Analyzing administrative processes in a 3PL company  
Mapping of administrative processes and identification of key time 

drivers  

Master of Science Thesis in the Master Program, Supply Chain Management 

 

 

 

 

DAVÍÐ ÞÓR FRITZSON  

KRÍA SÚSANNA DIETERSDÓTTIR 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Department of Technology Management and Economics 

Division of Logistics and Transportation 

CHALMERS UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY 

Gothenburg, Sweden, 2012 

Report No. E2012:096 



 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 
 

 

REPORT NO. E2012:096 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Analyzing administrative processes in a 3PL company 

Mapping of administrative processes and identification of key time drivers 

Master thesis in the Master´s Program Supply Chain Management 

DAVÍÐ ÞÓR FRITZSON & KRÍA SUSANNA DIETERSDOTTIR 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Department of Technology Management and Economics 

CHALMERS UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY 

Gothenburg, Sweden 2012  



 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Analyzing administrative processes in a 3PL company 

Mapping of administrative processes and identification of key time drivers 

DAVÍÐ. FRITZSON & KRÍA. DIETERSDÓTTIR 

© DAVID. FRITZSON & KRIA. DIETERSDOTTIR, 2012.  

 

Technical report no E2012:096 

Department of Technology Management and Economics 

Chalmers University of Technology 

SE-412 96 Gothenburg 

Sweden  

Telephone: + 46 (0)31-772 1000 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chalmers Reproservice 

Gothenburg, Sweden 2012  



 
 

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Abstract  

As administrative services for 3PL companies can be very specialized and customer unique it 

can be difficult to estimate and specify the amount of administration needed for a future 

client. At Schenker Logistics Landvetter this has become one of the most problematic factors 

when quoting possible clients i.e. to estimate the manning need in the Control Towers (CT), 

where the majority of administration is performed. Therefore, the main purpose of this 

thesis is to analyze what drives time in the CT and how much. In order to fulfill this, two 

main sources of data were needed. Firstly, in order to increase the knowledge on what 

activities are performed in the CT, all processes for the customers covered in thesis were 

mapped and described in detail. This was made possible by observing the processes and 

interviewing the staff responsible for each customer, identifying which processes were 

executed and from there going through each step of the process in detail. Secondly, a time 

study was performed by measuring the time duration per process and identifying different 

time drivers from direct observation, interviews and time templates. These results were 

then consolidated in to a generalized framework that was used to create an algorithm that is 

supposed to calculate the basic CT manning need for a future client. This then leads to the 

discussion part of the thesis where improvement recommendations were suggested both in 

relation to pricing the CT function in a more precise and accurate way as well as general 

improvements identified by the CT staff and authors.  

 

 

 

Keywords: process mapping, administrative processes, time drivers, pricing administrative services 

 

  



 
 

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Table of Contents 
1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 

1.1 Background ................................................................................................................... 1 

1.2 Problem discussion ........................................................................................................ 2 

1.3 Purpose and research objectives .................................................................................... 3 

1.4 Delimitations ................................................................................................................. 4 

1.5 Thesis outline ................................................................................................................ 4 

2 Literature review ............................................................................................................................. 5 

2.1 Processes ...................................................................................................................... 5 

2.1.1 What is a process? ........................................................................................................... 5 

2.1.2 Process mapping .............................................................................................................. 5 

2.1.3 How to perform process mapping ................................................................................... 6 

2.1.4 Process mapping techniques and icons ........................................................................... 6 

2.2 Time studies .................................................................................................................. 8 

2.2.1 Time drivers ..................................................................................................................... 9 

2.3 Cross training ................................................................................................................ 9 

3 Method .......................................................................................................................................... 11 

3.1 Research approach ...................................................................................................... 11 

3.2 Data collection ............................................................................................................ 12 

3.2.1 Interviews and observation ........................................................................................... 12 

3.2.2 Time study ..................................................................................................................... 13 

3.2.3 Literature review ........................................................................................................... 13 

3.2.4 Other source of data ..................................................................................................... 14 

3.3 Method assessment ..................................................................................................... 14 

4 Empirical data ................................................................................................................................ 15 

4.1 Schenker Logistics Sweden (SLOG Sweden) ................................................................... 15 

4.1.1 Schenker Logistics Landvetter (SLL) ............................................................................... 15 



 
 

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4.2 Main processes in the CT ............................................................................................. 16 

4.2.1 Inbound ......................................................................................................................... 16 

4.2.2 Outbound ...................................................................................................................... 16 

4.2.3 Returns .......................................................................................................................... 16 

4.2.4 Meetings ........................................................................................................................ 17 

4.2.5 Invoicing ........................................................................................................................ 17 

4.2.6 Support and problem solving ........................................................................................ 17 

4.3 Process mapping and descriptions ................................................................................ 18 

4.3.1 Customer A .................................................................................................................... 18 

4.3.2 Customer B .................................................................................................................... 32 

4.3.3 Customer C .................................................................................................................... 49 

4.3.4 Customer D .................................................................................................................... 60 

4.3.5 Administrative processes in the CT ............................................................................... 75 

4.4 Time-study .................................................................................................................. 75 

4.4.1 Customer A .................................................................................................................... 76 

4.4.2 Customer B .................................................................................................................... 80 

4.4.3 Customer C .................................................................................................................... 82 

4.4.4 Customer D .................................................................................................................... 84 

4.5 Pricing of CT services ................................................................................................... 86 

4.5.1 Current pricing approach .............................................................................................. 86 

4.5.2 Problem discussion ........................................................................................................ 87 

4.5.3 Improvement suggestions ............................................................................................. 87 

5 Analysis .......................................................................................................................................... 88 

5.1 Most time consuming processes .................................................................................. 88 

5.1.1 Customer A .................................................................................................................... 88 

5.1.2 Customer B .................................................................................................................... 88 

5.1.3 Customer C .................................................................................................................... 89 

5.1.4 Customer D .................................................................................................................... 89 

5.2 Possible time drivers .................................................................................................... 89 

5.2.1 Customer A .................................................................................................................... 89 

5.2.2 Customer B .................................................................................................................... 91 



 
 

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5.2.3 Customer C .................................................................................................................... 93 

5.2.4 Customer D .................................................................................................................... 94 

5.3 The algorithm .............................................................................................................. 95 

5.3.1 Volumes sheet ............................................................................................................... 97 

5.3.2 The calculation sheet ..................................................................................................... 98 

5.3.3 Front page ................................................................................................................... 103 

5.3.4 Limitations of the algorithm ........................................................................................ 104 

6 Discussion and recommendations .............................................................................................. 105 

6.1 Pricing of the CT ......................................................................................................... 105 

6.2 Getting customers routined ........................................................................................ 107 

6.3 Staff cross-training ...................................................................................................... 110 

6.4 Communication between CT and production ............................................................... 110 

6.5 Improvements in the invoicing process ....................................................................... 110 

6.6 Improvements in the return process ........................................................................... 111 

7 Conclusions .................................................................................................................................. 112 

7.1 Concluding remarks .................................................................................................... 112 

7.2 Future studies ............................................................................................................ 113 

8  References .................................................................................................................................. 114 

Appendix A ............................................................................................................................ 115 

Appendix B ............................................................................................................................ 116 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 
 

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Preface 

This Master thesis was performed at Chalmers University of Technology as a part of the 

master program, Supply Chain management. It was done in collaboration with Schenker 

Logistics Landvetter (SLL) which provided us with a great opportunity to apply our 

theoretical knowledge to a real life situation. There were many employees at SLL that 

assisted us during the thesis work and offered us valuable insight into how 3PL companies 

work today and therefore we would like to show our appreciation to them.  

Firstly, we would like to thank our two supervisors at SLL; Nikolai Kolderup-Finstad and Milvi 

Piibeman which offered us a great guidance and support throughout the thesis work. We 

would also like to thank the amazing people in the control towers at SLL which provided us 

with explanations and valuable inputs. Furthermore, various other people at SLL offered us 

guidance and insight into different aspects in the company and thus we would like to express 

our appreciation to them.  

Furthermore, we would like to thank our supervisor and examiner, Ola Hultkrantz, for 

directing us, providing constructive criticism during our research and for assisting us with 

various issues and questions.  

Last but not least we would like to thank our families for their support and understanding 

which they have shown us during this demanding period.  

