5 Automation Systems You Can Implement On Your Logistics Business Website Today

The freight industry has a reputation for having razor-thin profit margins.

 

As a result, being able to provide cost-effective services is critical to staying competitive. Fortunately, there are numerous logistics automation solutions that businesses may use to save costs while enhancing service quality.

 

This article will show you 5 logistics automation solutions that your company can profit from if you haven’t already invested in them.

 

What Is Logistics Automation?

 

The use of technology such as machinery and logistics software to improve the efficiency of logistical activities such as procurement, production, inventory management, distribution, customer support, and recovery is referred to as logistics automation.

 

Consider automated guided vehicles, robotic arms, and automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) such as carousels and vertical lift modules when it comes to machinery. Many solutions aid with sales, WMS, CRM, billing, accounting, tracking, business analytics, and more on the logistics software side.

 

As you may expect, logistics automation technologies offer enormous growth potential for enterprises. 

 

The Importance Of Automation Systems In Your Logistics Business

 

E-commerce sales are higher than ever in today’s globe, and the trend shows no indications of slowing down. Both manufacturers and distributors are strained by the ever-increasing flow of goods around the world. Companies must streamline their procedures as much as possible to remain competitive. However, companies encounter several issues, including fulfilment, customer service, and structural bottlenecks, to name a few. This final issue is quite prevalent, especially when manually entering data.

 

Consider this: only about 55 billion invoices out of 550 billion were exchanged electronically in 2019. This means that 90% of invoice data had to be manually handled.

 

But there’s a lot more to processing invoices regularly. The following documents are used in logistical processes:

 

• Purchase orders

 

• Packing lists

 

• Shipping notices

 

• Contract agreements, etc 

 

Manual Data Entry Is Tedious And Costly

 

Manual data entry is a time-consuming task. Workers must inspect paper or digital documents before typing or copying and pasting information into a spreadsheet or business system. This is a sluggish and repetitive process that wears down your employees’ attention and inevitably leads to mistakes. Human error is responsible for 62 percent of inventory fulfilment failures, according to a study conducted by Stitch Labs.

 

When you have hundreds, if not thousands, of papers to process per month, the expense of data entry can quickly escalate. In addition to paying employees, manual data entry might incur additional costs in a variety of ways:

 

• Human error can result in erroneous business decisions and tarnished reputations.

 

• It takes longer to process complex paperwork that requires outside assistance.

 

• Customer service is slower.

 

• Low employee morale causes decreased productivity.

 

• Penalties for mistakes in documentation

 

For decades, logistics organizations have wrestled with these difficulties. Thankfully, technology has progressed to the point where logistical tasks can now be automated.

 

Why Automating Logistics Processes Can Help Your Company Scale While Saving Money

 

Beyond cost savings, logistics automation technologies can help you increase the entire efficiency of your supply chain, allowing you to expand your company. This is how:

 

You Save Money By Automating Tasks.

 

Businesses can save a lot of time and money by automating tasks like manual picking and data entry. Your staff can focus on higher-value work and service consumers in less time by automating time-consuming menial processes.

 

You Reduce Errors And Their High Costs

 

You can dramatically reduce human mistakes and hence avoid the various costs that come with it if you invest in the correct solutions for your business. Logistics automation saves time and effort for managers and teams while also reducing bottlenecks, resulting in lower costs and increased efficiency.

 

You Can Provide Freight Rates In Real-time

 

Shipping prices, LTL, FTL, insurance, transit times, and other charges must be estimated quickly and accurately. Using logistics software that delivers real-time freight prices will help you plan for freight capacity and offer competitive deals while lowering the cost of obtaining data and producing reports using traditional IT resources.

 

You Can Grow Your Business

 

You’ll have more room to serve more customers and make informed strategic decisions because automation handles repetitive tasks with great accuracy and provides quick access to actionable data. Small businesses that automate their processes have a better chance of competing with larger businesses and gaining market share.

