Client Overview
DHL Global Forwarding, the air and ocean freight specialist of DHL Group, needed a way to manage complex customer pricing consistently across all markets. Together with Sirma, DHL implemented a centralized Rate Management System (RMS) that became the single source of truth for customer sold rates worldwide, tightly integrated with CargoWise One to support accurate, controlled quoting at global scale.
Business Challenge
Customer sold rates were managed in dozens of local quoting systems, each with its own structure and logic, and no central governance. This fragmentation created conflicting and duplicated rates, limited visibility into global pricing, and made it difficult to ensure consistent, controlled quotes across countries and products.
Project Objective
The project aimed to consolidate all customer sold rates into one enterprise-grade, centralized platform used by markets worldwide. RMS was designed to standardize rate structures, apply global governance rules, and synchronize in near real time with DHL’s transport management environment via CargoWise One, so that the rates used in quoting always matched those used in execution.
DHL has chosen Sirma to provide a comprehensive, mission-critical solution designed to operate reliably on an enterprise scale. Sirma’s extensive global presence and deep understanding of the logistics industry allowed it to effectively translate complex pricing and governance requirements into a robust platform that internal DHL stakeholders can trust and expand over time.
Delivery
Sirma delivered RMS as a centralized, enterprise-grade rate repository with real‑time synchronization to CargoWise One. Built and extended over five years, RMS evolved into the operational backbone for rate governance globally, continuously onboarded new markets and products, and embedded global rules that support consistent, controlled quoting across the network.
Sirma delivered an end-to-end solution with complex development requirements and a highly technical design. Sirma’s global presence combined with their deep understanding of the logistics industry benefited the project and ultimately led internal stakeholders to expand the scope of the partnership.
Head of Rates and Billing Domain, DHL Global Forwarding
Business Results
Consistency, Sync, and Quoting Control
With RMS in place, DHL established a single, centrally governed rate repository that replaces dozens of local variants and aligns pricing decisions worldwide. Near real‑time synchronisation with CargoWise One ensures that approved rates are always in sync between quoting and execution, giving commercial teams tighter control over margins, faster response times, and fewer pricing errors.
- Global pricing consistency (primary impact). Through a single, central rate repository governs all markets, eliminating conflicting local versions and ensuring one coherent pricing view worldwide.
- Near real‑time synchronisation. Continuous CargoWise One updates keep quotes and execution on the same, up‑to‑date rates, reducing errors and rework.
- Quoting control and speed. Sales teams access approved rates instantly, supporting disciplined margin management and quicker responses to customer requests.
- Operational efficiency. Standardised rate structures and a single point of maintenance cut manual updates, reduce reconciliation work, and streamline coordination between central and local teams.
Technology Stack
RMS uses a modern, cloud-ready technology stack combining ReactJS for the user interface, Java and .NET for core services, and Azure and Docker for scalable deployment. Deep integration with CargoWise One ensures that the centralized rate repository and the operational transport management system stay aligned, supporting end‑to‑end pricing and execution consistency.
Sirma × DHL Global Forwarding Relationship
The successful delivery and continuous evolution of RMS gave DHL global pricing integrity, eliminating rate conflicts and duplication while near real‑time CargoWise One synchronisation ensured accuracy across every market. At the same time, Sirma’s ability to operate reliably at enterprise scale in a complex, mission‑critical environment strengthened the partnership, leading internal DHL stakeholders to entrust Sirma with further extensions of the platform in the rates and billing domain to deepen global pricing control and governance.
