Transportation and Warehouse Management for the Digital Age

Trends like omnichannel commerce change the way manufacturers and wholesalers deliver their products. Rather than being stored in bulk until shipping, it is increasingly common for items to go straight to the customer.

The trend also compels companies to engage with customers at multiple touchpoints, providing a buying experience that is unique to the individual. Furthermore, they must adapt their manufacturing processes in line with batch-of-one production and a growing demand for customization.

Today, your customers have access to innumerable online reviews and opinions – and have a huge variety of products to choose from. As such, they are more empowered and discerning than ever before. They count on a consistent shopping experience across all channels and devices. They expect items to be made to their exact specifications. They want to be notified at every step of the process – from receipt of order to delivery – and informed of any delays in the supply chain. Enterprises must meet these demands or lose out to their competitors.

Modern trends and technology have given rise to an on-demand economy. Now, when it comes to fulfilling orders, time is essential – and delays can damage a company’s reputation. This calls for faster supply chain execution, yet quality is as important as ever – if not more so. To boost productivity and maintain high production standards, businesses must embrace digitalization. Technology such as mobile devices, robotics and artificial intelligence are integral to the hyper-efficient modern warehouse.

Supply chain complexity can be highly unpredictable. Enterprises have to account for unforeseen circumstances ranging from vehicle breakdown to last-minute cancellations. They also have to consider external factors – such as fluctuating fuel prices – when measuring KPIs. Live collaboration throughout the supply network ensures that companies are prepared for all eventualities and can respond to sudden changes. To achieve this, they must digitalize their communication processes, allowing all parties to share information in real-time.

The modern supply chain needs to be flexible enough to support a variety of production types. At the same time, companies require the infrastructure to scale their operations up and down according to demand. However, it is not only manufacturing that needs to be flexible and scalable, so does transportation management. For example, peak periods can lead to driver shortages, resulting in disruptions to the supply chain. Enterprises should look to modern technology, for example self-driving cars in order to keep logistics running smoothly at the busiest of times.

New trends, growing expectations and intensifying competition are forcing businesses to produce and deliver more quickly. This calls for agile, flexible planning. Companies must ensure that supply always meets demand – as stockouts are not an option in today’s highly competitive market. However, holding on to too much stock is costly, enterprises should keep goods moving to free up cash. By implementing real-time IT, companies can optimize planning cycles based on demand and live inventory data.