You’re trying to streamline your business’s shipping process. What tools should you use?

I would start with a whiteboard and flowcharts! Yes; I am old, but often processes that add no value but cause delays can be identified with pretty rudimentary tools.

Shipment Tracking System is must but I will say it is an old system/process which can be automated in today’s high tech world. It is a time to look backward and forward. It is a time to invest in an end to end activities tracking system from PO to delivery. Collection of data at each activity will help to identify errors, delays and most important areas with less productivity. This can also be used as a real time dashboard to identify what work each employee is doing and also where are the delays and also volume of work handled by each employees.

Great points. I will like to add the following. Address Verification Tools: Ensures accurate and standardized addresses, reducing the likelihood of shipping errors. Barcode scanning system for inventory management: Implementing barcode scanning improves accuracy in tracking and managing inventory. Customer communication tools: Keep customers informed about the status of their orders, including tracking information.

Start by analyzing your actual production and lanes. To extract true value from a transportation partner, clean and accurate data goes a long ways. By giving your network a once over, you will inevitably find weakness and strength. You will find pain points. You will find needs. Efficiency is always built out of analysis.

Utilize sistemas de rastreamento em tempo real para monitorar o status e a localiza??o de suas remessas. Integre plataformas que forne?am atualiza??es automáticas aos clientes, melhorando a visibilidade e a satisfa??o.

Instead of looking at each specific shipment and validating rates between multiple carriers, build long term strategic partnerships with a certain carrier that offers multiple modes of transportation and variety of service offerings. Embed Volume Rebate incentive, Green initiatives, automatic Cargo insurance coverage, Brokerage turnover flexibility and High visibility reporting in your program. Any Transportation Management System that now integrates your ERP with this partner carrier’s EDI will be what you need.

Utilize ferramentas de compara??o de tarifas para avaliar as op??es de transporte disponíveis. Considere fatores como custo, tempo de transito e confiabilidade ao tomar decis?es sobre o transporte de suas remessas.

Get the invoicing data of your existing carriers (on Excel), clean it, make some relevant separations of flows (per country, service level) and then inject the rates of other carriers/suppliers using Excel: be careful there are many ways to make mistakes, to compare services that are not comparable, to forget some additionnal fees, to forget the volumetric billing. In fact, if you don't master the pricing technics of the industry, your comparison will be biaised or false! You will realise it once you receive the invoice of your new carrier that was supposed to be cheaper.

This is quite a tricky part as there is no standard rate card available, and it is completely based on the volume of orders that you will be sharing with the transporters and brand. So we need to do a lot of market research and also do data analytics to see if the rates provided are better for the bottom line. There are fixed and variable components in this pricing that need to be understood thoroughly.

Glad that this particular topic was "compare rates AND services" Streamline the shipping process may mean different things to different companies. Price is vital but making sure the service you get meets your goal is just as important. The best rate with the best service is as common as a unicorn so being steadfast in what YOU want to achieve is key. Customers that have seen a saving often detail that the "reworking" of a file was an unexpected consequence and they perhaps made the wrong choice. Something a little more expensive that saves you and your team time is so much more productive. Don't go for most expensive or the cheapest. There always a solution inbetween that will serve you well.

Implemente solu??es de gerenciamento de documentos eletr?nicos para simplificar a cria??o, envio e armazenamento de documentos de envio. Integre sistemas que automatizem a gera??o de faturas, reduzindo erros e acelerando os processos.

Document management is a systematic process of creating, managing and organizing business documents and files in a way that improves business productivity and overall operational efficiency, it is one of the integral business processes that cannot be avoided at any cost.

One of the best tools or systems that can effectively manage documents is EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) it replaces a mountain of physical documents between supply chain partners by electronic data. So it saves time and elevates efficiency. EDI is paperless business information system works on sharing the trading documents and information between suppliers and customers for example. Like BOL, invoices and other documents instead of sending physical documents.

