Whether it be by land, sea or air, logistics and transportation are hugely significant components of the majority of enterprises and businesses when it comes to productivity and profitability. With access to real-time data being absolutely critical, many businesses are already utilizing the advantages of a range of different mobile technologies. However, this doesn’t mean that all problems are automatically solved – unpredictability around fuel costs, increases in road traffic, changing regulations and rising rates of labour are all factors which have and continue to make logistical operations challenging. But, the Internet of Things (IoT) is changing the way in which many processes are carried out.
End to End Visibility
Logistics and transportation companies around the world mainly focus on maximising the efficiency of the supply chain in order to sustain viability and profitability. However, in order to achieve this level of performance, it’s necessary for businesses to make end to end improvements. In order to reach more effective and timely decisions as well as reduce delays and deal with any issues swiftly, it is important to have complete visibility. Many mobile technologies provide companies with a line of sight into a range of processes, such as inventory, equipment and other business processes. Click here to learn more about a range of technology products which utilise IoT processes for businesses.
Fleet Management
Fleet management plays a critical part in any transportation and logistics business. Managing the schedules for maintenance, day-to-day vehicle use and service routes is a crucial component of fleet management which has a direct effect on how the business is run and the level of efficiency with which it operates. By using IoT processes to replace manual labour and printed work orders, fleet management technicians can both increase data accuracy whilst also saving precious time. Along with this, mobile technologies can provide workers with real-time, accurate reports when it comes to things such as maintenance history, inventory records and parts availability. Technology also allows drivers to be in direct contact with their technicians at any time, allowing them to provide real-time updates on situations such as heavy traffic or bad weather. Subsequently, fleet technicians are then able to better prepare or respond.
Warehouse and Stock Management
At the core of any logistics or transportation business is the warehouse and/or yard, where the stock is kept. The level of efficiency with which the warehouse and yard is run has a direct impact on the efficiency of the business as a whole and the results which they produce. Warehouse and yard efficiency has a huge impact on the business’ level of competition, reputation, and costs. By using IoT enabled devices in order to track vehicles, equipment and inventory data, companies are able to give a digital ‘voice’ to their physical assets and share their critical data across the cloud. This process reduces human error by increasing machine-to-machine information sharing, resulting in a greater level of accuracy and efficiency in the workplace and on the road.
Thanks to technology, the transportation and logistics industry is constantly seeing improvements.
