The Latest In Logistics Innovation
Running a business nowadays entails all sorts of tasks that simply wouldn’t have existed just twenty years ago. Back then, if you wanted something, you went to a traditional brick-and-mortar store for it. Now, more and more people are shopping online, ordering everything from groceries to tech to clothes, books, magazine subscriptions, and anything else you can think of with a click of a mouse or a touch of a smartphone screen. It’s not all too surprising that many businesses are beginning to invest more and more in Logistics Innovation. While all aspects of a business process are important, customers are having increasingly high expectations when it comes to the fulfillment of their order. You’re going to have to step up to provide global shipping, as well as fast, reliable, and affordable delivery. Here are just a few aspects of logistics you should be paying attention to right now!
1. On-demand warehousing
On-demand warehousing is a process that will put your business in touch with warehouses that have excess space. If you’re a startup or small to medium-size business that doesn’t want to permanently invest in warehouse space, this is a good option for you.
2. Last-mile delivery
Thanks to major companies like Amazon offering next-day and even same-day delivery, customers are expecting to get their orders faster. Last-mile delivery can help with this, collecting parcels from a distribution hub or warehouse and delivering it to your customers’ delivery addresses.
3. Warehouse management systems
Warehouses tend to deal with a lot of orders at a time. An effective warehouse management system (or WMS) is essential when it comes to streamlined and effective supply chain management. This will ensure that all stages in the warehouse’s part of your process are completed as expected.
4. Automation potential
Automation is becoming more common in all industries. It can help to reduce staffing costs associated with manual work, as well as completing time-consuming tasks in less time. Automation can also reduce human error, making it one of the most sought-after Logistics Innovations.
5. Blockchain transactions
A blockchain is an open ledger of transactions that is distributed among systems within a single network. It can allow your supply chain to carry out quick approvals and process checkpoints. It is also important for cybersecurity, storing automatically recorded data and making it difficult to alter or hack.
- Geolocation technologies
Nowadays, more customers desire order tracking to know what stage their order is at in the fulfillment process. Geolocation tracking can allow customers to track their parcel from the moment it is dispatched to the moment it reaches their door.
7. Drones
You may have seen companies at the forefront of Logistics Innovation, such as Amazon, using drones to achieve faster delivery. Drones offer an efficient and fast form of delivery for recipients all over the world.
8. Crowd shipping technology
You may have heard crowd shipping technology also referred to as “crowdsourced delivery”. Common examples include UberEats, JustEat, Deliveroo, and other fast food outlets. This technology uses a network of local couriers to deliver packages directly to customers’ doors.
9. Big data analytics
Efficient handling of inventory and fulfillment data can help you manage anything from SKUs to inventory replenishment, demand forecasts, and operation optimization.
Shipjoy can help you to cover data on everything from shipping insights to eCommerce fulfillment performance. Shipjoy also has premium 3PL software that uses historical order data to provide insights into SKU performance, inventory days on hand, and distribution insights.
10. Autonomous vehicles
While we may not be quite at the point of self-driving cars and trucks, this is something that’s expected to improve shipping experiences for customers in the near future. It’s definitely something to keep an eye on!
11. Cloud computing
3PLs like those provided by ShipJoy can help your business to store inventory in different countries and track inventory and orders from a single dashboard. This will simplify the process of expanding your business while still effectively managing your supply chain.
As you can see, there are countless Logistics Innovations being developed right now. Some are already being used, others are in the development and trial stages. Hopefully, some of the above information has helped to introduce you to a few that are new to you!
From the sorting and shelving stages all the way to the shipping and delivery endpoints, be sure to contact ShipJoy We implement the most up-to-date logistics practices to make sure the whole process is seamless, providing the most reliable consulting out there. You can find their reviews here.