Acredito que o ideal para uma gest?o automatizada de documentos é o sistema possibilitar: - INTEGRA??O perfeita com sistemas empresariais como ERPs e CRMs, ampliando a sua utilidade. - FLEXIBILIDADE para a equipe de TI poder desenvolver aplica??es personalizadas de forma fácil e atualizá-las conforme necessário. - Rotinas e processos MOBILE, simplificando o trabalho das equipes e gestores. - Armazenamento seguro na NUVEM, mantendo todas as informa??es da empresa acessíveis e protegidas. Com um sistema bem desenhado e implementado os processos fluir?o de maneira prática, rápida e segura.

Plus qu'une simple formalité,la gestion documentaire d'une expédition est fondamentale tant numérique que physique pour une bonne fin d'une opération. Une mauvaise gestion peut engendrer des retards de livraison voir des co?t supplémentaires.

Um sistema de roteiriza??o de entregas desempenha um papel crucial na busca por entregas mais econ?micas, rápidas e sustentáveis. Ao otimizar as rotas, o sistema reduz a distancia total percorrida, minimizando o consumo de combustível e, consequentemente, os custos operacionais. A eficiência resultante permite oferecer servi?os mais acessíveis para os clientes, tornando a entrega mais barata. Existem várias op??es no mercado, inclusive algumas já alinhadas com inteligência artificial.

Utilize softwares de otimiza??o de rotas para reduzir os custos de transporte e melhorar a eficiência. Considere fatores como tráfego, condi??es meteorológicas e restri??es de carga ao planejar rotas.

Major points are covered already. Pero - Here are some additional tips for optimizing the route plans: - Consolidate deliveries: If possible, try to consolidate deliveries to the same area to reduce the number of stops you need to make. - Use one-way loops: Plan your route in a loop to avoid backtracking and maximize efficiency. - Utilize toll roads: Sometimes, taking a toll road can actually save you time and money, especially during peak traffic hours. - Train your drivers: Train your drivers on how to follow the optimized routes and use the technology effectively.

La planificación de entregas es un pilar en la logística, sobre todo en la última milla o distribución. Una herramienta como un TMS que nos ayude a reducir tiempos y recursos con la optimización de las rutas es fundamental hoy en día. Sin dudas es uno de los puntos a tener presente cuando hablamos de agilidad en nuestros envíos!

Si queremos optimizar las rutas, tenemos que ser conscientes de que la participación, contribución y opiniones de quienes están todos los días en las rutas son importantísimas. Nadie más que ellos conocen detalles que ante nuestro desconocimiento puede ser crucial para el éxito o fracaso de los cambios en esa ruta. Luego humildemente contemplar con criterio esa información para lograr un resultado que, no solo sea favorable sino que quienes la ejecutan serán parte del resultado. Ahorramos, disconformidades habituales ante un cambio repentino y fomentamos el trabajo en equipo. En definitiva una cadena es tan fuerte como su eslabón más débil. Intentemos que cada eslabón sea lo más fuerte posible.

Más que la herramienta de análisis, hay varias muy buenas, creo que un proceso clave es la definición de qué datos necesitamos generar en cada etapa del proceso logístico. En base a esta definición, podremos posteriormente tener un análisis efectivo en términos de KPIs. Sin buenos datos, es imposible tener un buen análisis.

You need to know your data inside and out because you can rest assured the carriers do and know how to use it to their leverage during the negotiation process. Negotiate across several areas and only focus on the biggest impacts.

Implemente ferramentas de análise de dados para avaliar o desempenho logístico, identificando áreas de melhoria. Utilize inteligência artificial para prever padr?es e otimizar a gest?o de estoque e transporte

Analyzing the data is key to gettin the best out of your shipping activities. Key data input & analyses - Item dimensions and weights => if you lack this, have a look at low-cost mobile dimensioners to get a kick start - Box and pallet dimensions => how many surcharges are you paying? What type of surcharges occur the most? - Analyze fill rates: are you buying the right box and pallet types (sizes) => they have a big impact on transport cost - Are you using the appropriate carrier? Investigate your carrier rates. If a carrier applies too many surcharges, you might not be the right fit for their network.