  



 
 

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List of figures  

FIGURE 1. OUTLINE OF THE THESIS 4 

FIGURE 2. TYPICAL FLOWCHART (DAMELIO, 2009) 7 

FIGURE 3. CROSS- FUNCTIONAL PROCESS MAP (DAMELIO, 2009) 8 

FIGURE 4. RESEARCH APPROACH USED IN THE MASTER THESIS 12 

FIGURE 5. SCHENKER LOGISTICS AT LANDVETTER 15 

FIGURE 6. THE CT IS A CENTRALIZED PLANNING AND CONTROL DEPARTMENT WITHIN SLL 16 

FIGURE 7. INBOUND PLANNING PROCESS 19 

FIGURE 8. INBOUND RECEIVING PROCESS 22 

FIGURE 9. THE OUTBOUND PROCESS FOR BOOKING CONFIRMATION 24 

FIGURE 10. EXPRESS TRANSPORT BOOKING 25 

FIGURE 11. RUSH TRANSPORT BOOKING 26 

FIGURE 12. EXPORT DOCUMENTATION FOR NON-EU SHIPMENTS 27 

FIGURE 13. ALL PROCESSES IDENTIFIED FOR CUSTOMER A 30 

FIGURE 14. THE PLANNING PROCESS FOR TRUCK SHIPMENTS 34 

FIGURE 15. RECEIVING PROCESS FOR TRUCK SHIPMENTS 36 

FIGURE 16. PLANNING PROCESS FOR CONTAINER SHIPMENTS 38 

FIGURE 17. RECEIVING PROCESS FOR CONTAINER SHIPMENTS 39 

FIGURE 18. OUTBOUND PROCESS- PRIORITY LIST 40 

FIGURE 19. OUTBOUND PROCESS- EXPORT DOCUMENTATION FOR NON-EU COUNTRIES 41 

FIGURE 20. OUTBOUND PROCESS- CUSTOMS CLEARANCE FOR EU-COUNTRIES 43 

FIGURE 21. INVOICING PROCESS- TRANSPORT INVOICE 45 

FIGURE 22. INVOICING PROCESS- HANDLING INVOICE 46 

FIGURE 23. ALL PROCESSES IDENTIFIED FOR CUSTOMER B 49 

FIGURE 24. CONTAINER SHIPMENT PLANNING 51 

FIGURE 25. CONTAINER SHIPMENT RECEIVING 52 

FIGURE 26. TRUCK SHIPMENT PLANNING 53 

FIGURE 27. TRUCK SHIPMENT RECEIVING 54 

FIGURE 28. STANDARD TRANSPORT BOOKING 55 

FIGURE 29. OUTBOUND- UNLOCK ARTICLES FROM SYSTEM 56 

FIGURE 30. INVOICING PROCESS- HANDLING INVOICE 57 

FIGURE 31. RETURN SHIPMENT PROCESS 58 

FIGURE 32. ALL PROCESSES IDENTIFIED FOR CUSTOMER C 59 

FIGURE 33. INBOUND PROCESS 61 

FIGURE 34. OUTBOUND PROCESS- ROLL-OUT ORDERS 64 

FIGURE 35. OUTBOUND PROCESS- APPROX ORDERS 67 

FIGURE 36. INVOICING PROCESS- HANDLING INVOICE 69 

FIGURE 37. INVOICING PROCESS- TRANSPORT INVOICE 70 

FIGURE 38. ALL PROCESSES IDENTIFIED FOR CUSTOMER D 72 

FIGURE 39. GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES IN THE CT 96 

FIGURE 40. VOLUMES SLIDE IN THE ALGORITHM BASED ON THE GENERAL TIME DRIVERS ANALYZED (REAL 

FIGURES NOT DISPLAYED) 97 

FIGURE 41. CALCULATIONS SLIDE IN THE ALGORITHM (REAL FIGURES NOT DISPLAYED) 99 

FIGURE 42. THE FRONT PAGE OF THE ALGORITHM - OVERALL CALCULATED MAN NEED FOR A NEW CLIENT 

CUSTOMER (REAL FIGURES NOT DISPLAYED) 104 

 

 

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List of tables  

TABLE 1. PROCESS MAP ICONS AND DEFINITION (CONGER 2011, DAMELIO 2009) ............................................... 7 

TABLE 2. ALL ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES FOR THE FOUR CUSTOMERS ............................................................ 75 

TABLE 3. TIME DURATION FOR EACH PROCESS- CUSTOMER A ............................................................................ 80 

TABLE 4. TIME DURATION FOR EACH PROCESS- CUSTOMER B ............................................................................. 82 

TABLE 5. TIME DURATION FOR EACH PROCESS- CUSTOMER C ............................................................................. 84 

TABLE 6. TIME DURATION FOR EACH PROCESS- CUSTOMER D ............................................................................ 86 

TABLE 7. DEFINITION OF CUSTOMER SIZE IN REGARDS TO QUANTITY OF IN- AND OUTBOUND ORDERS ......... 101 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 
 

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List of abbreviations  

SLOG- Schenker Logistics 
SLL – Schenker Logistics Landvetter 
SLA- Schenker Logistics Arendal  
CT- Control Tower 
SD- Solution Design  
POD- Proof of delivery  
BDM- Business Development 

List of definitions  

Administrative process – is basically related to all activities that are needed to control and 

coordinate the flow of goods and information to and from the warehouse and ensure a 

smooth and reliable flow. This includes processes such as transport bookings, planning 

inbound orders as well as providing support to all main stakeholders, especially customers.  

Bonded warehouse – is an area where goods can be placed in order to postpone the 

payment of customs fees.  

Centiro – is SLL´s automatic transportation booking system. 

Crystal reports- are reports designed by the IT-support that provide the CT with different 

statistical information on the warehouse operations that are necessary for various CT 

processes. 

DB Schenker´s Web-TA – is the web portal for DB Schenker where it is possible to book and 

track shipments e.g. with Schenker Land.  

Inventorying- is a verification of quantities kept in the warehouse.  

KGH- is a company that manages administrative functions in the bonded warehouse which is 

located within the SLL warehouse for one of SLL´s customers. 

Learning curve- is a specific time period which it takes both parties (the CT and a new 

customer) to get to know each other’s work methods, communication ways, getting used to 

each other user interfaces etc. and thereby reach a standard productivity and man need in 

the CT. 

Production – The main part of SLL´s warehouse where all handling operations are performed 

and goods are stored.  

SAP- is a system which is e.g. used to approve invoices from transport companies and to 

create invoices for SLL´s customers.  

Transportal - is an invoicing system which is used for e.g. transportation invoicing. 

WMS- is the warehouse management system which is used at SLL. 



 
 

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1 Introduction  
In this chapter an introduction is given to the reader which starts with a background to the 

issue. This will lead into a problem analysis where the issues facing Schenker Logistics 

Landvetter are discussed.  Furthermore, the purpose, research objectives and thesis 

limitations will be presented.  

1.1 Background  

In recent years products have in general become more standardized and therefore 

companies have been forced to come up with new innovative ways to reach customers e.g. 

in forms of different services (Ford et al, 2003). Consequently, markets are developing 

towards more service orientation in order to improve their offerings and differentiate 

themselves from their’ competitors (Christopher, 2011). This as well as emerging 

technologies has led to a power shift towards the customers (Stroeken, 2000). In relation 

with these rapidly evolving information technologies the internet plays a vital role in the 

power shift over to customers (Morris, 2002). This is because the internet provides a more 

transparent look at the market for customers, enabling them to have a good view over total 

offerings available (Stroeken, 2000). Therefore, customers are becoming more demanding in 

regards to quality, prices and services which further increases the difficulties of both keeping 

clients as well as getting new ones.  Furthermore, purchasing decisions are gradually moving 

away from brand loyalty and thus customers don’t hesitate to switch their commitment to 

other companies that provide superior services and products at competitive prices 

(Stapleton et al, 2012).  

 

More specifically concerning the 3PL industry, which is the focus of this thesis, you will find 

the same developing trends in the last few years. Increased competition in the 3PL 

marketplace as well as more demanding customers (Langley, 2012) has put more pressure 

on 3PL providers to provide state-of-the-art services while still striving for cost reductions in 

order to be able to offer as competitive offerings as possible. Moreover, constantly 

developing information technology systems that e.g. allow companies to offer different 

kinds of administrative services such as transport administration have become a key tool for 

3PL´s in providing innovative and differentiating services to customers. Consequently 3PL´s 

are able to provide opportunities to link supplier and buyer together and provide real time 

information on the status of products which enhances visibility and transparency in the 

material and information flow (Stroeken, 2000). 

 

Furthermore, an important feature of the 3PL industry is the very different Customer Base in 

relation to the characteristics of the offerings needed for each customer as well as industry 

environments of these customers (Kolderup, 2012). This means that since operating within 

different types of industries, these customers will have very different needs and 

expectations and thus require different services. As stated by Lamb (2012) services that 



 
 

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many providers offer have great heterogeneity of in- and outputs and thus they tend to be 

less standardized and uniform. Consequently, it can be hard to define the time duration of 

each service offered and identify associated costs. Additionally, 3PL provider’s work with 

customers with different information about their logistics processes, including the 

administrative work needed (Kolderup, 2012).  

 

As a consequence of these various characteristics, 3PL providers will often have problems 

estimating the administration needed, caused by lack of information on what is needed to 

fulfill the needs of new clients (Kolderup, 2012). Because of these various issues it can be 

difficult for 3PL providers to price new services and quote new customers.  

1.2  Problem discussion 

Looking at the case company, the majority of the administrative work is performed in so-

called Control Towers (CT). Quoting administrative work in the CT has proven to be very hard 

since the customer needs for administration can often be difficult to determine. Therefore, it 

can even be that Schenker Logistics Landvetter (SLL) is performing some administrative 

services that are not included in agreements with customers. Consequently, customer 

profitability can turn out to be considerably lower than assumed. This is especially caused by 

the difficulties in determining the actual administration needed for new customers until they 

have started working with them and understand what is really needed to fulfill their 

requirements. This is partly because SLL has customers with different characteristics and 

within different business environments, such as retail, fashion and industry, each with 

different needs and knowledge of what is needed. Furthermore, the high degree of 

specialization and customization of administrative services needed for each customer makes 

it hard to estimate how much administration is needed for new customers in general. Even 

for customers working in the same industry there can be differences in requirements they 

put on their 3PL provider which depends on numerous things. Finally, when quoting new 

clients, SLL can often have the problem that the customer does not know how much 

administration is needed to perform the distribution required. This can for instance be that 

the buying company has had another 3PL provider previously that took care of these services 

for them and have consequently never had to handle and/or define administration needed 

for its products.  

