improve communications throughout the supply chain.

PPG general manager, Kevin Stephens said a web-based business communication and collaboration platform (BCP) and customer relationship management (CRM) system would be tested for 12 months and hosted via the PPG's web portal.

The BCP and CRM package was designed by Syscon Infotech, an international IT consultancy and software design firm based in India with the assistance of Express Transport, a member of the PPG group.

"These are sophisticated software packages tailored specifically for international freight forwarders and will provide PPG members with the opportunity to experience and evaluate for themselves how these technologies can be adopted to improve supply chain communication efficiencies," Mr Stephens said.

"The trial represents an excellent collaboration between PPG and the BCP designers that has the potential to deliver enormous benefits centred on communications management using the latest technologies."

According to the PPG, the system offers users a number of features and tools in one application that will enhance employee and customer communications, information security, and the delivery of centralised systems and procedures, whilst also allowing users to measure quality of service and response times.

Later this year, PPG members will have the opportunity to provide feedback about the trial at the group's annual conference in Corpus Christi, Texas, from July 29th until August 1st.