In today's data-rich environment, it is extremely important to look for patterns, draw insights and then understand the implications of your supply chain performance and spend. Knowing how your carriers are performing in terms of reliability, speed and shipment integrity will position you to make good value vs. supply chain cost comparisons and look at your budget holistically. A lot of this data is already available at your fingertips from your shipping platform and billing data. Depending on the complexity of your supply chain, you can do a lot with just Excel and Pivot tables. If you are more advanced, you can use the data to feed and inform algorithms to analyze data based on lane, time of year and other relevant conditions.

Adote plataformas colaborativas para facilitar a comunica??o entre as equipes envolvidas no processo de envio. Encoraje a colabora??o em tempo real, permitindo a resolu??o rápida de problemas e a tomada de decis?es ágeis.

By working together, leveraging technology, and embracing a continuous improvement mindset, you and your team can streamline your business's shipping process, improve efficiency, and delight your customers with faster, more cost-effective deliveries. - Effective communication is key. Keep everyone informed, address concerns promptly, and celebrate successes together. - Encourage creativity and experimentation. Be open to new ideas and solutions from every team member. - Track progress and measure results. Monitor the impact of implemented changes and adjust strategies as needed to ensure you're on the right track.

Enhancing teamwork spirit and increasing collaborations among team members is crucial in the logistics industry. Effective teamwork will improve communication, reduce the chance of errors and enhance overall efficiency in the company. Here are some of the benefits of increasing the collaboration among your team members: 1. Shared Knowledge and Expertise 2. Clear Communication 3. Increased Accountability 4. Better problem solving 5. Training and Skill Development.

Collaboration with internal and external teams is very crucial, for me I majorly rely on SharePoint as a collaborative tool. My team members are in sync with all updates on all documents they have access to track, update or just for their information. Hence everyone knows the ETA of every shipment as well as what import documentation has been received or still in process. For external teams, I have Microsoft Team for scheduled meetings with key Suppliers.

Improve shipping collaboration by using project management tools like Asana or Trello. Create dedicated shipping channels on communication platforms such as Slack or Microsoft Teams to enhance real-time collaboration. Ensure clear communication of shipping updates, challenges, and priorities within your team. Collaborative workflows and centralized communication contribute to a more synchronized shipping process, reducing errors and enhancing overall efficiency for your business.

Avalie a implementa??o de tecnologias emergentes, como blockchain, para aumentar a transparência e a rastreabilidade na cadeia de suprimentos. Esteja atento a atualiza??es regulatórias que possam impactar os processos de envio e ajuste suas opera??es de acordo. Participe de redes de colabora??o na comunidade do LinkedIn para obter insights e compartilhar melhores práticas com outros profissionais do setor.

To streamline business's shipping process, consider using Transportation Management Systems (TMS) for carrier selection and route optimization, shipping software for label creation and document management, Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) for inventory and order fulfillment, Supply Chain Visibility Platforms for real-time tracking, and Integration Tools for seamless connectivity between systems. These tools automate tasks, optimize efficiency, and enhance customer satisfaction by ensuring timely and accurate delivery.

make your goal to improve your supply chain instead of making the goal to reduce your cost. an efficient & cost effective supply chain needs experience & the right partner. Remember when tendering: its easier for a supplier to offer lower cost then for the incumbent to defend a good set-up. dont be fooled by cheap prices…

Considero que la distribución sería mucho más eficiente si pudiésemos en todo momento medir correctamente las volumétricas de los productos, parte de la problemática es que desaprovechamos considerablemente las capacidades de las unidades por no ser capaces de consolidar correctamente las cargas, ya sea por mezcla de producto, producto que no tiene un paquete estar o granel. Actualmente yo sufro de esto dado la naturaleza de los productos que manejo en almacenes y envío las unidades por mucho menos de un 30% de su capacidad…

Tools are all good and well but in my opinion it all comes down to the right partner i.e. shipping companies and forwarders etc.