You undoubtedly already use numerous tech tools in your shipping business to help you save money and time, streamline operations, and deliver improved customer service. But you don’t want to rest on your laurels.
There are always new technologies releasing or becoming more affordable and more easily implemented, so it’s important to stay current on what’s available. You can learn how tech can help you to grow your business and boost profits now and into the future.
Smart Pallets
Logistics providers inevitably end up using a lot of pallets throughout the year to move goods. While these items seem like something that won’t be affected by technology, there are, in fact, changes occurring to these helpful delivery tools. Today, smart pallets exist that feature track-and-trace technology.
Unlike traditional wooden pallets, the new ones are made from materials that easily handle multiple shipments and work to reduce the incidences of pallets, and thereby packages, going missing or being stolen. This enables firms to boost efficiency, security, and accountability.
Smart pallets feature built-in radio-frequency identification (RFID) chips which gather various data types. They take note of things like temperature and impact, plus pallet location and distance tracking. In addition to locating pallets and items when in transit, this smart technology also makes it easier to locate goods within a distribution center.
Warehouse Delivery Drones
Another tool handy in warehouses and the like is the new flying delivery drones, which are shaped like small helicopters. Companies are starting to implement these to both locate and deliver stock. When orders arrive in a system, drones can automatically receive an instruction to go and find and pick the items listed. The drones then carry the goods to the packing area, ready for an employee to carefully package and label the item, ready for shipping.
As you can imagine, these flying machines typically pick and move items faster than humans can, thus improving efficiency. In turn, they reduce the number of hours workers need to be on hand, and can help organizations cut costs, too.
Robots
If you and your team get sick of continually trying to locate, pick, and move inventory, you might also like to invest in some robots for your warehouses. Automated bots use LIDAR (light detection and ranging) technology to measure variable distances and create autonomous navigation. As such, the robots can locate and quickly move inventory, allowing human fulfillment personnel to concentrate on packing orders.
The bots are adept at finding misplaced items, which can significantly affect an organization’s fulfillment abilities and inventory expenditure. They also audit shelves, saving time at stocktake and whenever accurate stock levels are needed. Furthermore, robots can be used to deliver real-time data, so you always know exactly how much of each product you have on hand at any time.
Wearable Barcode Readers
Barcode readers have been around for a long time, but recent developments in this area can help make logistics more efficient quickly. For example, wearable barcode readers enable staff to optimize performance by giving them the ability to use both their hands while handling items yet still scanning codes quickly. Instead of having to use one hand to hold a traditional scanner gun or the like, personnel can take advantage of a wearable glove or ring that pairs with a connected screen worn on the wrist.
Parcel Indicators
Another technology type that will help you take your shipping business into the future is the parcel indicator. You can buy specific freeze indicators that send alerts if the shipped packages fall outside of the required safe temperature zones, for instance, as well as shock indicators that send alerts if parcels get shaken up too much during transit and thus are at risk of exploding or causing other problems.
These indicators are especially helpful for businesses that ship food and drink items, hazardous materials, artworks, antiques, pharmaceuticals, beauty items, vaccines, and the like.
Some other technologies worth investigating for your business over the coming months include blockchain, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, autonomous smart ships, wireless sensors, 3D printing, and the internet of things.
While it may take considerable time to research, learn, and implement various technologies in your organization, the costs can be worth it. Utilizing clever tech tools can help you to achieve more with less over time and minimize risks while you’re at it.
