Supply chain automation is the future of freight forwarding because it revolves around digital transformation. Gone are the days when your employees felt drained and worked long hours, taking care of tasks manually. Around 45% of businesses consider logistics automation an integral part of supply chain management. It’s clear that nearly half of the businesses operating right now lean towards automated processes, which is not an insignificant ratio. GlobalNewswire reported that the value of the supply chain management as a market is recorded at $45.2 billion.

You won’t be able to ignore the role of logistics automation software in the growth of the freight industry in the coming years. The international logistics automation market has a projected compound average growth rate (CAGR) of 12.4%. It’s been estimated that the international logistics automation market will rise from $50.9 billion in 2020 to $82.3 billion in 2026. As the demand for shipping services increases around the globe, supply chain automation will become even more important to develop sustainable solutions.

The advantages of digitalization in the freight industry apply to both freight forwarders and the shipping companies that rely on them. Understanding the popularity and necessity of logistics automation in the modern world requires a closer look at how it’s optimizing operations for freight forwarders and shippers. From data management to human resource management, shifting to digital solutions leads to greater sustainability and productivity.

How logistics automation optimizes freight operations

The most valuable attribute of logistics automation software is its flexibility, which allows it to be applied to all aspects of freight forwarding operations. Since freight software is significantly faster than a human employee, you can expect quicker results. Getting processes completed on schedule is integral to the running of shipping companies too. Shippers can’t afford delays and supply chain automation goes a long way to reduce the frequency and length of delays. You can free up the schedules of your staff members, allowing them to be delegated tasks that are more suited to the human mind. One of the biggest benefits of logistics automation is that it takes fewer employees to handle the same amount of work. You can save energy, time, and human resources by going digital as a freight forwarder or shipper.   

Increase in accuracy of data

Data forms that backbone of freight operations and every department depends on the accuracy and timely delivery of data to function at an optimum level. Human errors are costly and waste precious time, making logistics automation software a priority to save money and time. Vital processes such as invoice management and rate calculation are seriously impacted by human errors. Digital freight forwarding systems organize your data, helping your employees store, find, and share the right data for internal and external communication. Supply chain automation ensures that the data required for various processes, including reporting, is precise and secure.

Fast and precise rate calculation

Speed of service can make a major difference in client relationships because staying on schedule is a top priority in the freight forwarding industry. Your reputation can be poorly affected by rumors of slow service and lack of responsiveness. Manual rate calculation can never be as accurate or quick as that performed by logistics automation software. You don’t need to gather your documents to get the rates you need within a given timeframe. Having a centralized data management system means that all the data you need for rate calculation is just a few clicks away.   

Greater customer satisfaction

Freight forwarders can offer more than just a service to shippers using logistics automation. The kind of convenience that digital transformation promises in the supply chain is impossible to recreate through manual efforts. Software integrations add even more value to an already efficient freight management system. Shipping companies are allowed to customize their experiences according to their specific requirements. You get to keep your branding as a freight forwarder, creating the impression that you are the sole provider of digital solutions. Freight forwarding companies can build stronger and more long-lasting relationships with shippers thanks to supply chain automation.

Real-time route management

Software that connects the parts of your operations happening outside your office and those being managed inside the office makes things simpler. Having knowledge of the exact coordinates of your shipment at any given time helps you make well-informed decisions on time. Sign in to your logistics automation software to view all the active shipments under your command on one screen. You can see shipments in air, land, and sea modes in one place and select any one of them to bring up its details. Getting quick updates about issues related to shipment routes means you can switch before it’s too late.  

Improved data organization

Digitalization changes the way you input, process, access, arrange, and store your freight data. Logistics automation reassures you about the security of your data whether it’s stored in a certain place or you’re sharing it. When you have to access data to create reports for your stakeholders, you’ll see a well-organized set up in front of you. Restrict access to data depending on various levels of administration for better security. Arrange backups of your data using logistics automation software to prevent the loss of important data. Each department within your company can organize their own sets of data and limit access to it.  

Higher employee productivity

Imagine going through invoice after invoice for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. Tedious tasks such as manual invoice management and rate calculation are bound to drain your staff. Repetitive processes that need to be performed on a frequent basis are rarely suitable for the human mind. Choose supply chain automation for your business over manual methods of task completion that can cause burnout in your employees. Training times for software management are shorter than those for manual performance of the same tasks. Overall, going digital saves your staff’s time and energy, increasing efficiency and productivity.    

Speeding up operations

The length and frequency of delays is a common complaint in the shipping industry for which several solutions have been presented over the past decades. Logistics automation remains the top solution for saving time using freight forwarding systems. Humans are naturally slower than machines and software, which means digital processes should be preferred over manual labor wherever possible in the supply chain. Freight software can give you real-time navigation data for route management, fast rate calculations, efficient invoice management, and secure data management. When you save time on various operations, you can stay on schedule and help your customers save time as well.     

Sustainable freight solutions

The move towards sustainability has become more advanced and widespread with the perks of logistics automation software. Webinar Care has reported that carbon emissions related to logistics are estimated to reduce by 12% by the year 2025 thanks to digital transformation. The shipping sector has always had concerns regarding emissions and digital navigation helps decrease emissions through improved route management. Shifting from paper to digital is another welcome environment-friendly move. Supply chain automation is promoting sustainability at a small and large scale, meaning it has a positive impact on everyone in the industry.

There’s no reason not to opt for logistics automation with its high-impact sustainable solutions that inject efficiency into the operations of freight forwarders and shipping companies. 

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