CJ Logistics Introduces 'Robot Process Automation'... Saves 5,600 Hours on Simple Tasks

CJ Logistics employees are carrying out office tasks using a Robotic Process Automation (RPA) program.

[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] CJ Logistics announced on the 13th that it has introduced Robotic Process Automation (RPA) across all business areas including logistics center operations, transportation, parcel delivery, forwarding, and overseas operations, achieving an annual reduction of 5,600 hours in simple repetitive tasks.

RPA, also known as software robots, is a program that produces the same results as a human performing tasks. The 5,600 hours saved by RPA corresponds to the amount of time one person would need to work for two years based on an 8-hour workday.

The tasks targeted for RPA are those that are repeated daily, weekly, or monthly, have fixed processing methods, and require little or no human decision-making. Tasks involving fixed forms such as documents or tables, or fixed-use programs that are time-consuming, also fall under this category.

For example, tasks such as checking specific numbers daily, aggregating and summing data, and entering it into business programs, or repeatedly entering the same information into multiple programs, are subject to RPA automation.

With the introduction of RPA, the time spent on manual and simple repetitive tasks has decreased, significantly improving work efficiency and reducing human errors, which is expected to lower various costs.

In line with the recent trend of RPA adoption, CJ Logistics has also introduced artificial intelligence (AI)-based Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology. This technology digitizes text from scanned or photographed documents, allowing computers to recognize the characters and convert them into electronic documents. When scanned document images contain faint or erroneous characters, AI reads and corrects them accurately.

This technology is especially expected to enhance efficiency and reduce processing time in international logistics businesses, where many commercial documents such as customs clearance papers and invoices are required between countries, through electronic documentation.

Previously, CJ Logistics selected the first batch of tasks for RPA automation in December last year and has been selecting additional tasks for RPA application across all business divisions. As a result, an additional reduction of approximately 30,000 hours is anticipated.

A CJ Logistics official stated, "We have created a work environment that allows us to focus on high value-added and core tasks, improving efficiency, and we will continue to pursue ongoing process improvements."