People around the globe depend on usage of various goods and services and products, from food and drink to office supplies to lifesaving medical equipment. Amid the worldwide crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, that’s truer than ever before. And the shipping and logistics industry is responsible for granting that access.
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Today, a consumer can order a product from the warehouse a large number of miles away, and it’ll arrive at his doorstep in just a matter of days. That’s all as a result of the warehouse workers, pilots, ship crews, delivery drivers, postal workers, and other people who put in the work to provide each package in good shape (and in record time).
It’s also as a result of some critical advances in technology. New entrants in the shipping and logistics field are selling applications of artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and the cloud to greatly help streamline the industry from the local level to the worldwide market.
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Some leaders in the industry could be wary of adopting something new, such as a tracking app or AI pc software. If some spreadsheets gets the job done, why take the risk of purchasing a new program or product? It could be hard for a full team to adopt, or it could suddenly stop working for 12 hours.
The answer is twofold: Any tech offering worth its salt should include ’round-the-clock support for implementation and maintenance. Worse, organizations that don’t join the tech revolution will quickly find their competitors have left them in the dust.
Tech Tools in Action
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, technology played an important role in transforming shipping and logistics. These three types of tech are adding value across the industry:
1. The Internet of Things
What if, instead of requiring micromanagement every step of the way, parts of the supply chain could monitor themselves? That’s what’s possible with the Internet of Things.
IoT-connected devices use sensors and programs to complete tasks, track progress, and alert supervisors should they need maintenance. They aren’t intended to fully replace human workers. They’re intended to augment and streamline the tasks in the supply chain best suited to automation.
For a good example of the IoT in action, one needs look absolutely no further than Amazon. In 2012, the company bought Kiva Systems, a startup dedicated to robotics. Since, Amazon has added a lot more than 30,000 automated picking robots to its distribution centers along with employees. Other types of IoT-enabled automated vehicles, like pallet jacks, are streamlining warehouse operations.
2. Collaboration Software
Whether a company operates on land, by air, by sea, or all three, a great connection across the entire supply chain is critical. In the past, shipping and logistics organizations relied on simple paper-based systems that made agility difficult.
But as a result of the wider availability and reliability of internet-based programs, it’s much simpler for organizations to add digital platforms to help keep everyone on the same page.
Collaboration pc software Coolfire, for example, enables situational awareness within a company’s supply chain by aggregating data from existing systems. It also gathers information from vehicles, IoT-connected devices, sensors, and worker input — whether on the field or in the offices. When a business can view all its data in one single picture, it will take proactive measures to ensure smooth operations, instead of reactive ones.
3. Artificial Intelligence
The shipping and logistics industry has always used data to operate a vehicle decisions and operations, but the application of artificial intelligence has made it easier for decision makers to evaluate that data, identify patterns and insights, and do something.
AI allows for stronger predictions and forecasts using powerful data analysis. It facilitates faster planning and scheduling by factoring in constraints so humans don’t have to. It can even analyze things like traffic and driving patterns to greatly help leaders make decisions that improve public safety.
One company that’s efficiently applying AI is TNX Logistics, which uses pc software to analyze a shipper’s available trucking loads and identify the most effective tendering strategy for those loads. Applying AI this way helps organizations reduce costs and increase efficiency throughout their supply chains.
When it concerns shipping and logistics, delivering a product to its final destination intact and promptly will always be the primary goal. While each organization might have an alternative strategy set up to get from point A to point B, there’s no question that advances in technology will continue steadily to streamline the process. Savvy businesses in shipping and logistics would do well to consider these technologies if they desire to remain competitive.
