As supply chains become more complex, logistics service providers require more advanced software to meet customer expectations. In this article, we will discuss 5 best logistics software solutions for your business. Each of them may help you take your logistics business enhance the quality of services and win the market
Warehouse Management Software (WMS)
In logistics, everything starts in a warehouse. This stage covers a variety of operations, from inventory to storage. Presently, many modern logistics companies have already used Warehouse Management Software (WMS).
A Warehouse Management Software (WMS) allows business to control and administer warehouse operations from the time goods or materials enter a warehouse until they move out. Operations in a warehouse consist of inventory management, picking processes and auditing. Depending on your business needs and requirements, you can develop a WMS or build an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software with the warehouse management system embedded into it.
A comprehensive warehouse management system helps streamline the enterprise’s functions
Here are some basic features that should be include in your custom solution:
- Inventory tracking: to help warehouse workers find all necessary products easily.
- Storage optimization: to ensure that inventory is allocated in the warehouse facilities in the most optimized way.
- Integration with third-party systems: to allow your WMS to “communicate” with other solutions, for example, a transportation management system.
- Pick-to-light functionality: to help warehouse workers locate the products quickly.
- Automated documentation: to generate and send necessary documents automatically (for example, bills-of-lading, invoices, etc.)
- Analytics and reporting: to help the company’s management control the performance and spot the bottlenecks once they occur.
Transportation Management Software
Transportation Management Software (TMS) is another must-have logistics software solution for any logistics business that provides delivery services. This platform helps the company’s management set the workflow and optimize the processes related to its transportation fleets.
Like WMS, transportation management software may be a separate system or a part of a multi-functional solution such as ERP or a supply chain management system. TMS makes a shipment process efficient and reduces associated cost and serves the customer better.
Transportation management systems almost always help to lower overall freight costs for companies
Here is the typical functionality that most transportation management systems include:
- Planning and route optimization: to create the most efficient scheme in terms of costs, distances, and requirements, taking into account specific parameters.
- Tracking and visibility: to allow both the company’s management and customers monitor the execution of orders in real time.
- Transport intelligence and reporting: to send customers regular reports with freight data that allow them to spot any discrepancies.
- Automation of follow-up operations: to reduce the risk of human error, for instance when issuing invoices, and save time.
Freight Management System
Freight management systems are transport management systems that focus more on freight. A freight management system helps shippers streamline supply chain operations, simplify the shipping process and increase logistical efficiency. Through the latest software technology, shippers can benefit on a time and monetary basis from the full visibility a freight management system offers their supply chain.
Also known as a transportation management system, the benefits of freight management systems are:
- Rating Freight Movements: advanced FMS allows you to enter in shipping details, press a button and review hundreds of freight estimates.
- Scheduling Pick-Up and Delivery: Once you have an estimate for the freight movement, you can then fine-tune the review. You include all pick-up and delivery expectations, service levels, and schedules. The system does all the rest.
- Document reparation and Printing: When a shipment is booked, the FMS allows the shipper to enter information on documents, download, email, or print all required paperwork. LTL carrier movements have different requirements for paperwork than FTL or parcel shippers.
- Tracking and Notification: Once the delivery leaves the warehouse, the shipper sets up their freight management system to send tracking notifications. These notifications go to the recipient, third-parties, or others involved in the movement of freight. Essentially, this not only improves transparency throughout the freight movement, but also enhances customer service, and can reduce missed delivery attempts.
Tracking notification will be send to the recipient
CRM system
Any business that interacts with customers needs a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. Generally, this system helps business get better customer satisfaction and allows their sales and marketing teams to work more profitably. Like any other market, the logistics market is quite competitive. So for logistics businesses, winning customers’ hearts is also important.
A CRM for a logistics company, it may include the following components and features:
- Comprehensive customer database: to have all customer information in one place (for instance, contacts, interactions, service history, current orders, payments, etc.)
- Routes planning tools: to help a sales team process orders and build optimal routes quickly.
- Sales process management: to automate sales processes and make customer experience more personalized.
- Advanced analytics: to allow a marketing team to learn from customer behavior and tailor marketing campaigns accordingly.
Task management software
Task Management Software is another solution for logistics companies
Task Management Software is another solution for logistics companies. It made the collaboration among different employees easy and effective. For instance, such solutions allow users to create tasks, assign them to other people, monitor the performance, get notifications once a task is completed, etc. Additionally, a task management system may be integrated with third-party solutions such as a corporate chat. This will make internal communication in your company even more convenient.
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