 

Therefore it is important for SLL to increase knowledge of administrative work performed in 

the CT for different customers in order to have a better idea of how it will be for a future 

customer. Furthermore, SLL needs to be able to visualize what drives these administrative 

hours for different customers in order to identify different time drivers and to ensure 

quicker, more accurate and transparent quoting of administration for future customers.  

 

  

  



 
 

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1.3 Purpose and research objectives 

As a result of the problem discussion, the main purpose of this thesis is to analyze what 

drives administrative hours in SLL control tower. Therefore the aim will be to gain deep 

understanding of all administrative processes of SLL that are executed in the CT in order to 

be able to describe these processes in detail and identify different time drivers. Additionally, 

the information will be utilized to provide a calculation tool which will be used to calculate 

the need for administrative services in the CT. 

 

In order to fulfill the aim of the purpose the following research objectives will be addressed:  
 

1. Gain a deep understanding and visualization of administrative processes for SLL.  
 

2. Perform a time study in order to identify different time drivers (what drives time 
and how much) for administrative processes in SLL. 
 

3. Use information about different time drivers of administrative processes to make a 
calculation tool for quoting new customers. 
 

4. Identify improvement possibilities in relation to the CT.   
 

5. Examine how administrative services are priced today and how they can be rated in 
the future.  

 
In order to do this, all administrative processes of the customers covered in this thesis will 

have to be mapped in detail, which will provide an overall picture of the processes. These 

maps will serve as a framework for how administrative processes look like for different types 

of customers and make it easier to perform a time study and identify key time drivers of 

each administrative process.  

This should enable the researchers to construct a calculation tool that would allow the 

solution design team (SD) to calculate the cost of administrative services for customers with 

varying demands and needs and consequently simplify the calculation of the administration 

work needed when quoting new clients.  

 

Additionally the process descriptions and maps can be utilized to realize improvement 

possibilities to the processes enhancing efficiency and reducing costs.  

By providing this it is believed that SLL will be able to offer better service to their customers 

since the company could demonstrate the cost behind the administration needed, provide 

more accurate estimation of manning need, spend less time on quoting administrative costs 

for new clients as well as cut unnecessary costs in administration, consequently providing 

more accurate and better offerings to their customers. 



 
 

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1.4 Delimitations  

The boundaries of the study will encompass the administrative processes which are 

performed for four selected customers at the CT in SLL and the parts of the company that 

are directly connected to these processes. In order to have the scope of the study narrow 

enough to ensure deep description of each customer these four were decided. This was 

decided in cooperation with the company´s supervisor as well as the manager of the CT since 

they were considered to be very different, therefore covering much of the work performed 

in the CT.  

1.5 Thesis outline  

Literature review– In this chapter the theoretical framework from the literature review is 

presented. It should provide the reader with explanation of the main concepts in the thesis 

and serve as guidance to how the research was performed.   

 

Method– The research study was performed with an inductive 

approach which is described in chapter 3. Furthermore, the 

gathering of information, data analysis and working methods 

are discussed. This is followed by a reflection on the thesis 

quality, in regards of validity and reliability.  

Empirical data- In this part of the thesis the focal company, SLL, 

as well as the CT are presented. This is followed by a general 

overview of the main processes identified in the CT. Thereafter, 

each process of the four customers is mapped and described. 

Finally, it explains how the four customers are priced for the 

administrative services and time study results are presented 

(see figure 1).  

Analysis- In this chapter the empirical findings from the time 

study and process maps are combined. Firstly, the most time 

consuming processes for each of the customers are presented 

which is followed by a discussion of time drivers. These time 

drivers are then generalized which serves as a basis for an 

algorithm which should enable SLL to calculate the 

administration need for future customers.  

Discussion and recommendation- This chapter contains the 

main problems and improvement possibilities which were 

identified by the researchers, CT staff and other employees at 

SLL.   

Conclusions- In this final chapter concluding remarks are given 

which take the thesis aim and objectives into account. This is 

followed by suggestions for future studies. 
Figure 1. Outline of the thesis 



 
 

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2 Literature review 
The theoretical framework that was written is intended to guide the reader and introduce 

and provide explanation on necessary concepts that are used in this thesis. By this the theory 

is not used in a traditional way to analyze the data gathered but instead provides a 

theoretical background on important concepts discussed. This should make it easier for the 

reader to understand how this research was performed and on what theoretical background 

it is based.  

2.1 Processes 
The following sub-chapter defines processes in general and provides an explanation how process 

mapping can be performed. 

2.1.1 What is a process? 

According to Keller and Jacka (1999) a process in its simplest form can be described as a 

combination of inputs, actions and outputs. Ewy and Gmitro (2010) further define a process 

as a series of actions which need to take place in order for an output to occur. Furthermore, 

these series of actions that occur serve a purpose, that is, they are designed so that the 

output satisfies a specific aim or goal or meets customers or stakeholders prerequisites and 

expectancies.  According to Conger (2011) a process is the set of repeated steps or tasks that 

accomplishes some business function and may or may not be interrelated with other 

processes.  

2.1.2 Process mapping 

Process management is a crucial factor of the services that companies offer. By mapping 

processes, relationships between different parts within the organization become clear and it 

provides employees with an overall picture of its processes (Conger, 2011). By increasing the 

visibility of work performed, communication and understanding can be improved and it can 

also provide a common frame of reference for the employees involved in certain work 

processes (Damelio, 2009).  Furthermore, process understanding is vital since companies 

cannot manage, monitor or improve what they don’t understand and know. Processes are 

the basis of every functions of an organization and therefore any business improvements 

involve analyzing and improving processes (Conger, 2011). Consequently, by mapping their 

processes, 3PL companies enhance understanding of them and provide opportunities to 

improve them. However, when processes are designed or improved it is essential that the 

requirements of the customer are understood and fulfilled in the right manner. This can 

often be quite the challenge in the 3PL industry, since you will often have customers that do 

not understand their’ needs e.g. concerning administration. 

  

When process maps are used to illustrate the current state of work done within a company 

they show a snapshot of a certain combination of functions and in and outputs that are used 

by the company to create value for the customer. As a result, the maps assist with 

documenting the existing path to consumer satisfaction (Damelio, 2009). As stated by 

Christopher (2011), there can be substantial costs associated with satisfying customer 



 
 

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demand, however they are often not fully identified and understood by the organizations. As 

stated above process mapping can increase the overall understanding of different processes 

within an organization and thus provide an enhanced overview of costs for different 

customers and their profitability. This gives companies a better holistic understanding of 

whether their customers are as profitable as estimated or if there are some additional 

services performed that reduce the cost effectiveness of that customer.  

2.1.3 How to perform process mapping  

The process mapping strategy suggested by Keller and Jacka (1999) includes the following 

steps: 

1. Establish process boundaries  

2. Develop a data gathering plan  

3. Interview process participants  

4. Generate process maps  

5. Analyze and use process maps  

 

In regards to process boundaries it should be defined in terms of how the process starts and 

ends. Furthermore, all inputs and outputs should be listed. In the initial step of the data 

gathering the data which is needed to create the map is determined as well as the questions 

that should be asked and which individuals to interview. In the third step those individuals 

chosen are interviewed. The main purpose of performing an interview is to obtain 

information and to gain a deep understanding of how the process works. As the maps are 

developed potential problems and improvement possibilities are identified. When the maps 

have been generated they are analyzed.  

Conger (2011) agrees with these 5 steps stated above although suggests that an initial 

interview with these individuals before the process boundaries are established can set the 

stage for the project and offer researchers an overview of the processes performed. 

Furthermore, the author argues that when the process maps have been generated they 

should be verified by those individuals that were interviewed. This is done to ensure that 

interviewees agree with the details and substance of the maps.   

2.1.4 Process mapping techniques and icons  

There are many mapping methods which can be used to create a process map such as 

Definition for Function Modeling (IDEF) and Business Process Execution Language (BPEL) 

(Conger, 2011). However, the generic method is most often used when mapping processes 

within a company. In the generic method a flowchart is used to illustrate the sequence of the 

steps that make up a process (figure 2).  



 
 

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Figure 2. Typical flowchart (Damelio, 2009) 

According to Damelio (2009) the more intelligence built in the chart the more useful and 

valuable it is. What is meant by intelligence is the use of icons that symbolize what takes 

place in the process. The icons used in process maps are graphics that illustrate different 

activities or data (Conger, 2011). Table 1 shows examples of icons that are used in process 

maps and their definition.  

Table 1. Process map icons and definition (Conger 2011, Damelio 2009) 

Icon Definition and use 

 
The start icon signifies the event or condition 
that initiates a process. 

 
The stop icon signifies the event or condition 
that ends a process. 

 
A plain, directed arrow depicts process flow, 
showing the sequence of steps in a process. 

 
A process box is used to show a step, or set of 
steps, in a process. 

 

The icon symbolizes digital files or databases. 

  
The combination of a diamond and process flow 
arrows represents a decision or condition which 
is shown in the diamond. One arrow shows the 
"yes" logic that occurs when the condition occurs 
whereas the other arrow shows the "no" logic 
that occurs when the condition is absent. 

 

Start  

Process  

Stop 

Data 

Store 

? 

