Canadian logistics IT firm Descartes Systems Group (TSX:DSG) said late Thursday it has acquired Localz, an Australian firm that provides a platform that engages with customers on the day they are having their goods delivered, for US$6.2 million in cash.
The Localz platform, which Descartes says offers “advanced customer engagement,” allows end customers to schedule services and deliveries through an online portal and then follow the shipment’s progress in real time with advanced notification features built in.
“By combining with Localz, we’ve expanded our capabilities so our customers can further differentiate themselves” in the competitive final-mile market, said Ken Wood, Descartes’ executive vice president of product management, in a statement.
CEO Edward Ryan said in the statement that end customers “demand visibility and choice” and that Localz has a “highly complementary” solution that dramatically improves the scheduling and day-of-service customer experience.