American Airlines Cargo recently launched the first phase of its single largest investment to-date with the roll out of a new cargo end-to-end management system on October 1.
The overhaul replaces the majority of the organization’s legacy technology, narrowing 90 systems down to less than 10. Not only do the new tools bring an upgraded customer experience, the evolution of the investment is part of a broader initiative to modernize the entire business.
The technology transition impacts more than 8,000 team members in cargo and airport operations, and more than 30,000 customers. A team of more than 700 people across 300 locations globally and more than 150 business, technology, and vendor partners at the airline’s new headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas supported the implementation process.
Jessica Tyler, Vice President Strategy and Development for American Airlines Cargo, has led the technology initiative since its genesis nearly three years ago. From the start, her team has been united in the belief that a people-first philosophy is necessary for this kind of transformation to succeed and move the business into the future.
“The technology changes are complex and massive, but the work to support people through this kind of journey is just as complex and has been a priority for us. While standing up the new system has been a huge accomplishment, I’m most proud of our people. Even with the challenges of a project this size, we continue to have a ‘bring it on’ attitude and remain focused on moving forward. The way the team cares for one another is what makes us uniquely ready for change,” said Tyler.
“As our team continues to evolve through digital enhancements and investments in technology, we want to lead the effort to challenge and change the way players in the industry interact and collaborate – that’s exciting work to be a part of.”
The new system is powered by the iCargo platform and implemented in partnership with IBS Software. The platform has a host of modern technology components, driving transformation in Sales, Operations, Customer Experience, and Accounting, allowing for more efficient online channels, better tracking, greater efficiency in warehouses, and a robust back-end system that will further strengthen both the customer and team member experience.
IBS Software has a proven track-record and breadth of experience running complex transformations for similar carriers. The transition to iCargo provides the foundation for a host of innovations and initiatives expected to be rolled out in in the next 12 months and beyond.
“The scale and size of the American Airlines Cargo enterprise challenged us to dig deep into our experience and skills to lead this implementation,” said Philip Scaria, Program Manager for IBS Software and lead of the modernization effort. “The commitment of team members across the globe and their willingness to embrace change has made all the difference.”
In addition to leading Cargo’s modernization efforts, Tyler also heads the product innovation and alliances teams. Her organization focuses on the future outlook – specifically how Cargo plans and invests in the right technologies, products, partnerships and ways of doing business to best serve customers.