No 

Yes 



 
 

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A swim lane diagram, which is the actual process map, has one row or a column (depends on 

whether the map is vertical or horizontal) for each individual, role, function or organization 

that interacts with the process (Conger, 2011).   

Cross- functional process map is a combination of a flowchart, swim lane diagram and 

process icons which illustrate how work is performed in an organization (figure 3). 

Furthermore, it shows the steps (2) that create the process, the path (1) that transfer inputs 

into outputs and which actor performs each step in the process (3) (Damelio, 2009).  

 

Figure 3. Cross- functional process map (Damelio, 2009) 

According to Damelio (2009) a cross-functional map should answer the following questions:  

 Which steps are required to generate a specific output? 

 In which order are the steps performed? 

 Who performs each step? 

 Which handoffs or interfaces are between different functions? 

 In what parts of the process do the handoffs occur? 

 Which inputs are required and outputs produced in each step of the process? 

2.2 Time studies 

Ratnatunga et al (2012) discuss the estimation of time for labor hours in service 

organizations comparing different theory provided on these issues. There, they discuss that 

firstly, you need to understand that defining the labor hours in service companies can be 

much harder because of a much more diverse activities performed by the staff. Also these 

activities can vary substantially in frequency and time and are often not as standardized as 

e.g. manufacturing activities. Commonly this is done by estimating the percentages of time 

spent on different activities. Kaplan and Anderson (2007) do not agree with this definition, 

since it normally ends up in 100% time, consequently disregarding the idle time that exists in 

all operations and therefore estimating the theoretical capacity instead of practical capacity. 

Instead they encourage that the time for performing different activities should be 

measured/estimated in minutes/hours by direct observations, interviews and comparative 

information from the cost estimators. This however is argued against by several authors 



 
 

9 
 

such as Everaert and Bruggeman (2007) stating that observations by cost estimators can 

result in less correct measurements. 

 

Furthermore, Kaplan and Anderson (2007) discuss how the idle time can be estimated. They 

state a rule of thumb that says that around 15-20% of the overall available time can be 

considered as idle, i.e. waste. Factors causing this can be maintenance and repair for 

machines. For employees; walking to the restroom, communicating with fellow staff, arriving 

and leaving workplace as well as general training are examples of factors that can be 

considered causing idle time. Then, in relation to the factors mentioned, normally a higher 

idle time (20%) will be associated with employees than machines (15%).  Ratnatunga et al 

(2012) agree with this in their case study, where the case study company defined the normal 

capacity as 80% of the theoretical capacity.  

2.2.1 Time drivers  

When performing a time study on specific processes it is necessary to define certain factors 

that cause time to increase for activities performed in these processes. These are so-called 

time drivers. Everaert and Bruggeman (2007) define this in their discussion on the time-

driven activity based costing method, were time drivers are an important part. There, time 

drivers are defined as characteristics that affect the time that will be consumed for that 

specific process or activity. Number of orders, order lines, shipments as well as 

characteristics such as type of orders, complexity and type of a customer are all examples of 

time drivers that will affect the time it takes to perform a specific activity. 

 

There are many time drivers that influence how much time the CT employees spend on each 

process. The time drivers considered in this thesis are mainly two dimensional. The number 

of occasions performing each process is one of the dimensions whereas the other one is 

factors within the process that drive the time. The time drivers within a process can be 

manifold. For example, the type of order is one of these factors, as can be seen in the 

customer descriptions the time spent on each order type can vary substantially. 

Furthermore, the number of orders within one shipment can influence how long time is 

spent on the process.  

2.3 Cross training 

Cross- training is used to improve team flexibility and coordination (Levi, 2010). In cross 

training, members of the team are trained in the technical skills of two or more jobs and 

thus allowing the team to respond flexibly to changes in the work environment and to 

employee changes. Furthermore, it enables team members to gain a better understanding of 

different roles and interconnections in the team which in turn can lead to a shared view of 

how the team operates and the coordination which is needed in the team (Levi, 2011). 

According to Daft (2010) there can be many advantages associated with cross training such 

as it advocates an emphasis on collaboration and teamwork and it promotes a rapid 

response to changes in the customers’ needs. However, it can limit in- depth knowledge and 



 
 

10 
 

skill developments since employees have multiple task to focus on. Thus it is important that 

employees are given the chance to maintain and develop technical expertise (Daft, 2010). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 
 

11 
 

3 Method  
This chapter describes how the study was conducted throughout the thesis. Furthermore, the 

working methods, gathering of information and data analysis are illustrated. Lastly, the 

method used will be assessed in regards to the quality of the thesis.   

3.1 Research approach  

According to Bryman and Bell (2011) there are five different types of research designs; 

experimental, cross- sectional, longitudinal, case study and comparative design. The choice 

between these five types depends on the purpose of the research. What differentiates a 

basic case study from these other four research designs is the emphasis on a limited 

situation or system (Bryman and Bell, 2011). A case study is described by Gilham (2010) as 

an investigation which enables the researcher to answer defined research questions. By 

seeking, abstracting and collecting different types of data within the case setting the 

researcher should get the best possible answers to the research questions. A fundamental 

characteristic of a case study is that the researcher starts by observing the context before 

theoretical notation is made. This is done to get an understanding of the research area and 

thereafter find the theory that is most related to the subject (Gilham, 2010).  Since the main 

aim of this thesis is to gain a deep understanding of the administrative processes performed 

in the CT within SLL by applying the researchers’ knowledge and theories to the subject, a 

case study design was chosen.  

Furthermore, the case study was executed with an inductive approach. According to Bryman 

and Bell (2011) an inductive research study is a bottom up approach where the researcher 

makes an observation built on a topic of interest which theory is built on. Related theories 

are not considered until further along into the research. From this observation clusters of 

data or patterns begin to emerge which the researcher generates themes that come from 

the analysis of the data. By going back and forth between the data and the theory enables 

the researcher to make sense of his data. However, research is rarely entirely inductive since 

the researcher usually reviews and reads existing theory to be able to start his initial 

approach to data collection therefore the inductive approach entails a modicum of 

deduction (Bryman and Bell, 2011). To be able to begin the data collection the researchers 

started by looking into existing theory. This enabled them to understand how to obtain the 

data needed and how it could be used. However, to a large extent the existing theories were 

not considered until the majority of data had been gathered and the analysis was nearly 

completed. Therefore, the research study was done with an inductive approach with 

modicum of deduction.  The research approach for the thesis can be seen in figure 4. 



 
 

12 
 

 

Figure 4. Research approach used in the master thesis 

3.2 Data collection    
 

Data collection and empirical research is usually divided into three categories; quantitative, 

qualitative and mixed research (Bryman and Bell, 2011). Gillham (2010) describes 

quantitative methods as those that include counting and measuring whilst qualitative 

methods focus mainly on information deducted from interviews and direct observation that 

enables the researcher to understand the context. Although qualitative data is most often 

predominant in case studies, quantitative data can enhance the overall study and since all 

data should be combined in the researcher’s data collection a case study design is most 

often a mixture of qualitative and quantitative methods (Gillham, 2010). A mixture of both 

methods was used in the thesis in order to address the research objectives and fulfill the aim 

of the thesis. Gathering qualitative data through interviews and observation enabled the 

researchers to gain a deep understanding of the administrative activities performed at the 

CT and draw process maps as well as gather information on interesting discussion subjects. 

Thereafter, quantitative data was gathered through studying and measuring both variable 

and fixed time factors which enabled the researchers to formulate an algorithm.  

3.2.1 Interviews and observation  

In order to gain a broader picture of the activities performed in the CT the researchers begun 

by having short introduction meeting with all employees of concern in the CT, going through 

every customers flow in a general way. Thereafter qualitative data was gathered through 

process observation and semi structured interviews with numerous employees of interest in 

the CT and other departments within SLL. Bryman and Bell (2011) describe semi structured 

interviews as approach where the researcher has a list of questions which cover relatively 

specific topics. However, the researcher has some leeway to ask supplementary questions in 

response to what is seen as significant to the problem on hand. Therefore the emphasis 

should be mainly on how the interviewee frames and understands specific issues. By having 

this flexibility the researcher is able to adjust the emphasis in the research if important 

topics arise during the interview. Bryman and Bell (2011) also argue that direct observation 

is an effective method to obtain data needed and it enables the researchers to interact with 

employees and thoroughly understand the processes. 



 
 

13 
 

 

A questionnaire (see appendix B) for the interviews was formulated with the help of the SLL 

supervisor in order to ensure that intended data was captured. To gain a deeper 

understanding how each process worked, what drove administrative work and to identify 

decisions required and documents used for every step of the process, selected people of 

interest were interviewed. All interviews were audio recorded in order to assure that 

misunderstandings or interpretations would not occur. After every interview the recordings 

were played again, transcribed and analyzed. From the empirical data obtained during these 

interviews process maps were constructed and each process described in detail.  Thereafter, 

a second interview with the employees was conducted in order to validate and finalize the 

maps.  

3.2.2 Time study  

The time study was performed by observing the activities that the CT employees in question 

performed. The time for each activity, within predefined processes, was measured by using 

stopwatches. However, as the time study was half way through the researchers noticed that 

many of the activities performed, at the CT, were not directly related to any of the processes 

that had been defined. This was mainly since all support functions had been defined as 

customer support and many of these functions were not directly related to the customer as 

such. However, the activities that were considered to be outside the customer support 

definition are necessary to be able to serve the customer as best as possible and keep the 

flow of material and information uninterrupted.  Therefore, quite some time had to be spent 

on redefining processes before the time study could be continued.  

