How CargoWise enables Pinpoint Global Logistics to elevate customer experience

Pinpoint Global Logistics (PGL) is an American freight forwarding and logistics solutions provider specializing in the South Pacific trade lanes.  

For the past decade, CargoWise has been helping the Chicago-based company elevate its customer experience while efficiently operating and scaling the business. 

A technology-first approach: getting it right from the start 

Founded in 2015, PGL uses CargoWise to offer shipping services between the United States (US) and Oceania, including ocean freight, air freight, and project logistics.  

Proud to be a neutral consolidator, the team has built deep expertise in packing and shipping requirements in the US, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as strong partner relationships across the trade lane.  

Combining cargo volumes across smaller and larger forwarders, its goal is to offer simplified end-to-end shipping processes at competitive prices.  

Passionate about great customer service, the company founders implemented CargoWise from day one. 

“CargoWise offered everything we needed,” explains Rich Gliganic, PGL’s President. 

“Coming out of the gate, it gave us a level playing field against our competitors who have been around for decades.” 

Rich knew that to meet varying customer needs and succeed in a complex global environment, they’d need the most robust, advanced solution available.  

Communicating seamlessly with real-time visibility and automatic notifications 

Today, PGL has 42 staff members across its New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles offices who rely on the power of CargoWise for improved productivity, visibility, and reduced regulatory risk. 

Haris Veljacic, PGL’s Chicago Head Quarters Branch Manager, explains that enhancing CargoWise according to their operations helps them offer a smoother experience for their customers.  

“We've built automations into our workflows and milestones so that as we tick off certain markers along the shipment process, we have automated notifications that go out to our agents,” Haris says. 

Meanwhile, CargoWise Neo puts customers in the driving seat – allowing them to manage their shipments and answer questions to their customers anytime they need.   

“CargoWise Neo has been groundbreaking, it offers us the ability to exceed in this industry and is an extension of what we do. Neo gives an online portal for our agents to be able to see the shipment status, along with a map of where it is in transit,” he explains.  

“They can just click the shipping number within a shipment or invoice that we’ve sent, and see all the documents, see the tracking, and see the map.” 

PGL’s Los Angeles Branch Manager, Anthony Gliganic says less time is spent on remedial tasks.   

“CargoWise frees our time to focus on what makes us different, which is really that personalized, customer centric approach,” he explains.  

Empowering teams with greater control, collaboration and connectivity 

Atalie Kuchay, PGL’s Ocean LCL Supervisor in Chicago, manages the flow of shipments coming into Chicago from the Mid-West and the East Coast. 

She says CargoWise helps her stay organized and effectively consolidate cargo for export. 

“Any change can create a ripple effect in this industry. With CargoWise, I’m able to stay ahead of potential delays or unexpected changes in a shipment,” she explains.  

It means she can see what’s arrived and running late, then book container volumes accordingly.  

“Not only do you have real time tracking with CargoWise, but you also have visibility on the documents you need,” she says.  

“Being able to produce a Master Bill of Lading and a House Bill within the same system is a huge time saver.”  

Estefania Jimenez, PGL’s Los Angeles FAK Manager, says CargoWise solves tough industry pain points and is always getting stronger.  

“There's always a new update, a new invention going on within the system, and I can see CargoWise expanding and making our lives easier.” 

Effective business management with one single, integrated system 

PGL uses modules from the CargoWise Enterprise solution to power its Finance and HR functions. 

Jeanne Hamilton, PGL’s Controller, says having one system means less errors, with people able to self-serve accurate information quickly.  

“It saves time, and it saves us from emails and phone calls. It's a very robust system, and if we need more information, it's generally in CargoWise,” she says. 

The CargoWise Accounting Module allows the PGL team to easily track financial performance, streamline reporting and administration, and keep sensitive data secure.   

“At any time, you can get financial statements that are accurate,” she says.  

“The more we’ve learned about CargoWise and incorporated it into the company, the more it’s helped us grow and become more efficient.” 

Scaling faster and smarter with CargoWise at the core 

Today, 25% of PGL staff have achieved CargoWise certification through the WiseTech Academy online learning platform.  

Super-user Atalie says the expert courses on CargoWise and broader logistics topics have helped her understand the system’s potential.   

“WiseTech Academy has been a good learning opportunity for me. It has helped challenge me and show me all the tools that can be used in CargoWise.”  

Serious about leveraging CargoWise for growth, PGL has also utilized industry specialists through the CargoWise Partner Network to help with advanced customizations.   

“We go to them anytime there's a feature in CargoWise that's inaccessible to us due to our limited technical knowledge,” Anthony explains.  

Looking to the future, PGL plans to roll out CargoWise Productivity and Visualization Engine Workflow Tool called ‘PAVE’, with Customs, Compliance, and Warehousing solutions also in the pipeline. 

In 2025, PGL celebrates its 10th year in business and as a CargoWise customer. As Rich emphasizes it's only the beginning for this exciting partnership. 

“CargoWise will be a big tool for us to grow and continue our success in the Oceania trade lane,” he says. 

“I also see Pinpoint growing alongside CargoWise as far as entering into more warehousing and distribution, diversifying our product, and entering into new trade lanes.”