While some industries are put off by the digital age, automation creates a great deal of opportunities in the freight forwarding industry. From getting shipping quotes together instantly to booking a complex shipping order at the press of a button, technology and automation sure does have its perks.
Freight is big business which is why any measures to improve efficiency are greatly welcomed. More automation means more services on offer for businesses, which ultimately results in the growth of business opportunities. Today robots and computers have worked to dramatically reduce overhead costs and increase efficiency.
Automation solutions have allowed there to be a huge advance in robots and computers being able to plan out the best routes for freight forwarding companies to take. Alongside this it also means that they are able to cross reference their data and make sure that goods are delivered at a quicker rate to busy locations and warehouses.
While freight forwarding in the UK and elsewhere in the world is a huge business, the fact remains that at the moment it is still mainly human and operates in such a way. A shipper will want to know that they are able to contact with a freight forwarding company that they can trust, however knowledge automation can truly be implemented into the everyday running of tasks to ensure that a freight forwarder works faster.
The great thing about automation in the freight forwarding industry is also the fact that smaller businesses can make the most of the technology and this can be used to gain momentum and increase their presence through automated services. Technology has been known to work well when it comes to both retaining and gaining new customers.
Some of the most obvious benefits of automation are that it saves on manual labour and provides a faster execution. Freight forwarders can use automation to do the very same mechanical and time consuming processes that someone would have had to do in house, with there being no down time and no emotional issues involved.
Logistically in order to fully understand the benefits of automation in the freight forwarding industry is the fact that companies are able to make the most of feature such as Transportation Management System to manage departments that deal with tracking, invoicing, reporting etc.
From a customer focused standpoint, automation is a very valuable tool to use when it comes to adding value to the customer service people receive. Using digitisation and automation allows the seamless transfer of data between not only shipping companies but also the client and the forwarder. This improves customer satisfaction and allows for better communication too, something that most businesses strive for.
While automation in freight forwarding is slow on being introduced, there is definitely more to look forward to in terms of tapping into a market that remains wide open for utilisation. If automation is eventually fully integrated into the way that freight forwarding companies operate, the whole process will become increasingly more reliable and provide not only convenience doe those requiring a service from the forwarding company but also make it easier for the middle men involved in the process of getting goods from A to B.