 

After spending substantial time observing the employees and measuring the time for 

activities it was clear that the researcher would not be able to observe and measure the time 

duration for all processes since some of the processes occur seldom.  Therefore, the data 

needed to be obtained by other means. For those processes that the employees could define 

the process duration the data was gained by interviewing the employees and thoroughly 

defining time for each activity within the process. However, in some cases the employees 

were not able to determine the process duration because they varied substantially in both 

content and duration between days. Therefore, the data was obtained by having the 

employees fill out a time template for the process during a specific time period.  

 

When data for all processes had been obtained the employees were asked to verify that the 

average times defined for each process were accurate.  

3.2.3 Literature review  

Theoretical data was gathered by reading books and articles from online databases, such as 

the Chalmers library database, Emerald and Google Scholar.  In order to find books and 

articles on the databases that were relevant to the thesis work, keywords such as; process 

mapping, administrative processes and third party logistics, were used.  



 
 

14 
 

3.2.4 Other source of data   

Empirical data used in the company description (chapter 4.1) was collected through the 

company homepage as well as through interviews with the SLL supervisor and CT manager.  

3.3 Method assessment  

The fact that time study data was obtained by various means, that is, through interviews, 

direct observation and time templates could affect the validity of the study. However, it is 

assumed that since the employees work with these processes from day to day the validity of 

the data gained from them was similar to the ones that had been obtained through direct 

observation. Additionally, since the employees verified that the average times established 

for each process were correct it further increased the validity of the study.  

 

Furthermore, since the interviews and time study were conducted on English and the 

employees in question are Swedish it could be that the researchers were not able to obtain 

all information needed or some of the information was misunderstood. This could affect the 

validity of the study. However, since both parties were fully aware of this and the CT 

employees discussed and clarified points which were in question it is assumed that the 

validity of the thesis is not affected greatly. Furthermore, as the CT employees were asked to 

verify that the information obtained was correct afterwards it should further increase the 

validity.  

 

As the interviews were semi structured it could be that the information obtained was diverse 

between different employees interviewed which could also affect the validity of the thesis. 

This is mainly since in most instances interviews took different direction depending on the 

employee in question. However, when the researchers had conducted all interviews and 

discrepancies were uncovered, additional questions were asked to even out the 

inconsistencies.  

 

According to Bryman and Bell (2011) a reliability of a study is concerned whether its results 

can be repeated. By using the interview template which was constructed for the employees 

it is assumed that the study could be repeated. Furthermore, since the time study is 

described in detail the reliability of the study further increased. However, as the interviews 

were semi structured there were some topics discussed which were not in the template.  

 

 

 

 

 



 
 

15 
 

4  Empirical data  
In this chapter the focal company (SLL), Schenker Logistics (SLOG) as well as the control tower 

within SLL will be presented.  Furthermore, general processes are explained and support and 

problem solving function is described in detail. This will be followed by descriptions and maps 

of all administrative processes identified in the CT for the four customers, time study results 

and a description of how the four customers are priced today for the administrative services.  

4.1 Schenker Logistics Sweden (SLOG Sweden) 

SLOG Sweden is a daughter company of Schenker North, which consists of Sweden, Norway, 

Denmark and England. It is a pure third party logistics company which mainly focuses on 

warehouse handling. However, the company also buys and sells transport services in 

collaboration with many different companies (e.g. DHL, Schenker land and UPS) and thus is 

able to offer complete logistics solutions (Kolderup, 2012). SLOG Sweden has logistics 

centers at 5 strategic situated locations in Sweden (Jönköping, Skåne, Nässjö, Stockholm and 

Gothenburg) and total warehousing space of 130.000 m² at their disposal. Furthermore, it 

has approximately 400 employees and in 2011 the turnover was more than SEK 500 million. 

The company has around 60 customers in Sweden however, most numbers of customers are 

located in the warehouse in Stockholm and there is also where they have most of their 

administrative services (DB Schenker 2012).  

4.1.1 Schenker Logistics Landvetter (SLL) 

In November 2011 SLL moved into a new warehouse located close to the airport in 

Landvetter Gothenburg (figure 5). After an expansion which is assumed to be finished in the 

end of 2012 the total floor area will be 40.000 m² with additional 8.000 m² on a mezzanine. 

At the moment there are eleven customers managed in the warehouse. However, after the 

expansion the total number of customers will be 12 (Kolderup, 2012).  These customers are 

quite diverse in regards of business characteristics and environment (e.g. industry, fashion) 

thus they have different needs in relation to warehouse and administrative solutions. 

 

Figure 5. Schenker Logistics at Landvetter 



 
 

16 
 

4.1.1.1 Control Tower 

The CT is a centralized planning and control department within SLL which enables an 

effective flow of information and coordination between different entities within the chain 

(figure 6).  Furthermore, the department is responsible for executing main administrative 

services (e.g. tracking, transport booking and customs handling) for SLL´s customers. A large 

part of this concerns customer service or support, addressing various issues that occur, in 

order to ensure an efficient material and information flow.  At the moment there are 8 

employees in total working in the CT, seven of those being process owners and a CT 

manager which is responsible for leading and guiding the CT team.  

 

Figure 6. The CT is a centralized planning and control department within SLL 

4.2 Main processes in the CT  

Before going in to the mapping of all processes it is needed to provide short explanation on 

the main processes that are executed in the CT. Furthermore, as the support function is not 

defined in the same way as other processes, this will be described in more detail. 

4.2.1 Inbound 

The inbound process in the CT is generally split in two phases, a planning phase and 

receiving phase. Then the activities performed in the CT will be different whether it is a 

container or a truck that is coming in. These are merely connected to notifying production 

on an incoming shipment both before and at arrival but as well solving problems that occur.  

4.2.2 Outbound 

The outbound process is mainly associated with two main activities. Firstly, various types of 

transport bookings are performed by the CT depending on the requirements of each 

customer. Then for outgoing shipments that are going to a non-EU country, the CT is 

normally involved in providing the corresponding export documents before the shipment 

leaves SLL. 

4.2.3 Returns 

For goods that need to be returned from  the Customer Back to SLL, for various reason such 

as wrong pickings, the CT is often enquired to book the transport for this.  



 
 

17 
 

4.2.4 Meetings 

The CT along with other SLL staff normally has meetings with the customer a couple of time 

per month, where the most important issues at that time are discussed. 

4.2.5 Invoicing 

The CT is also mainly responsible for creating the invoices for customers. This can be divided 

in handling invoicing and transport invoicing. However, the transport invoicing is solely 

performed for the customers where SLL is responsible for the transport. This process is 

normally performed once per month. 

4.2.6 Support and problem solving  

As described in the method chapter, the support and problem solving function does not fall 

under any of the processes defined.  Basically these are the activities that are not happening 

repetitively and can therefore not be related directly to a specific process that is 

characterized with defined activities and begins with a defined input and ends with specific 

output. These, were then placed under the same definition; support and problem solving, 

which was believed to cover the activities performed outside of the defined processes.  

The support function is divided into four different categories depending mainly on from 

where the input is as well as the type of support that is performed. Together these factors 

describe the perhaps most important function of the CT that involves providing support to 

main processes and thereby ensuring efficient and smooth flow of goods and information 

from the point of inbound order entry until the goods arrive at the final destination.  

4.2.6.1 Customer support  

Customer support mainly concerns the CT being present for the customer, answering all 

kinds of questions and enquiries. These can be questions concerning status of orders, 

inventory status as well as pointers on faults performed by SLL such as wrong labeling. Here 

the input is normally from the customer´s side.  

This can often be a quite time consuming function since the CT employee might need to deal 

with the same issue several times over a specific period of time. This is primarily because the 

CT employee will receive a question, look into it and provide with an answer, but often the 

customer wants a “better” answer or looks more closely into it and comes back with a new 

question. This also makes it quite hard to define customer support as a certain process with 

a specific input and output since one request can stretch over days, even weeks. 

4.2.6.2  Internal support  

This involves all kinds of internal communication that the CT has with e.g. production, IT 

support, and economics department and are necessary to ensure a smooth flow of 

information within the company. Here the input can be both from the CT as well as internal 

parties. For this process, the CT can spend substantial time with production, walking back 

and forth in production, discussing different problems that occur and finding solutions. 



 
 

18 
 

4.2.6.3  External support  

External support is defined as all support that is offered to external parties other than the 

customer (e.g. transport companies, KGH).  

4.2.6.4 Proactive support  

Finally, proactive support means that the CT employee has the initiative on identifying issues 

needed to solve, such as problems with orders and either finding solutions to these, or 

contacting the right party needed to solve this. This is mainly performed to ensure that the 

flow of both information and materials is continuous. 

Finally, these four factors can of course intersect and be interrelated. For example when 

working on an enquiry for the customer the CT staff will most likely need to communicate 

with the production staff in order to get correct information or discuss how this can be 

solved. 

4.3 Process mapping and descriptions 

This sub-chapter focuses on describing both visually as textually all different processes that 

are performed for each of these four customers in the Control Towers. However, for some of 

the processes, a process map does not contribute to a better understanding or explanation of 

the process and is better explained in a text description. Furthermore, improvement 

possibilities recognized by the CT employees are illuminated.  

