Exceed Customer Expectations & Improve Efficiency

MODE Global, one of the world’s leading logistics companies, is using Descartes MacroPoint™ Ocean Visibility to boost operational efficiency and provide customers with rich ocean status updates throughout the shipment journey. “Early on, we recognized that there was a significant opportunity to improve how we tracked ocean shipments,“ said Jason Mesko, Vice President of International Operations from MODE Global, “The process of navigating various websites; including rail sites, port sites, and ocean carrier sites; to track containers by inputting container numbers and searching for information was simply not efficient.”

“Also on the customer service side, we knew that we needed to exceed our clients’ expectations for real-time tracking information. In today’s world where ecommerce companies provide detailed tracking information for packages, customers expect similar visibility for their cargo. Beyond this, customers increasingly demand end-to-end visibility and not just basic information like sail dates and arrival dates.”

Jason Meskom, Vice President of International Operations, MODE Global


“Customers also want data that helps them understand the entire supply chain, from container availability at ports to the timing of container returns. As customers progress up the supply chain hierarchy, they also require more extensive and detailed data for decision-making particularly concerning lead times.”

Success Story

MODE Global

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Solution: Using Rich Ocean Shipment Data to Exceed Expectations

What makes the data from Descartes MacroPoint™ Ocean Visibility ‘advanced’ compared to traditional
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is that:

  • We receive data not only from 75+ global ocean carriers but also from terminals and rail systems,
    providing a more comprehensive view of the supply chain.
  • Data is consolidated into a unified format, making it easier to manage and analyze.
  • Integration capabilities allow us to feed this data directly into specific milestones, streamlining
    operations and decision-making.

“Descartes MacroPoint™ Ocean Visibility goes beyond EDI by providing a broader scope of data sources,
real-time information, and seamless integration to enhance visibility and supply chain management.
To achieve this, we’ve integrated with various third-party systems and customer platforms to share
information seamlessly. While offering website-based tracking is valuable, we also focus on providing data
that empowers our customers to optimize their operations effectively.”


“We’re transitioning from a milestone-focused management approach to one that prioritizes exceptions.
Instead of monitoring every milestone, we now concentrate on handling exceptions. We track reports daily
and address exceptions as they arise. Additionally, the integration with internal systems enables us to
trigger messages to key stakeholders based on milestone completions. For instance, we can send an email
with relevant documents to a designated party when cargo arrives or assign a trucker for pickup.”


“Descartes’ technology represents a foundational step in our journey toward automating processes,
workflow management, and more. It’s a strategic move to improve efficiency, reduce manual work, and
enhance information flow. In addition, Descartes MacroPoint™ Ocean Visibility includes information not just
from global ocean carriers but also terminal and rail data. This data is consolidated into a unified format
and seamlessly integrated into specific milestones, streamlining our operations and decision-making
processes. In essence, it offers a more advanced and holistic approach compared to traditional EDI status
updates.”

The Results

Improved Customer Service: Resources are freed to enable MODE Global to focus on exceptions.

Automated Processes: MODE Global is using automation to trigger messages to key stakeholders based on milestone completions.

Integrated with Internal Systems: The Descartes solution seamlessly populates back-office platforms to reduce data entry and labor.

Improved Insight and Analysis: Data is consolidated into a unified format, making it easier to manage and analyze