Following the PwC recommendations which were made early last year, AFL drew up a Business Process Re-enginering (BPR) plan which it is now ready to roll out. Under the plan, AFL, will be setting up Web-based software systems, possibly the first of its kind anywhere in the world, by early next year.

Commenting on the scale of the project, Deb Barua, Chief Information Officer (CIO), AFL Limited says: "While sourcing software for AFL, we couldn't find the kind of software that would span our scale of operations, anywhere in the world."

AFL has a presence in a variety of logistics solutions ranging from courier and door-to-door delivery of both commercial and non commercial goods to logistics and distribution, e-commerce fulfilment, freight-forwarding and travel. The new IS will aim to achieve is centralisation of information and a seamless customer interface.

Creating ubiquitous Web-based systems would mean that the company and every one of its partners, agents or franchisees will be connected through a single piece of Web-based software through which they can transact on the Internet.

The Web-based software which will also connect the various divisions of AFL, allowing the customer to deal with a common interface. "Right now an exporter from Nasik for instance talks to our logistics, warehousing, customs and airfreighting divisions independently and finally receives bills from each division. With the new system in place, all the divisions will be integrated, and the exporter will deal with AFL Limited and get a single bill at the end of the transaction," says Barua.