4.3.1 Customer A  

Customer A is one of SLL´s newest customers, started in 2011 and is SLL´s second biggest 

customer in relation to turnover; with for example around 20 blue collar staff in the 

warehouse. Customer A produces all kinds of working clothes for numerous different 

industries such as heavy work wear, healthcare, hotels, restaurants, catering and more. 

Customer A has 250 suppliers that require a lot of work for the unloading of inbound 

shipments, repacking them and putting away to the shelves. This also means that number of 

articles is very high. As a consequence of Customer A´s characteristics, there is very much 

pick and pack performed for them and they have around 50 customers that are sorted into 

three different zones on the mezzanine in SLL in order to make the pick tour for the pickers 

shorter and more efficient.  

4.3.1.1 Inbound 

The inbound process for Customer A in the CT can be divided in two separate parts; the 

inbound planning process and the inbound receiving process.  

Inbound planning 

Concerning planning inbound orders, SLL requires that their customers send delivery 

notifications in advance since it gives them an opportunity to schedule their staffing capacity 

and to ensure that all inbound orders can be admitted in a quick and efficient manner. 

Consequently, the inbound process is initiated when the CT receives a delivery notification 

which today is normally coming from the transportation companies via email. The email 



 
 

19 
 

contains general information regarding the shipment such as; arrival date, number of pallets, 

order number and number of packages.  The amount of information can however differ 

substantially and can for example contain only the number of pallets. When the CT receives 

the notification they normally email Customer A to make sure there is an inbound order for 

it and then notify production that the shipment is coming in.  If there is no inbound order 

number on the notification the CT will request that Customer A makes sure that an inbound 

order has been entered in to the system. This is because SLL is not able to enter articles into 

the system until an inbound order exists for it in the system and Customer A has had some 

problems with entering all inbound orders in to the system prior the arrival. 

Normally there should also be an arrival date on the delivery notification stating which date 

they will deliver the shipment. However there is no specific time slot dedicated for each 

delivery and the only restriction is that it is not possible to arrive with a shipment later than 

16:00 each day since it is too close to closing hours (17.00). Therefore the trucks arrive on 

any given time between the morning and 16:00 or even the day before or after scheduled 

arrival day. 

Before sending a request regarding the inbound order to Customer A, the CT notifies 

production about the inbound order and writes it on the notification board in the CT. This is 

done to ensure that everyone knows what is coming in the upcoming hours/days.  If an 

answer is received from Customer A concerning the specific inbound order the CT forwards 

it to production, otherwise the shipment will arrive anyway.  

Inbound. Planning process

CTCustomer A Production 

In
b

o
u

n
d

. P
la

n
n

in
g 

p
ro

ce
ss

Start 

Send delivery 
notification  

Notification 
received 

Notify Customer A 
(3)

Mail received 

Write on board (1)

Notify  (2)
Notification 

received 

Stop

Detailed description 

1. Dates of planned inbound orders are 
written on a notification board
  
2. Production is notified that a 
shipment is expected so that resources 
can be planned for upcoming days        

3. Email is sent to Customer A on 
information that was received in order 
to make sure that they have entered 
and inbound order in to the system 
before the shipment arrives at SLL. 

 

Figure 7. Inbound planning process 

 

 



 
 

20 
 

Inbound receiving 

As there have been problems with Customer A placing in inbound orders there have been 

the same difficulties with getting them to send the delivery notifications as requested.  This 

comes to the later part of the inbound process, where the truck arrives at production with 

the shipment. The process is initiated when the chauffer reports to the CT. The CT employee 

checks the notification board to see if the shipment has been advised. If not, the CT contacts 

production and checks if they are able to take it in. This depends on how busy production is 

at that time and how big the shipment is. If they are not able to receive it, the driver gets a 

new appointment the latest 24 hours later. However in most cases SLL tries to avoid this 

because of obvious inefficiencies and extra costs. Also, the CT employee logs this 

information in to excel that is used to inform Customer A on how many times the CT is not 

receiving a delivery notification. If the shipment is on the notification board, the CT sends 

the chauffer to the correct gate number. When arriving at the specific gate the chauffer 

hands over the shipment documents (waybill, purchasing order, etc.), production counts the 

number of colli´s (cartons, pallets, etc.) and if correct, confirms that it’s the same amount as 

on the shipment document.  

After this, production types the order number from the shipment document into the WMS 

system to see if it is there. If production is not able to find the inbound order for this 

shipment, they place it on the warehouse floor and contact the CT asking them to solve this. 

Furthermore, it is happening occasionally that no order number or other information is on 

the shipment. This will require quite a lot of extra time for production, the CT and Customer 

A in trying to investigate what it is that was sent, from what supplier it came from, etc. so 

Customer A can either locate the corresponding inbound order in their system or create a 

new one, which then enables them to enter it in to SLL´s WMS. As it is today, production log 

the shipments with missing inbound orders in to an excel sheet with information given with 

the shipment, and forward the sheet to the CT around ones a day, both in order to require 

Customer A to enter these in to the system but as well to monitor if this is increasing or 

decreasing between weeks/months.  When receiving the list, the CT employee forwards it to 

Customer A and asks them to fix the problem, either by placing an inbound order into the 

WMS via EDI or if it already exists, forward the order number to the CT so it can be 

identified. Finally when a reply has been received, the CT employee needs to look in to the 

system to make sure that all orders have been fixed before forwarding the notification to 

production. As can be seen, inbound orders are causing quite much problems for all parties 

involved since it can often be hard for Customer A to realize which order CT´s enquiry 

concerns and what articles to make an inbound order on. Consequently, it can take even a 

few days for them to respond to these requests from the CT, especially those that have no 

inbound orders or lack general information needed.  

When the orders have been received in SLL´s WMS system via EDI, production can start 

entering the articles in to the system. First the system will show an unloading list stating 

exactly what is supposed to have arrived in that order. Production prints the list and counts 



 
 

21 
 

the cartons to see if the pieces in each carton match with how many they are supposed to 

be. When finished counting production prints out a label containing barcode and article 

number as well as information on exactly where to place each carton. This label is placed on 

each carton. When he has counted everything he reports the exact numbers into the system. 

This usually varies, especially in textile since suppliers are allowed to round up to their batch 

sizes to the ordered quantity +/-10%. However always when a mismatch is between the 

order quantity and shipment quantity, the CT is notified, which then forward this 

information over to Customer A.  Finally, the cartons can be placed in the shelves.  

Additionally, when registering the shipment into the system there can be some problems 

occurring that hinder it to be placed in the shelves and entered into the system right away. 

An example can be that one of the article numbers doesn’t exist in the system. If this occurs, 

production needs to contact the CT which forwards the problem to Customer A and asks for 

the information needed to register the article into the system. When the information 

needed is received from Customer A the CT employee forwards it to the IT support which 

registers the information into the WMS system. When this is done the shipment can be 

finalized and placed in the shelves.   

 



 
 

22 
 

Inbound. Recieve process 

CTCustomer A Production 

In
b

o
u

n
d

. R
ec

ie
ve

 p
ro

ce
ss

 

Detailed description 

1. If production can´t take the shipment 
in they chauffeur is assigned a new 
appointment 
  
2. The production employee/s unload 
the truck      

3. An  excel file stating all inbound 
order that are not found in the system 
is sent to the CT

4. The CT notifies Customer A of all 
inbound orders that are not found in 
the system and requests for correction  

5. Customer A places inbound orders in 
system

6. CT checks if everything is okay.

Chauffeur reports 
to CT

Start 

Notification on 
board ?

Assign new 
appointment (1)

Notify chauffeur 

Unload (2)

Order found in 
system ?

Notify (3)Send a request (4)

Stop

Receive request 

Reply (5)
Place in shelfs and 

log into WMS

Yes

Log into excel 

Can production 
take it in ?

No
Yes

No

No Yes

Check in system (6)

Log into excel 

 

Figure 8. Inbound receiving process 

4.3.1.2 Outbound  

This chapter covers the main processes performed for Customer A´s outbound shipments. 

Booking confirmations 

First of all, Customer A manages their transportation through other transportation 

companies’. The majority of these transports are booked or confirmed automatically 

through Centiro when production has closed the shipment in the system. Consequently, CT 

normally has nothing to do with this. One example of this automatic confirmation is the 



 
 

23 
 

transport company Posten that comes each day of the week to pick up shipments. There, the 

booking of the transport has already been done but Centiro sends an EDI-file specifying the 

quantities, article numbers, etc. so Posten can scan the packages in to their system.   

Another transport company booked automatically is e.g. UPS standard. 

However, there are two conditions where the CT needs to take part of this. Firstly this is for 

shipments going with the transport company Dachser.  There, e.g. for shipments going to 

SAS Denmark and SAS Sweden, Posten normally do the transport. However, if these 

shipments are so called bulk shipments (over 12 packages or a whole pallet) the transport 

company Dachser is used to do the transportation, which then needs to be manually booked 

by SLL. This goes for all other shipments going with Dachser. This process is initiated by 

production seeing that a shipment needs to go with Dachser. Then the booking is sent 

manually by EDI-file to Dachser. Production then sends the same information to the CT by 

email and asks them to do a so called security booking with Dachser. This e-mail is then 

forwarded by the CT employee to Dachser. The reason for this security booking is that there 

is an issue that has come up sometimes that Dachser only receives the email but not the EDI 

file from production. In that case, Dachser informs the CT about it which looks in the system 

to see if it has been sent. If not, the CT employee contacts production and asks them to send 

the file.   

