Automation In the Shipping Industry: 5 Ways To Implement New Techniques
As technology advances, industries are working to find the most efficient ways to do their routine jobs. The idea is to try and find ways of streamlining processes for efficiency and effectiveness in operations. One of the technologies that have proved to be helpful in the shipping industry is automation.
This article explains automation and some of the ways that you can use it. Being competitive in any industry means finding ways of sustaining operations and meeting the ever-changing needs of your customers.
Automation In the Shipping Industry
Automation in the shipping industry means finding the right technologies to handle various activities. The most important ones are placing orders, choosing items from inventory, packaging, and sending them out to clients. Using manual systems for these causes inefficiency and unnecessary errors that automation can fix.
With the rising competition, relatively simple automation can greatly put you ahead of the pack. For instance, automation can help your company’s supply chain and assist you to save time and money in your shipping operations. So, consider upgrading software or installing the best.
Automating Sales Management Through Outsourced Sales
Outsourcing a sales team for your company in the shipping industry can have numerous benefits, particularly in terms of automation. Some of the advantages of an outsourced sales team in an automated shipping environment are as follows:
Improved efficiency: An outsourced sales team will boost efficiency and help you free time for other activities. You can thus put more effort on high-value jobs and activities within your shipping industry so you grow your company.
Flexibility: An outsourced team enjoys the flexibility of working from anywhere and at any time. It, therefore, saves you from the hurdle of difference in time zones. You can also get a team from anywhere provided it meets your needs.
Cost-effectiveness: With an outsourced sales team, you do not need to incur the cost of hiring, training, monthly salaries, automation tools, and other benefits. Therefore, it is cheaper than an in-house team entitled to all these.
Ease of operation and scalability: It is easy to scale up or down when dealing with an outsourced sales team. It is thus pretty simple to respond to changes in demand and meet your needs amidst huge fluctuations in the shipping industry.
Notably, there are great benefits to working with an outsourced sales team. But that is not all! You need to beware of a few challenges that may arise. It is crucial to remember that outsourcing a sales force can also present difficulties, like controlling communication and guaranteeing the calibre of the work. However, these difficulties can be successfully overcome with the use of automation tools and an appropriate outsourcing partner.
Benefits of Automation In the Shipping Industry
Here are some benefits that you can enjoy with automation:
- Competition: Undoubtedly, the shipping sector is incredibly competitive, and automation can help your business stay ahead of the curve. It enhances your operations, and you can easily outpace your rivals.
- Efficiency Gain: Automation aids in streamlining procedures, reducing human error, and speeding up work, which improves the effectiveness of the shipping process.
- Cost Reduction: Your shipping business can save a lot of labour costs and boost your bottom line by automating repetitive and time-consuming processes. Clients and customers value time and will leave if you waste it.
- Boost Safety: Automated technologies can contribute to a safer shipping process. For instance, it lowers the possibility of human error during fleet management. It is also useful in container handling activities.
In a nutshell, your customer experience can improve via automation. It enables your shipping company to give consumers real-time tracking and updates.
5 Ways of Implementing Automation In the Shipping Industry
Implementing automation in the shipping industry means identifying areas where technology can help improve operations. In particular, automation should target inefficient areas and contribute to streamlining various activities. The goal is to ensure that the entire system is transparent and fast.
So, with the help of various modern automation technologies, you can automate your processes in the following ways:
a) Automated Shipment Tracking
An automated tracking system reduces human error and does not require manual data entry. With such a system, it is simple to automatically inform clients of the status of their shipments as they pass through the sorting facilities and vehicles. It takes care of shipment milestones, arrivals, delays, and unanticipated events.
The entire process becomes seamless if you get the most appropriate tracking technology. Indeed, a thorough system enables the tracking of couriers and air and sea freight. So, it eliminates the need to waste time searching through numerous websites to find the location of your shipment. It, therefore, saves you time and tracking costs.
b) Automated Warehouse Management Systems
An automated warehouse management system improves the movement of items through the warehouse, reduces errors, and boosts productivity. It assists warehousing operations in incorporating relevant automation technologies into everyday operations. For instance, a warehouse management system in conjunction with an automated storage and retrieval system.
Note that the most fundamental goal of warehouse automation technology is to reduce the number of labour-intensive operations that slow down the flow of goods. A product’s chance of experiencing a problem arises when it needs to stop and start its journey through a warehouse. So, you can recover critical resources by lowering product touches and shipping expenses.
c) Automated Container Terminal Operations
You accelerate and accurately manage containers with the right automated container terminal solutions while lowering costs. Depending on what you do in the shipping industry, there are several levels of automation. They occur at varied scales, rates, and locations. Some focus on infrastructure, such as stacking cranes or information systems. Also, automation can happen at many terminals, for instance, yard management or port community systems.
d) Automated Order Management Systems
Automated order management systems help track orders, invoice customers, and handle payments. With a good system in place, you can take charge of the order placement, fulfillment, and billing processes. You can also check your procedure for waste, and an automated system can eliminate those inefficiencies.
Note that an order management system can automate all the manual steps in your order entry, supply chain, and billing operations. Thankfully, you do not have to blow your bank account to get the appropriate system or technology. An order management system is now practical and inexpensive for organisations of almost all sizes.
e) Automated Fleet Management Systems
Various technologies can help you automate how you manage fleets. More precisely, such technologies help shipping organisations use trucks more efficiently, save money, and increase safety. Using manual systems, especially during peak seasons, can be challenging, and problems might arise.
Indeed, when you record fleet data manually, you hamper efficiency and hence cannot use your data to support significant choices. So, to decrease laborious activities and simplify fleet management, use appropriate automation systems. They are more beneficial than manual fleet management operations.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the shipping sector adopts emerging technologies to speed up the shipping process. Given its complexity and the hundreds of operations to carry out daily, there is a need to find ways of enhancing efficiency. Thankfully, the sector has gradually but steadily adopted more effective methods of managing ports and terminals through automation.
Why not take a look at some Frequently Asked Questions from businesses considering automation within their operations?
Frequently Asked Questions?
How is automation changing the shipping industry?
Automation is reducing inefficiencies, errors, and other logistical issues. It is also minimising risks that would traditionally be costly.
What are the features of good automation technology?
Good automation technology should be easy to integrate with your shipping systems. Its interface should also be simple, easy to use, scalable, and provide instant insights with real-time tracking.
What are the benefits of automated shipping orders?
The benefits of automated shipping include improved accuracy, faster processing, and greater visibility. Automation also helps in improving the overall inventory. It is easy to detect issues and manage order cancellations and other activities.
Advance the capabilities of your supply chain with IoSCM. Call 0800 1422 522 today to find out how we can help.