All types of transportation services, whether trucking, public transport, aircraft, charter & shuttle bus services, railroads or shipping, and the warehouses that support them, are drowning in paperwork.
Paper forms such as vehicle and equipment inspections, delivery confirmations, mileage tracking, safety inspections, and so much more, are a part of a logistics company’s work. If an organisation is using paper, it’s costing them hundreds of hours of unnecessary work every year.
That’s why mobile devices and applications have become the go-to tools for logistics and transportation professionals. With mobile apps they can ditch the paper, stay connected, and manage their supply chains from anywhere.
A range of new supply chain mobility devices and applications help companies do everything from track assets and shipments, to execute transactions and processes, and collaborate with internal and external partners. Tapping into these tools helps logistics executives improve supply chain functionality, productivity, and efficiency—no matter where they are.
How do logistics mobile apps help?
Perhaps the biggest advantage of a logistic mobile app is the ability to deliver and receive crucial data in real-time to both business employees and customers. Apps can also be used to record and store valuable data which can yield more responsive business decisions. This makes it easier to perform accounting, billing, and regulatory reporting tasks. In addition, paper waste is eliminated, manpower is reduced, and human error is diminished. Which in turn will improve profitability and will enhance your bottom line.
Also, access to accurate tracking and notifications which can be sent automatically at each stage of transportation will enable individual employees to be tracked with the built-in GPS enabled technology. This means that managers will always have direct contact with their drivers. This can be particularly useful with traffic management. That’s because GPS technology can allow for real-time road updates which can certainly save time and money.
Lastly, the opportunities to improve customer service by utilising logistics mobile apps are virtually endless. With the installation of an app, you can allow customers to track shipments, arrange updates to deliveries, or even live chat with a company representative. Businesses may also use an app interface to communicate their latest product news and offers with their customers.
No matter what mode of transportation an organisation supplies or supports, converting to transportation and warehouse mobile apps for logs, inspections and work orders will generate savings. Moreover, they will get rid of redundant data entry, lost and illegible paperwork, and enjoy more accurate data than ever before.
So, to conclude, the three key benefits of mobile applications for transportation and logistics organisations are:
Automation of existing paper-based processes
One of the main benefits which mobile technology introduces to the transport and logistics industry is the automation of existing paper based processes. Nowadays you can eliminate paper forms usage replacing them with instant mobile reports. This will save you time and you will be sure that your data is safe and sound and collected in one place.
Dynamically track vehicles and the cargo
The current generation of mobile technology allows logistics companies to dynamically track vehicles and the cargo and real-time insight enables customer service improvement. Previously logistics companies were able to track deliveries each time they arrived at a key destination in their journey (depot, port, or at the customer’s location). The current generation of technology makes it possible to track an individual parcel on a meter-by-meter, second-by-second basis. This is a great opportunity for customers especially for business companies. It also makes it possible to monitor the transport processes and to not only identify issues when they arise, but also to predict problems before they appear.
Flexible delivery process
The ability to change delivery schedules and routes while in-flight is another great benefit. It offers consumers and business customers a level of flexibility in control process. In addition to increasing control of supply chains it creates opportunities for new levels of partnership between logistics provider and customer, increasing customer retention. Different while-in-flight-processes make it possible to offer customers greater flexibility in scheduling services, as well as enabling the creation of new, more customised services for customers. Real-time information updates and recommendations based on this factor also help in business.
Mobile applications are becoming an integral part of the workflow in the transport and logistics area and at Pocket App we offer many mobile apps for the sector that will optimise dispatch operation, inventory management, record keeping, tracking goods, performing inspections and more. Feel free to drop us a line if you feel our expertise could help your organisation.
Paul Swaddle, Co-Founder, Pocket App