Secondly, for shipments going to customers in Finland, Customer A requires that SLL uses the 

transport company Itella which comes daily to pick up shipments. Consequently, production 

sends the CT an e-mail each day regarding the freight quantity that needs to go with Itella 

that day. Thereafter, the CT sends an email (before noon) to Itella stating the amount that 

will be transported with them. Subsequently, Itella sends the CT the waybill which is printed 

out and sent to production.  



 
 

24 
 

Outbound. Booking confirmation 

CTForwarder Production

O
u

tb
o

u
n

d
. B

o
o

ki
n

g 
co

n
fi

rm
in

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Detailed description 

1. Production sends a booking 
confirmation request to the CT, 
containing outbound quantity  
  
2. Booking confirmation sent via email 
to the forwarder.         

Request for 
transport booking 

(1) 

Start 

Waybill sent to 
CT? 

Receive request 

Confirm booking (2)
Receive 

confirmation

Receive waybill 

Forward waybill Waybill received 

Truck arrives 

Stop

Yes

No

 
Figure 9. The outbound process for booking confirmation 

Express transportation  

When Customer A makes an outbound order they state if it is an express order. Once 

production has picked it, it is either brought to the CT or production emails the CT that it has 

been picked. The CT personnel logs into the system to find shipment information (weight, 

address, etc.) which is used to fill in the transport booking on the UPS website. Once the 

transport has been booked the personnel receives an address label. Then, usually the CT 

employee runs out to production with the address label or the package. 

Moreover, there are non-frequent customers in Iceland and SAS China that the CT needs to 

book the transport for every now and then since they are required to be booked with UPS 

express.  This is executed in the exactly same way as the express transportation process 

since it is with the same transportation company. However these shipments are not 

“express” shipments as others that are booked with UPS express and therefore do not 

require the same priority. 

 



 
 

25 
 

Outbound: Express transportation 

Customer A CT Production 

O
u

tb
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d
: E

xp
re

ss
 t

ra
n

sp
o

rt
at

io
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Send outbound 
order/request 

express 
transportation   

Start 

Detailed description 

1. Information obtained on the previous 
step used to fill in transport booking on 

the UPS website 

Receive order

Pick order 

Request booking 
for express 

transportation    
Receive request 

Book 
transportatiom (1)

Receive address 
label 

Forward address 
label 

Receive address 
label 

Load truck 

Stop

Log into system to 
obtain shipment 

information 

Forward order+ 
tracking number 

Receive 
order+tracking 

number 

 

Figure 10. Express transport booking 

Rush transportation  

When Customer A needs a shipment to be transported within a very specific time limit such 

as a few hours, the company requests for a rush or BUD transportation. The main difference 

between this and a normal express transportation order is that the express order normally 

just needs to leave SLL the same day, while for rush transport; the shipment needs to be at 

the customer within one day, even within few hours.  

The process is initiated when Customer A contacts the CT and informs them that a specific 

shipment needs to be sent urgently. The CT then contacts production in order to verify that 

the shipment can be picked within a specific timeframe. As soon as the order has been 

picked, production either brings it to the CT or sends an email with information regarding 



 
 

26 
 

weight and amount of packages on the shipment.  Subsequently, the CT calls different 

transportation companies to check for prices and see if the shipment can be delivered within 

that specific time frame. In some instances Customer A requests to be contacted before the 

transportation is booked to get the price. If Customer A accepts the prices the transportation 

is booked otherwise it is booked with express delivery.   

If Customer A does not ask for the price the CT books the transportation straight away. 

When it has been booked it is logged it into a excel file and all emails from Customer A 

regarding that specific shipment are saved as a precaution. Thereafter the shipment is 

picked up either from the CT or from production.  

Outbound. Rush transportation 

CTKwintet Production 

O
u

tb
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d
. R

u
sh

 t
ra

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sp

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at
io

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Detailed description 

1. Order is either brought to the CT or 
email is sent with information on 
weight and quantity 
  
2. The CT calls different transport 
companies to check for prices 

3. Booking logged into a excel file for 
next month invoicing

4. Until the order has been picked up by 
the transport company it is monitored 
by the CT employee.

Start 

Request Rush
Receive Rush 

request 

Request to pick 
order

Pick order 

Inform CT (1)
Receive 

information 

Search for best 
price on Rush (2)

Notify Kwintet 
about price?

Agree on Rush 
price ?

Book Rush 
transport

Logg into 
excel (3)

Monitor shipment 
(4)

Shipment picked up

Ask for express 
transportation 

Book express 
transportation 

Yes

No
YesNo

Stop

 

Figure 11. Rush transport booking 



 
 

27 
 

Export documentation 

When shipments need to be transported outside of EU (Iceland, Norway, etc.) the CT has to 

contact Customer A in order to get export documents. The export documents for these 

shipments are always created at the departure date when the shipment has been picked. 

The process is initiated when production sends the CT an email regarding non EU shipments 

with information about the weight and the “order picking numbers”. Before Customer A is 

contacted the CT goes into the system to obtain the Customer A order number. A request for 

export documents is then sent to Customer A with all order numbers. Once Customer A has 

sent the export documentation the CT personnel makes few copies of it and forwards them 

to production. For shipments going to either SAS Norway (always leave on Mondays) and to 

Laksevågen (always leave on Tuesdays), this process is always performed once per week. 

Other non-EU shipments can be leaving at any given time and thus do not have fixed 

frequency.  

Outbound. Export documentation

Customer A CT Production 

O
u

tb
o

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n

d
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xp
o

rt
 d

o
cu

m
en

ta
ti

o
n

Send email 
regarding non-EU 

shipments (1)

Start 

Receive email 

Log into system (2)

Send email with 
shipment 

information (3)
Receive email 

Prepare export 
documentation 

Send 
documentation 

Receive email 

Make copy´s of 
documentation 

Forward 
documentation 

Receive 
documentation 

Stop

Detailed description 

1. An email is sent that  contains 
information on weight and the order 
number of the non-EU shipment 

2. A CT employee logs into the system 
to obtain the Customer A  order 
number       

3.  A request for export documents is 
sent to Customer A  with both order 
numbers

 

Figure 12. Export documentation for non-EU shipments 



 
 

28 
 

4.3.1.3 Return shipments  

The CT is rarely notified when orders are picked incorrectly and returned. In most cases the 

information goes straight to production/stock manager. Although when the CT is notified via 

Customer A the information is forwarded to production which investigates the problem. 

Production then notifies the CT if the problem has been solved and the information is 

forwarded to Customer A.  

4.3.1.4 Support and problem solving  

As discussed in the time study chapter (4.4.1), this function is a very large part of the 

Customer A flow in the CT. This can be related to the fact that Customer A is a fairly new 

customer at SLL and consequently there have been some problems with them following the 

requirements set by SLL which has caused delays and inefficiencies in the flow. The support 

and problem solving for Customer A is split in four parts as defined for all customers.  A large 

part of the support function is directed at answering and finding solutions to customer 

enquiries. However, quite much time is spent in communication with internal parties such as 

IT-support and especially production staff and stock manager. Then transport companies can 

have enquiries concerning several issues that are directed to the CT. Finally, normally when 

time allows, the CT employee works proactively with solving issues that might cause 

instability and delay in the flow.  

Customer support 

The customers support regards all types of questions and enquiries from Customer A that 

can arise at any given time. Concerning inbound this can be question regarding why an 

inbound order has not been entered in to the system. Another request could be concerning 

if the supplier has only sent part of a specific order and Customer A wants to check if they 

have received the rest, and if so, when they will be able count and enter it into the system. 

Concerning outbound, it can be questions such as; what is the tracking number of a specific 

shipment, why a shipment hasn’t arrived at the customer and when it will arrive, if they sent 

the right quantity of the right order, etc.  

Other enquiries can be that Customer A has a request for inventorying (stocktaking). Since 

Customer A pays an extra fee for this, the CT employee is required to notify its contact 

person at Customer A to get his approval before doing this. Furthermore, when inventorying 

is completed, the CT employee needs to take a copy of it, in order be able to show for it, if 

Customer A would have any comments on it when the invoice is sent each month. 

Inventorying is normally requested when there are some discrepancies in number of articles 

between Customer A and SLL. This can e.g. be that Customer A is charged for X number of 

articles by their supplier but SLL is not putting away the same amount. This can be because 

the supplier has labeled the packages wrongly causing SLL to enter wrong amount of articles 

in to the system.  



 
 

29 
 

Moreover, Customer A might request an order to be deleted (inbound or outbound). Finally, 

Customer A can have various “pointers” regarding mistakes such as badly packed pallets, 

wrongly labeled etc.  

Internal support 

This function is related to activities that are performed in cooperation with internal parties. 

For Customer A these are; IT-support, production staff and stock manager. Firstly, 

concerning IT-support this is mainly if orders get stuck in the system. If identified by IT-

support, they contact the CT and let them known what is causing the failure. Then the CT 

employee needs to contact Customer A and ask them to fix this. This can for example be 

when an inbound order entered in to the system has an article number that has not been 

created in the system. For production and stock manager, this is merely related to order 

problems such as when an inbound order has not been entered into the system at shipment 

arrival.  

External support 

This function is the least time consuming for the CT employee in Customer A´s case and is 

mostly associated with giving answers to transport companies on various questions 

regarding the transport (e.g. address). However, since Customer A is responsible for the 

transport, they are responsible for most activities after the truck has left SLL (e.g. tracking 

shipments). 

