Over the last decade Logistics has moved from being very paper driven to a much more well-oiled automated machine. This has become necessary due to the fact that there has been such a need to be able to reduce cost, maximize resources, manage time, meeting customer demands and survive the competitive landscape that logistics find itself in. To be robust, a logistics operation has to be agile and have the right tools to drive the business forward.
Each Key Performance Indicator (KPI) of a logistics company requires specialized or customized software to enhance efficiency and productivity.
The KPIs vary from shipping time, order accuracy, picking accuracy, pick and pack cycle time, delivery time, equipment utilization rate, transportation and warehouse costings.
Despite the benefits of IoT, many logistics companies continue to use manual tracking processes. Some might go overboard and have multiple software for the same activity which decreases resource productivity and efficiency.
Consumers expect visibility of their orders and with a lack of the right software their expectations are not able to be met. Using minimal or the incorrect software can lead to operational inefficiencies not being visible and therefore the need for end to end transparency is not met.
In a recent study done by SAP they found that while 73% of organizations planned to track their raw materials and goods in transit, only 5% did so effectively.
With challenges such as rising transport cost, fragmented communication, empty miles, customer demands and delivery delays, the idea of having the right software in place has moved from a nice to have to a necessity.
Solutions that helps automate and digitize the processes enables logistics companies to plan, control and monitor their goods throughout the various stages of production, managing inventory, storing and delivering of the goods which ultimately leads to accurate billing and customer satisfaction.
Some of the solutions in the market are on-premises or cloud based logistics management tools that enable companies to have real-time insights into their supply chain. These smart tools allow for risk management as well as identify potential bottlenecks which can slow the whole process down if not managed correctly.
Inventory control plays another critical role in the logistics process. There are many warehouse management tools on the market that provides complete visibility and control over the inventory.
Certain logistics companies make use of tools to manage their transportation. It allows for interactive freight tendering and transportation demand planning which is hugely beneficial for any logistics company.
There are more advanced tools that enables a network for the logistics operation to have a central entry point for managing all the logistic related transactions and allows for exchanging of documents between the network partners.
Yard tools prepares logistics for the future and gives then a 360 view of where their might be gaps in their yard processes to assist them to optimize for future production enhancements.
Ubunye offers a range of products that gives you an environment to save, store and retrieve your documents at the touch of a button.
Contact one of our friendly team members on bps@ubunye.com to see how we can smooth the path for your logistics operation.
