CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1     BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Location-tracking technology also is being used to streamline supply chains for corporations, seeking to move products to the market faster, and to monitor assets and prevent inventory loss. NIPOST’s online tracking is the fastest way to find out where your shipment is. No need to call customer service when we can offer you real-time details of your shipment’s progress as it speeds through the NIPOST Network on the way to its destination. Soon, companies also will be able to track your location. Imagine walking through your local supermarkets, and as you pass through the aisle, an electronic coupon for your favourite cereal is beamed to your phone.

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Today’s rate at which clients do call the tracking agents and also the rate at which clients visit the NIPOST office to confirm the status of the parcel they sent through the NIPOST service channel is too high . At times, the NIPOST agent may not be able to say precisely whether the parcel has been delivered or not due to inadequate means of communication to the company while on journey and secondly, it is more prone to error due to data lost. The data entry and validation aspect of the old system are done manually, the system use the data entered as the basis for the tutorials schedule while all documents given to the clients are generated from the data collected and result of processed data for use. This process is often associated with high-levels of manual processing, limited tracking visibility and poor customer service (at least perceived). An efficient chain-of-custody pro`of-of-delivery (POD) solution becomes more and more important to day-to-day operations.

1.3     AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The aim of this research is to design and implement online and real-time parcel monitoring and tracking system to the NIPOST clients.

1.3.1  SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

The specific objectives are;

1. The ability to manage and reassess objectives as needed.
2. The creation of acting plans that include milestones for much larger objectives.
3. The ability to track the amount of time spent on specific tasks, making sure that the most meaningful stay at the forefront.

1.4     SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of this research work will be limited to the provision of tracking information provided by the NIPOST for tracking of client’s freight and parcels on transit as provided by the NIPOST agents.

1.5         SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

In implementing the objectives of this study, the advantages of an E-tracking system over the existing system, i.e. the manual way of registering and monitoring the movement of freight or any parcel. Users will be able to tracking/ access resource digitally without carrying books, journals, magazines etc. which could result in rapid wear and tear of the paper documents. Besides, it will afford users the opportunity to see the current status and position of their goods or parcel. The proposed system will provide security to help track the movement of each ship and parcel carrier on transit. The system will also eliminate some of the routine manual work prevalent in the manual system of tracking.

1.6     RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research methodology involves the specification of procedures for collecting and analyzing data necessary to define or solve the problem for which the research is embarked upon.

1.7     DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. TRACKING: Tracking is the process of automatically locating a point or series of points from frame to frame in a sequence.
2. CARGO: Goods carried on a ship or aircraft.
3. INFORMATION: This is a collection of facts or data.
4. PARCEL: Goods etc. wrapped up in a package for posting or carrying.
5. E-TRACKING: Tracking is the process of automatically locating a point or series of points from frame to frame in a sequence        Online.
6. TRANSIT: Going, conveying, or being conveyed, esp. over a distance.
7. POD: Proof of delivery.
8. NIPOST: NIPOST.
9. TDX: Tracking Dog Excellent.
10. P.S.F.C: Parcel sent from client.
11. P.U.S: Parcel update status.
12. P.C: Parcel cleard to be dispartced.
13. P.R.S: Parcel report status.
14. T.R.F.C:Track request from client.
15. P.E.R.F.NIPOST: Parcel entry registration from NIPOST.
16. P.U.F.DISP: Parecl update from dispatcher.
17. T.R: Track result.