 

You Deliver Better Customer Service

 

Customers are always on the lookout for the most cost-effective and reliable options. Automating operations such as transaction tracking, document processing, production, and up-to-date shipping status can help you provide faster service at a lesser cost, putting you ahead of the competition.

 

With these benefits in mind, you might be wondering how to get started with logistics automation. Here are five systems that can help your company.

 

5 Automation Systems You Can Implement On Your Logistics Business Website Today

 

The majority of logistics automation systems fall into two categories: those that can be implemented immediately (off-the-shelf) and those that require a consultant to assess your needs and build a unique solution (custom).

Off-the-Shelf Solutions

 

Data Capture Software

 

The supply chain requires the processing of data from documents. Manual data entry, as previously mentioned, is a time-consuming operation with a significant risk of errors.

 

Inventory Control Systems

 

An inventory control system, as the name implies, manages all areas of inventory management, from purchasing to receiving, shipping, tracking, and reordering. It gives you a real-time view of your stored goods or resources, as well as notifications for reception and dispatch. This real-time information aids stock control, reporting, forecasting, waste reduction, and other tasks.

 

Predictive Analytics

 

Predictive analytics is now being used by 47% of logistics professionals. This system analyzes data and generates forecasting models for demand, price strategies, optimal inventory levels, and optimal delivery frequency using complicated mathematical algorithms, cloud-based servers, and even blockchain.

 

While predictive analytics isn’t the most user-friendly technology, the payoff can be substantial. Top logistics companies are already utilizing it to identify unused cars, predict customer decisions so that deliveries can be planned accordingly, optimize delivery routes, and save millions of dollars.

 

Custom Solutions

 

Warehouse Robotics

 

In recent years, the emergence of robotics has been a game-changer for logistics. Automated forklifts, collaborative mobile robots, drones, and automated storage and retrieval systems are becoming increasingly popular. Automated machines can complete jobs at a steady speed and with high accuracy, lowering the cost of mistakes and increasing worker safety.

 

However, purchasing the necessary equipment and software to automate a plant might cost anywhere from $500,000 to $25 million. Investing in warehouse automation involves careful consideration and planning, but you may begin by purchasing automation solutions in stages.

 

Custom Logistics Software

 

Logistics software consultants can create and develop a full custom solution with features tailored to your company’s specific requirements. Order and stock management, process automation, analytics, finance, business intelligence, data security, and other functions are common. These businesses also provide continuing assistance.

 

Because a customized solution must be imagined, created, and tested before it can be implemented, it is more expensive and takes longer to install than off-the-shelf options.

 

Automating data capture is an excellent place to start if you’re wondering which solution you can quickly use and benefit from.

 

4 Benefits of Automating Logistics Data Capture

 

Saving Countless Man-hours

 

You may receive hundreds of bills, order confirmations, and shipment alerts regularly. If this is the case, the expense of manually entering data must be substantial. In an industry where time is of the essence, using a data capture system can cut the time spent processing documents from hours to minutes, and automating procedures for faster output can become your competitive advantage. Furthermore, data capture software is the most cost-effective logistics automation technology available.

 

Easy Access To Logistics Data.

 

When data is readily available, producing reports takes much less time, and managers can make quick judgments.

 

Reduced Human Error.

 

Manual data entry is a time-consuming operation that will inevitably result in errors. Delays, stress, disinformation, and financial losses will all result from mistakes. This risk is eliminated by automating data capture.

 

Better Customer Service

 

Faster access to information allows you to respond to client queries and offer order updates much more quickly. You can gain new clients and keep current ones by providing a speedier and more reliable service.

 

Conclusion 

 

The logistics industry has benefited greatly from the 4.0 revolution. In today’s environment, logistics automation is no longer a great bonus, but a requirement. You can invest in a variety of logistics automation solutions, including warehouse automation, inventory control, and predictive analytics.

 

The automation of the data entry process is the simplest and most cost-effective technique, to begin with.

 

Click here to get your automated logistics solutions.