Philippines-based Airship optimizes courier processes with software solutions

For a few years before Rachelle Uy Tan founded Airship Logistics Solutions in the Philippines in 2019, she was part of an e-commerce team. She noticed that there were issues with the local courier industry and observed that many businesses relied on the services of small local couriers to complete their deliveries, yet these partnerships would rarely last more than a few months due to a noticeable drop in delivery standards.

At the time, cash on delivery was the prevailing payment method, due to consumers’ lack of trust in businesses and courier services. Most couriers did not utilize automated systems to keep track of their deliveries and finances, and instead relied on written records to manage these elements of their operations. This led to a lack of accountability, cash management problems, and even collapse in a matter of months.

This exposure inspired Tan to form Airship, a startup that builds all-in-one software solutions for courier companies to improve their end-to-end delivery services. The company has created a centralized and automated system that can perform rider management, track the location of parcels, and keep tabs on cash flows. Essential software components such as websites for online bookings and payment systems are also integrated with the system to reduce the time and effort needed to generate and maintain physical records.

With Airship’s platform, delivery processes are more transparent and secure. Customers can receive real-time updates on the status of their parcels, while courier companies can track the cash that riders receive whenever they deliver a package.

The uptick in online orders has been a boon for Airship. While the bulk of the startup’s clients are courier businesses, brick-and-mortar retail chains that operate e-commerce sites now also use Airship’s product.

The Philippines has low shipping and delivery fees, so most companies, including Airship, can offer low rates for their services. However, Airship stands out in that it provides an all-in-one software solution for clients, while most of the firm’s competitors build individual software components without the same extensive range of services.

Airship Logistics Solutions was one of the ten finalists of the Alibaba Cloud x KrASIA Global Startup Accelerator Philippines Demo Day that was held on February 8.