It is a well-known fact that logistics brands deal with massive amounts of complexities in their operations everyday. UPS, a leader in logistics and transportation, delivers 19+ million shipments every day, in 220+ countries and territories. They serve real-time tracking requests of more than 100 million per day. It is very evident that managing such complex operations is impossible to be achieved manually.

The UPS mobile app has been able to help their customers immensely in real-time tracking of shipments, estimating delivery times and understanding pricing. With Xamarin, they were able to allow their customers to use the app on different types of mobile devices. Using Xamarin, they also created the UPS Bot to provide their customers another communication channel.
PSI has extensive experience in developing enterprise mobility solutions for leading logistics service providers. They have worked on cutting-edge technologies such as Xamarin and Azure in developing solutions for the logistics industry.

These solutions are capable of providing real-time tracking of vehicles and customer notifications, efficient resource management, reduction in errors, and instant and accurate invoicing.
In order to understand how these solutions can benefit a logistics service provider, let us look at some of the common challenges being faced by them today.

Key Challenges In Logistics

Some of the key challenges faced by Logistics Service Providers (LSPs) are:

• The continuous need for real-time visibility and operational transparency
• Complex workflow and processes
• Manual processes leading to low efficiency and productivity
• Lack of streamlining processes results in poor collaboration
• Poor collaboration leading to delays in delivery time and customer dissatisfaction

With enterprise mobility solutions, businesses can get complete real-time visibility into their warehouse and operations. They allow for faster delivery processes through automation of manual processes such as label and invoice printing. They even provide real-time tracking of vehicles using GPS and efficient resource allocation. We shall explore these in details in the next few sections.

Mobility Solutions To The Rescue

#1: Visibility To Inventory In Real-time

Mobility solutions can help to capture data accurately and on-the-go. Not only can they help in keeping a track of inventory moving in and out in real-time, but also provide consistency. At any point in time, personnel will have an exact estimate of the inventory. This helps in cutting manpower costs, time and effort. With a real-time visibility into the inventory, companies can also utilize their warehouse space efficiently.

DPD, a leading courier company in Ireland, were able to streamline their picking and despatch services by the use of mobility solutions. Since they now had complete visibility into their warehouse, they were able to despatch goods more efficiently. The result was an increase in the number of happy customers.

#2: Increase Productivity And Efficiency

Mobility Solutions can reduce the need for manual processes and boost productivity. With these solutions, it is possible for the delivery personnel to minimize the processing time. Processes such as invoice creation, labelling and entering delivery details can be done from mobile devices. With this, shipments can be directly delivered to export facilities that reduces the delivery time and optimizes warehouse space.

A study conducted by Zebra shows that mobile printers have allowed workers to print labels in 42% less time.

Image via Zebra

#3: Improved Resource Management And Decision Making

With mobile solutions, scheduling tasks for personnel and tracking them in real-time becomes easy. Thus resources can be better utilized based on their availability. Jobs can be updated for the employees in real-time based on their current job status. This leads to more productivity and efficiency.

Also, with real-time visibility into critical data at the source, logistics companies can take more informed decisions on time. This can prepare them for any alternative planning that might be required based on a certain situation. With greater collaboration across teams, management has a better control on any operational issues. This leads to better business performance.

#4: Boost Customer Satisfaction

Customers want timely delivery of their shipments. If a logistics company can ensure that, they can keep their customers happy.
With mobility solutions, LSPs can streamline their processes and manage resources optimally. This means that with the reduction in manual efforts, they can save time. Thus they can improve the speed of their deliveries leading to greater customer satisfaction.

Logistics companies can keep a track of their shipments in real-time using mobility solutions. They can also track the location of their vehicles and shipments using GPS. Such information can be used for preparing for contingencies if needed.

Mobility solutions also allow customers to track their shipments in real-time. This creates transparency and credibility. What’s more is that, with real-time tracking, they can ensure that they are available at the time of delivery. This can greatly reduce the hassles of processing returns.

PSI’s client, a market leader in supply chain data capture solutions, was looking for a mobility solutions provider having expertise in application development, to create a solution for logistics providers. Some of the requirements from this solution were:

• Real-time integration with systems to provide faster and accurate information to customers
• To be able to reduce route planning complexities and monitor execution
• Real-time vehicle tracking using GPS, even in remote locations
• Chat facility on handheld devices for drivers to communicate with operators

Using Microsoft Azure and Xamarin technologies, PSI has developed solutions for logistics service providers that have all of the above functionalities. These solutions allow for efficient resource planning, real-time tracking, accurate and instant invoicing and great customer experience.

Final Thoughts

No logistics company today can be successful without adopting mobility solutions. Competition is fierce in this industry and by the use of manual processes, they are at a great risk of losing out. Some companies that have adopted these solutions, are unfortunately, viewing it as a temporary band-aid to heal short-term issues.

Such myopia cannot benefit them in the long run. Logistics enterprises need to adopt mobility at the core of their operational procedures. They need to imbibe it into their culture and day-to-day business.

A comprehensive mobility solution that integrates people, processes and workflows can help LSPs rise above their competition. Such a robust system will not only help them reduce costs and increase efficiency, but also win their customers’ trust and satisfaction.

