Custom Logistics Software – Features That Will Save You Money
Custom software of any kind is akin to an all-you-can-eat buffet. That is, it’s entirely up to you which features will be the ingredients for your future solution. Yes, just like it’s up to you what you fill your plates with at the chosen type of buffet.
But here’s one thing. This type of all-encompassing control also means that how good your bespoke application turns out to be is defined by your choices.
If you’re like any other business, the main reason why you’re considering ordering a custom logistics system is to cut costs. That goal can be achieved via multiple avenues as logistics software is great at:
Mitigating the risk of human error;
Automating manual processes that take up a lot of your employees’ time;
Increasing your workforce’s productivity and efficiency;
Planning any process faster and more accurately than a person ever could.
But what specific ingredients should you add to your recipe? Consider the following features before you reach out to a custom logistics software development company with the relevant knowledge and expertise. They’ll reduce your current expenses – and bring a great return on investment.
1. Automated Truck-Load Planning
The first rule of logistics is, “Avoid any instance of less-than-truckload shipping.” If you let a truck leave the warehouse only half-full, the delivery cost per item doubles.
The second rule is, “Load the goods using the Last-In, First-Out approach.” Otherwise, your employees will have to waste their time unloading a part of the truck just to get to certain items.
Organizing your operations by these rules requires planning, a lot of it. Without a custom built software solution, your employees have to do all of that manually. That means mistakes are inevitable. Besides, your employees probably have something better to tend to.
Here’s how a logistics application can automate the whole process:
You can set automatic rescheduling if the vehicle isn’t loaded fully (and if the goods aren’t perishable);
If rescheduling isn’t an option, the system can look for other businesses that could use the rest of the space (and split the costs);
The software can take into account all the destinations during a single route and provide the optimal loading schema to the workers on site.
Current traffic situation;
Speed limits;
Fuel costs;
Highway fees;
The shortest total distance with multiple stops.
Billing and invoicing;
Planning and scheduling delivery;
Updating order status in real time;
Notifying customers about the delivery progress.
Track and update every item’s position, location, and status in real time;
Easily find any item on the warehouse floor;
Avoid mistakes at all stages of shipping (e.g., an item getting delivered to the wrong client);
Automate delivery notifications for your clients.
Your employees add a delivery order to the system;
All potential contractors have access to the platform where they can see those orders;
They make their bids using the said platform;
Once the deadline arrives, the system automatically chooses the most optimal offer;
Then, it passes the details on to the contractor and your employees.
Third-party integrations: they’ll make sure that your employees won’t have to type in the data from other applications manually;
Automated preventive maintenance scheduling: this way, you’ll be able to prevent the equipment and vehicles from breaking down in the worst moment possible;
Business intelligence and predictive analytics: using this module, your employees can make the right decisions to optimize your costs in the long run;
Employee performance tracking and management: this is how your managers can see ensure no employee is overworked or unproductive;
Data security: a hack, sensitive data theft, or ransomware attack always remains a possibility – a costly one;
Real-time status updates: your dispatchers won’t have to call drivers to know where they are if your system constantly tracks the trucks’ GPS location;
Digital document management: switching to e-signatures means you won’t have to print documents or send anything by mail.
In Conclusion
Ultimately, a custom logistics solution is like a multitool knife. It’s meant to bring manufacturing, inventory, order, and logistics management in one place.
Thanks to that, your employees will be able to forget about duplicated work, and they’ll be a lot less likely to make mistakes. Then, there’s automation at virtually every step of the process, as well as an increase in productivity and accuracy.
Combine all of that, and it becomes obvious why a custom logistics solution is a good investment, right? Learn more about custom software development
2. Automated Route Planning
The faster your goods are delivered, the higher the customer satisfaction is – and the lower your costs are, too. But there are so many factors you need to take into account to plan the fastest (and the cheapest) route possible:
Algorithms are better at factoring in all of these variables in real time. Plus, they present you with the solution in a matter of seconds. Humans could never be as accurate or fast.
What’s more, a logistics system can track the current traffic and optimize the route on the fly. This way, your drivers can avoid jams whenever possible, without the need for human intervention.
3. Order Management & Billing
If your dispatchers don’t have all the information on every given order in one place, they waste their time searching for it. But that’s unnecessary: an order management module can bring all of that data into one dashboard.
What’s more, your custom software solution services provider can include features that will automate:
That means your employees don’t have to coordinate every order on a case-by-case basis. Instead, they can focus on the big picture – and solving problems. And your benefit is obvious: you’ll be able to reduce your labor costs.
4. Inventory Management & QR Code/Barcode/RFID Scanning
How do you manage your inventory on the spot right now? Do your workers still use a spreadsheet and ID numbers to keep track of every item?
This kind of system is time-consuming, to say the least – especially if most of the data has to be entered manually. But it doesn’t have to be this complicated.
Instead, you can use unique QR codes, barcodes, or RFID chips for every item. With them, all you need to do to update an item’s location or status is scan its ID tag.
On a larger scale, revamping your inventory management with the help of a custom logistics solution also allows your workers to:
5. Tender System
Do your employees still call your potential subcontractors and partners to ask them about delivery timelines, price lists, and vehicles’ availability? Probably, yes. What if they didn’t have to do that at all?
It might sound like sci-fi, but it’s far from that. Your custom software can include a tender module that’ll automate most of the process. Here’s how it works:
The financial gain from this module is obvious: you won’t have to employ dozens of managers to make those calls. Your labor needs for this process can be covered by just one or several people who will add those delivery orders to the system.
7 More Essential Features to Bring Down Your Costs
Yes, these five features above aren’t the only ones that will help your business save a buck. Here are seven more features you should remember to add to your list of requirements for the custom software development company:
