Courier Management Software - How to overcome your logistical nightmare?

Effectively organised logistics play a vital role in a successful business; however, it takes a lot of work to keep up with changing customer demands and outperform competitors. With the boom in e-commerce, logistics managers are finding it more difficult to ensure optimal results, so courier management software has become a necessity to streamline complex business processes. Courier management software helps to provide the flexibility and transparency that today's customers expect in the transport industry.

Six issues logistics managers face on a daily basis

The day-to-day work of a logistics manager is never easy. These multi-tasking professionals have a wide range of responsibilities, from managing fuel costs to finding shorter routes and optimising fleet assets. However, with today's changing customer needs and complex business models, logistics managers are increasingly challenged to create effective and efficient logistics methods.

While the list is not endless, the following are six common issues facing the industry.

1. Transport cost control

The management of transport costs is probably one of the biggest challenges faced by logistics managers, but it is also one of the key parts of ensuring an efficient company operation. Fuel is undoubtedly one of the highest costs in transport, with its price increases adding to the surcharge added to freight rates and affecting drivers' incomes.

2. Staff shortages

Qualified and motivated employees are the backbone of any company. When the world sees a severe shortage of licensed truck drivers, logistics managers must consider how to keep up with growing customer demand. The need to optimise staff and delivery routes is more important than ever, and shows no sign of decreasing.

3. Optimising fleet asset use

The larger the company, the larger the fleet they are likely to have. While this can be a good thing, it can also pose problems, as a large fleet requires a higher degree of management. Logistics managers working for larger companies have a lot of work on their hands keeping track of all their vehicles and ensuring they are utilised as much as possible.

4. Dealing with government and environmental regulations

The different regulations and rules imposed by federal and local authorities limit our actions and decisions on a daily basis. Logisticians also need to comply with these, plus environmental issues such as emissions reduction regulations. Today, companies are under enormous pressure to reduce their carbon footprint not only through more economical vehicle use, but also through document management to reduce paper clutter.

5. Customer service

As customer expectations continue to rise, keeping customers happy is becoming increasingly difficult and is driving logistics to look for new opportunities to improve customer service. Today, it's not just about delivering the right product at the right time; people want complete transparency in logistics, which means that goods must be visible until the end of the line.

6. Volume of information

The amount of data logistics managers have to deal with can be enormous, as they have to control not only route planning and optimisation, but also fuel costs, driver safety and fleet loads.

Manual logistics is both time-consuming and monotonous; attention to detail can lead to a reduction in the quality of work, which is where the advantages of courier management software come into play: courier management software is a web-based system that enables logistics managers to automate all the tasks that would otherwise be done manually. Human error is inevitable; however, digital software ensures greater operational accuracy and provides you with valuable data on the entire shipping process, allowing you to improve your entire supply chain management.

The following are some of the benefits of courier management software.

Provides intelligence when needed. Without access to real-time data, companies often not only don't know where their shipments are, but they also find it difficult to determine when they will be delivered, especially when international borders are involved. With real-time intelligence, you can get all the location data you need for your shipments to make important decisions in the moment.

Integrated data and systems. Companies often invest heavily in transport management, enterprise resource planning, warehouse management and other supply chain management systems. But when you're moving goods around the globe, it can be difficult to properly update these systems with timely information. By integrating real-time IoT sensor data with your existing systems, you can leverage their capabilities to optimise and automate your supply chain.

End-to-end control. Having all this in-transit information at your fingertips helps manage delays and scheduling changes to optimise manufacturing operations. This is important for order management and logistics teams who need immediate updates on the status of goods. With IoT-based sensors, you can get automated alerts for fast, cost-effective and intelligent decision-making.

Global support. If you are a global company, you need global support for your supply chain partners, no matter where your products are shipped. This is key, as shipments cross borders and involve multiple logistics partners and carriers. With the right data, technology and local support, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of your global supply chain and ensure the smooth flow of goods between multiple partners and regions.

Your staff will have full visibility of.

Sales/financial reports, electronic paperwork and parcel order records using courier management software

Real-time organisation and tracking of all parcels, assets, platforms and documents

Perform complex parcel cross-border shipping operations by giving all departments and branches access to a federated system and managing finances with customised reports

Orders, shipments, documents, invoices, contracts and more, all deeply integrated into the logistics management software platform

Learn more about how software automation can help exceed customer expectations

(1) Outgoing country/region logistics channels: real weight, volumetric weight, bill number, transit bill number, scheduling bursting, off-site, online time frame, departure time frame, off-line, customs clearance.

(2) Customs of the country/region of shipment: export package seal opening, export package direct matching seal, export package seal assignment.

(3) Airfreight, transit: dispatch, transit/transit.

(4) Receiving country/area customs: customs clearance, duty numbers, quarantine, customs duties, deductions, time limits for customs clearance.

(5) Logistics in the country/region of receipt: discard/return, collection on behalf of, lost goods.

(6) Recipient sign-off and proper delivery.

Think of how much time could be saved if the automated system provided you with easy to understand graphs and charts instead of you having to crunch all the numbers yourself.

Automatically collected data is also more accurate, so your decisions based on it will pay off with better results.

Professional courier management software can therefore help companies solve all their major logistics problems at once. Before choosing a software provider, it is important to identify all areas for improvement and pick a solution that is user-friendly and helps achieve your business goals.

If you would like to get a better understanding of how etower courier management softwareworks, our team will be happy to advise you on how courier management software can help you overcome your logistics problems, so please feel free to get in touch.