With data streaming, transport and logistics (T&L) companies can use massive amounts of data for real-time decisions. Streaming data can help organizations improve how they operate and deliver a better customer experience. Many companies across industries — including over 80% of the Fortune 100 — use the open source platform Apache Kafka to power data streaming. 

But using Kafka doesn’t come without risks. As your data streaming needs scale, your Kafka architecture can get overwhelmingly complex. Insufficient data controls can lead to data leaks and security breaches, which damage customer trust and may result in fines or regulatory action. Dirty data that seeps into downstream applications reduces the quality and accuracy of your analysis and decisions. 

A streamlined Kafka architecture, on the other hand, is an asset that can help your organization scale and transform. With high-quality real-time data, you can optimize your operations, develop new offerings, and deliver superior customer service — while keeping sensitive data secure. 

Here’s how Conduktor can help you simplify Kafka operations and securely stream high-quality data throughout your organization. 

Conduktor: Data Streaming for Transport and Logistics

Conduktor unites teams and systems using Apache Kafka, maximizing the utility and availability of your data.

What is Conduktor?

Conduktor is an Enterprise Data Management (EDM) platform that specializes in data streaming. It serves as a bridge between Kafka providers and downstream consumers, including applications and LLMs as well as platforms such as Snowflake or Fabric. 

Conduktor enables you to scale data streaming with security and control. Traditional methods for managing data quality in Kafka are heavily manual, time-consuming, and leave room for human error. Similarly, Kafka isn’t secure out of the box, and common authentication strategies can quickly become complex and unmanageable without an abstraction layer between Kafka and your applications. 

Conduktor is that abstraction layer. When it comes to quality, our approach is to stop bad data at the source. We intercept, filter, alter, and govern data before it enters your systems to prevent erroneous behavior and outcomes. Then, we enable you to centrally configure and enforce encryption, data masking, and access rules to ensure compliance across your business. 

Conduktor benefits for the transport and logistics industry

Across the T&L industry, organizations face challenges that threaten on-time performance, profitability, and growth. Labor shortages make it hard to keep up with demand. Geopolitical unrest affects route planning and safety. Increasing customer expectations put pressure on service and innovation teams alike. 

Streaming data is the key to staying ahead — and Conduktor helps you ensure your streaming data is accessible, secure, and reliable. 

With Conduktor, you can: 

• Balance agility and governance across teams with guardrails that block invalid or costly configurations and stop bad data at the source. 

• Ensure regulatory compliance and secure data sharing with an enterprise-grade shield over your Kafka infrastructure. 

• Accelerate time to market by bringing all your real-time data together for collaboration across tools, teams, and tech stacks. 

When we surveyed Conduktor customers, 96% of respondents agreed that their productivity has increased since adopting Conduktor. 

Conduktor use cases for transport and logistics 

Organizations across the T&L industry, including Flix, Air France, Lufthansa, and Virgin Atlantic, use Conduktor to ensure safe, reliable streaming data. Here are some of the most impactful streaming data use cases for T&L. 

Mobility and transportation

Transporting people or goods via air, sea, rail, road, or a combination is a complex undertaking with many opportunities for optimization and growth. Consumer spending on travel remains strong following the pandemic, and tourism is increasing in regions around the world. McKinsey projects that global travel spend will increase from $5.5 trillion in 2023 to $8.6 trillion in 2030. 

At the same time, operating costs have made revenues less predictable due to fluctuations in the cost of everything from fuel to parts to labor. With growing consumer spend comes ever-higher expectations. Customers increasingly demand sophisticated digital experience and prompt, personalized communications from transport operators. 

With streaming data, you can: 

• Dynamically modify schedules on the fly to respond to disruptions or capture demand.

• Optimize routes by analyzing traffic patterns and data from vehicles, vessels, aircraft, etc. 

• Rapidly collect and respond to customer feedback.

Data security is paramount when handling payment information and passenger data. Conduktor lets you centralize configuration of security and access controls to ensure consistency and compliance across the organization. 

Supply chain and logistics

Pressure on logistics organizations is high as macroeconomic conditions depress demand and rates. In an environment where every dollar counts, streaming data can help you operate more efficiently. Streaming data also creates opportunities to deliver value-added services that drive customer loyalty in a competitive environment. 

With real-time data, you can: 

• Optimize last-mile parcel delivery and increase cost-effectiveness, even in remote areas.

• Enable tracking and tracing of packages throughout a delivery network to keep customers informed and provide accurate delivery estimates.

• Adjust routing on the fly to respond to disruptions and keep goods moving throughout the supply chain.

• Create visibility within complex logistics networks that involve multiple participants.

IoT and sensor data

Sensors and Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled devices are providing unprecedented insight into all aspects of transportation and logistics networks. Today, everything from aircraft to trucks to individual items within warehouses can be equipped with sensors, driving visibility and creating new opportunities for efficiency. 

Here are a few examples of how organizations are using sensors to improve operations and deliver unique customer services: 

• Singapore Airlines uses data streaming from aircraft sensors to identify and address maintenance issues before they cause delays. 

• Bosch attaches sensors to returnable containers to optimize the cycle of distributing and collecting containers, a high priority for manufacturing companies. 

• Swiss Post distributed IoT-enabled buttons to households in remote areas so they can request services on demand without needing a smartphone or internet access. 

The challenge is building a data infrastructure that can handle this massive-scale data and ensure quality and security as it flows into downstream analytics and applications. Conduktor helps you securely scale your Kafka implementation to realize the potential of sensor data. 

Customer experience

Customers are continuing to spend on travel, even as economic conditions tighten. Deloitte reports that in the US, leisure travel still accounts for just over 6% of American spending, consistent with trends since fall 2021. The consultancy also projects that corporate travel spend will “finally pass the pre-pandemic line” by 2025. But customer loyalty is fickle, and travel operators are under pressure to outperform their competitors. 

Customer experience is just as important in logistics, where margin pressure is making retention more important than ever. Logistics providers need to provide strong performance, as well as visibility and good communication, to keep customers on board in a competitive environment. 

With streaming data, you can: 

• Deliver personalized customer experiences, ensuring customers feel understood and addressed even when things go wrong. 

• Provide visibility — into inventory, order status, flight status, etc. — to facilitate communication. 

• Proactively address maintenance or route issues that could affect on-time performance. 

Customer loyalty depends on trust. Conduktor lets you put data in the hands of developers and customer-facing teams while ensuring sensitive information remains secure. 

Scale safe, reliable streaming data with Conduktor

Ready to learn more about how Conduktor can help your retail business get ahead with streaming data? Book a demo or get started for free.