Microsoft has announced a major partnership with FedEx to improve the end-to-end commerce experience globally. FedEx will be working with Microsoft to introduce new offerings based on Azure and Dynamics 365 that will use data and analytics solutions to "reinvent the most critical aspects of the commerce experience."
Frederick W. Smith, chairman and CEO of FedEx said:
FedEx has been reimagining the supply chain since our first day of operation, and we are taking it to a new level with today’s announcement. Together with Microsoft, we will combine the immense power of technology with the vast scale of our infrastructure to help revolutionize commerce and create a network for what’s next for our customers.
Along with the partnership announcement, FedEx also announced the FedEx Surround, the first solution resulting from the FedEx and Microsoft collaboration. FedEx Surround will help businesses enhance their supply-chain by providing near-real-time analytics into shipment tracking. This will be particularly helpful to businesses that depend on time-sensitive deliveries like hospitals and manufacturing plants.
FedEx Surround will also collect data points through enhanced scanning and proprietary IoT technology from FedEx and will analyze them using Microsoft"s cloud infrastructure including AI and analytics solutions. This will provide businesses with not only enhanced visibility of a package’s location during its journey but also knowledge of global commerce conditions and external challenges in near-real-time.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said:
Now more than ever, organizations are counting on an efficient and capable supply chain to remain competitive and open for business. Together with FedEx, we will apply the power of Azure, Dynamics 365 and their AI capabilities to this urgent need, building new commerce experiences that transform logistics for our mutual customers around the world.
FedEx and Microsoft will share more information regarding FedEx Surround in the beginning of this summer. Both the companies will also announce additional solutions as part of their collaboration in the coming months, which will leverage even more Microsoft technologies, including Dynamics 365.