If you are looking for a cost-effective solution to solve your logistics challenges, contact us now!
It is a well-known fact that logistics brands deal with massive amounts of complexities in their operations everyday. UPS, a leader in logistics and transportation, delivers 19+ million shipments every day, in 220+ countries and territories. They serve real-time tracking requests of more than 100 million per day. It is very evident that managing such complex operations is impossible to be achieved manually.
The UPS mobile app has been able to help their customers immensely in real-time tracking of shipments, estimating delivery times and understanding pricing. With Xamarin, they were able to allow their customers to use the app on different types of mobile devices. Using Xamarin, they also created the UPS Bot to provide their customers another communication channel.
PSI has extensive experience in developing enterprise mobility solutions for leading logistics service providers. They have worked on cutting-edge technologies such as Xamarin and Azure in developing solutions for the logistics industry.
These solutions are capable of providing real-time tracking of vehicles and customer notifications, efficient resource management, reduction in errors, and instant and accurate invoicing.
In order to understand how these solutions can benefit a logistics service provider, let us look at some of the common challenges being faced by them today.

Key Challenges In Logistics

Some of the key challenges faced by Logistics Service Providers (LSPs) are:

• The continuous need for real-time visibility and operational transparency
• Complex workflow and processes
• Manual processes leading to low efficiency and productivity
• Lack of streamlining processes results in poor collaboration
• Poor collaboration leading to delays in delivery time and customer dissatisfaction

With enterprise mobility solutions, businesses can get complete real-time visibility into their warehouse and operations. They allow for faster delivery processes through automation of manual processes such as label and invoice printing. They even provide real-time tracking of vehicles using GPS and efficient resource allocation. We shall explore these in details in the next few sections.

Mobility Solutions To The Rescue

#1: Visibility To Inventory In Real-time

Mobility solutions can help to capture data accurately and on-the-go. Not only can they help in keeping a track of inventory moving in and out in real-time, but also provide consistency. At any point in time, personnel will have an exact estimate of the inventory. This helps in cutting manpower costs, time and effort. With a real-time visibility into the inventory, companies can also utilize their warehouse space efficiently.
DPD, a leading courier company in Ireland, were able to streamline their picking and despatch services by the use of mobility solutions. Since they now had complete visibility into their warehouse, they were able to despatch goods more efficiently. The result was an increase in the number of happy customers.

#2: Increase Productivity And Efficiency

Mobility Solutions can reduce the need for manual processes and boost productivity. With these solutions, it is possible for the delivery personnel to minimize the processing time. Processes such as invoice creation, labelling and entering delivery details can be done from mobile devices. With this, shipments can be directly delivered to export facilities that reduces the delivery time and optimizes warehouse space.
A study conducted by Zebra shows that mobile printers have allowed workers to print labels in 42% less time.

Image via Zebra

#3: Improved Resource Management And Decision Making

With mobile solutions, scheduling tasks for personnel and tracking them in real-time becomes easy. Thus resources can be better utilized based on their availability. Jobs can be updated for the employees in real-time based on their current job status. This leads to more productivity and efficiency.
Also, with real-time visibility into critical data at the source, logistics companies can take more informed decisions on time. This can prepare them for any alternative planning that might be required based on a certain situation. With greater collaboration across teams, management has a better control on any operational issues. This leads to better business performance.

#4: Boost Customer Satisfaction

Customers want timely delivery of their shipments. If a logistics company can ensure that, they can keep their customers happy.
With mobility solutions, LSPs can streamline their processes and manage resources optimally. This means that with the reduction in manual efforts, they can save time. Thus they can improve the speed of their deliveries leading to greater customer satisfaction.
Logistics companies can keep a track of their shipments in real-time using mobility solutions. They can also track the location of their vehicles and shipments using GPS. Such information can be used for preparing for contingencies if needed.
Mobility solutions also allow customers to track their shipments in real-time. This creates transparency and credibility. What’s more is that, with real-time tracking, they can ensure that they are available at the time of delivery. This can greatly reduce the hassles of processing returns.
PSI’s client, a market leader in supply chain data capture solutions, was looking for a mobility solutions provider having expertise in application development, to create a solution for logistics providers. Some of the requirements from this solution were:

• Real-time integration with systems to provide faster and accurate information to customers
• To be able to reduce route planning complexities and monitor execution
• Real-time vehicle tracking using GPS, even in remote locations
• Chat facility on handheld devices for drivers to communicate with operators

Using Microsoft Azure and Xamarin technologies, PSI has developed solutions for logistics service providers that have all of the above functionalities. These solutions allow for efficient resource planning, real-time tracking, accurate and instant invoicing and great customer experience.

Final Thoughts

No logistics company today can be successful without adopting mobility solutions. Competition is fierce in this industry and by the use of manual processes, they are at a great risk of losing out. Some companies that have adopted these solutions, are unfortunately, viewing it as a temporary band-aid to heal short-term issues.
Such myopia cannot benefit them in the long run. Logistics enterprises need to adopt mobility at the core of their operational procedures. They need to imbibe it into their culture and day-to-day business.
A comprehensive mobility solution that integrates people, processes and workflows can help LSPs rise above their competition. Such a robust system will not only help them reduce costs and increase efficiency, but also win their customers’ trust and satisfaction.
If you are looking for a cost-effective solution to solve your logistics challenges, contact us now![:]