The CT employee is also contacted by companies that transport for SLL (e.g. UPS, Schenker 

Land).  There can be various issues or questions that the companies bring up and in some 

cases the employee needs to contact production to be able to answer.  

Proactive support 

When time is available, the CT employee spends time on looking through problems that are 

on standby and sees if it is possible to find solutions to these, first by looking at it 

themselves, finding the source of the problem, and if they are not able to solve it, contact 

the correct person to do it. Furthermore, the CT employee looks through the system, 

discusses with production, etc. in order to make sure that everything is running smoothly. If 

problems are identified, the CT employee contacts the person that is able to solve this. 

Finally this can also be all kind of information that CT provides to Customer A in order to 

avoid misunderstandings. This can for example be if WMS sends wrong information to 

Customer A regarding stock status, inbound orders, outbound shipments, etc. 

As can be seen from the description of this support function, the time that is consumed in 

the CT depends on how much is to do for the CT at each time. Therefore if less time is spent 

with the general processes; more time can be spent answering customer support questions, 

discussing with production and proactively supporting the customer in order to ensure that 

the whole flow is working. 



 
 

30 
 

4.3.1.5 Telephone meeting  

Every other week a telephone meeting with representatives from Customer A is held.  

During the meeting recent or previous issues in e.g. inbound or outbound are discussed and 

improvement possibilities suggested. Also some general information updates are given by 

both parties. Then it depends a lot on the subject of each meeting how much the CT 

employee needs to do after the meeting, such as emailing different information or 

documenting new routines. 

4.3.1.6  Invoicing  

Since Customer A is a relatively new customer the CT is only involved to a small extent in the 

invoicing. For the main part it is done by the Customer A project manager.  

In the end of every month the CT personnel collects all rush invoices and logs it into a excel 

file including the activities which have been performed that are not included in the contract. 

These are quite many today because of the problems that have been in this flow, e.g. for not 

entering inbound orders in to the system. The excel sheet is then sent to the project 

manager.   

4.3.1.7 Overview of processes 

Figure 13 provides an overview of all process defined for Customer A.  

 

 

Figure 13. All processes identified for Customer A 

4.3.1.8 Improvement suggestions by employees 

In this chapter improvement possibilities recognized by the CT employee are illuminated. 

Inbound 

Like can be seen from the description of the process, there are many problems with the 

inbound process today, partly caused by Customer A, which can be hard for SLL to control or 



 
 

31 
 

resolve. One reason for this is that the requirements for sending delivery notifications and 

inbound orders have not become a standard routine for Customer A. The CT employee 

believes that this can for example be because there are many different parties responsible 

for notifying SLL for different shipments such as suppliers, transport companies as well as 

Customer A itself.  Consequently, this process is taking substantial time for the CT, 

communicating with production and Customer A back and forth as well going into 

production discussing with them in order to understand the problems more thoroughly. In 

order to fix this SLL could simply not allow Customer A to send any shipments before they 

have put in an inbound order. As easy as it sounds it can however be challenging to 

implement in a real life situation but should benefit both parties if implemented successfully. 

Another way could be to put a limit on how many shipments can be taken in without a 

notification.  Additionally, inbound trucks are not being given a time slot per day, but can be 

arriving at any given time which makes it harder for production to schedule their capacity. 

This should be changed so SLL would tell the transport companies when they could deliver 

the shipment. 

However it also needs to be considered that Customer A is a relatively new customer and it 

can take some time to get the requirements that SLL puts on its customers in to a routine. 

During the first interview there had already been made some improvements regarding these 

issues and a month later when the observations were made it was clear that these matters 

have improved quite a lot. Firstly, Customer A has improved the number of inbound orders 

sent to SLL pre delivery. This is a result of frequent meetings between SLL and Customer A, 

where CT has pushed this. Also the CT has worked continuously on letting Customer A know 

each time they get a notification so Customer A can make sure that an inbound order has 

been placed. Secondly, Customer A has improved sending delivery notifications and is now 

mainly having their transport companies sending delivery notifications instead of three 

different parties.  From this it can be assumed that this will continue to improve and the 

requirements that SLL puts on Customer A will hopefully have become a standard routine for 

Customer A in several months’ time.  

Finally there are improvement possibilities within SLL as well which mostly seem to be 

connected to better communication between production and the CT which would make the 

coordination of information between Customer A, the CT and production a lot easier and 

more efficient.  

Meetings  

A routine internal meeting with those that are involved in the functions connected to 

Customer A could possibly improve procedures as well as the information flow between 

different departments.  

Invoicing  

Since the CT has to invoice Customer A for every activity performed which is not stated in 

the contract they have to know exactly what is included in it. In order to make certain that 



 
 

32 
 

Customer A is invoiced for all additional functions the CT should have a clear listing of what 

is included in the contract.  However some responsibility must also be put on the CT, to 

really try to understand what is included and what´s not and charge for everything that is 

not.  

Some segments in the contract also have to be updated, since some procedures have 

changed considerably as well as the proportion between different procedures.  

Return shipments  

Since the CT is rarely notified about orders that have been incorrectly picked it is hard for 

them to see if there is any correlation between occasions and find improvement possibilities. 

If a standard procedure would be established it could lead to improvements in this sector.  

Reoccurring problems could possibly be eliminated which would lead to both parties gaining.  

Also CT/SLL wants to be able to keep log on the wrongly picked articles to compare to the 

contracts. However this is a problem at the moment since Customer A is not able to provide 

this information currently. 

Support and problem solving 

The support function is a very big part of the Customer A flow. Because of the instability in 

this flow, Customer A has frequent enquiries many of which concern inbound orders. As 

discussed before this can be traced back to lack of organization at Customer A that result in 

faults. Furthermore, Customer A is a fairly new customer as well as a very big one which 

makes mistakes more frequent. It is believed that when they have settled better and 

routines have been defined more clearly, both at SLL as well as Customer A, the support 

function should not be as time consuming as today. However, in order for this to be possible 

some improvements need to be made. First, it needs to be demonstrated in very clear way 

why it is important for Customer A to set clearly defined routines for sending a delivery 

notification, entering inbound orders in to SLL´s system before arrival of shipment, etc. 

When this has been achieved Customer A will be forced to make changes in order to fix this, 

which could for example be done by having fewer persons responsible for these actions or 

even having a coordinator that would be responsible for the flow, making sure that nothing 

goes wrong. However, Customer A is a large and complex customer with goods coming from 

different places which make it harder to execute this. 

4.3.2 Customer B  

Customer B is a company that purchase and distributes fashion apparel such as Lacoste and 

Caterpillar in various countries in Europe and is one of the strongest in this area in the 

Nordics and Baltics. Customer B has been a customer at SLL for around five years. In relation 

to turnover; number of staff in SLL, inbound and outbound orders, etc. Customer B can be 

considered as a mid-size customer. Around 70% of their goods that go through SLL are 

repacked and sent from the warehouse within a short period. This means that there is quite 



 
 

33 
 

a lot of handling such as pick and pack performed for the customer.  Additionally, as a 

fashion apparel distributor, there are considerable seasonal variations in volumes handled. 

4.3.2.1 Inbound  

For the inbound procedure at CT there are mainly two inputs depending on if it is a container 

or a truck shipment that is coming in. Then the truck shipment can be divided in to two 

separated phases, the planning phase and the receiving phase. In the planning phase there 

are two possible inputs; if the transportation is booked by Customer B or if the CT books the 

inbound transport. In the receiving phase there are also two possible inputs; if delivery 

notification was sent prior to the truck arriving versus if no notification was sent before the 

truck arrives at SLL.   

Truck shipments planning  

In some cases the CT employee books inbound transportation (shipments coming from 

Netherlands, Spain or Portugal). When the CT gets a booking request from Customer B an 

email is sent to the booking office at Schenker Land in Gothenburg. Usually Customer B is 

notified that the transport has been booked. When a delivery notification has been received 

from Schenker Land the CT employee writes the planned delivery on the notification board. 

The CT employee also gets a tracking number from Schenker and tracks the shipment until it 

arrives at SLL.  

When Customer B handles the transport booking the process is initiated when the CT 

receives a notification from the transport company. The CT is usually notified by the 

transport company at least one day before the shipment arrives. Thereafter, the CT 

employee writes the planned delivery on the notification board, prints out a packing list 

from Customer B and hands both the list and the delivery notification over to production. 

This is done so that production can plan how many employees from the staffing agency 

Uniflex will be needed the coming day.   



 
 

34 
 

Inbound.Truck shipment planning 

CTCustomer B Production 

In
b

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d

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ru

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ip

m
en

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p

la
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in

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Start 

Transport booking 
performd by Customer 

B?(1)

Receive delivery 
notification 

Send request Receive request 

Book transport (2)

Send notification 
(3)

Receive notification 

Write on 
notification board 

Print out packing 
list 

Notify production 
(4) 

Receive  
documents

Plan staff 

Stop

Detailed description 

1. If  Customer B or their suppliers book 
the inbound transportation the process 
is initiated when the CT receives 
notification from the transport 
company. However when the CT books 
the transport the input is a booking 
request sent by Customer B..

2. An email is sent to the booking office 
of Schenker in Gothenburg. When the 
booking is done the CT employee 
receives a tracking number and the 
shipment is monitored until it arrives at 
SLL. 

3. As soon as the booking is completed 
a notification is sent to Customer B. 

4. The CT employee notifies production 
b