There is no doubt that technology has become an integral part of our daily lives. In fact many people spend much of their time looking for the latest gadget to add to their collection.
But technology is not just able to track the length of your run or keep you in contact with the latest social media developments; it has a very serious side to it.
Logistics and courier companies are finding that it can be an essential part of the delivery process; reducing costs and damages. This allows many companies to be more competitive and the consumer to benefit from lower prices.
Here are some of the best trends in both these industries:
Packing
Packing any item is critical to ensuring it gets from the factory to the manufacturer or supplier in one piece. However, there are many elements that are beyond the control of the manufacturer.
In particular it is difficult to know how well the parcels are handled during the delivery process. Fortunately this is no longer an issue. The advanced fleet management systems now available can monitor any package and notify the receiver if it has exceeded temperature controls, been knocked, shaken or even had too many parcels stacked on top of it.
This means the insurance companies can easily chase the courier services and get the funds back. The result is more effort by all parties to ensure items are damaged in transit.
Automated Software
Computers can do almost anything in the modern world. This has been used in the logistics and courier world to help manage difficult procedures. A great example is the Port of Rotterdam where the containers are unloaded from a hip in the best possible way to maximize productivity and reduce damage.
Productivity is said to have increased by 10% in container volume.
Robots
It’s not surprising to find robots popping up everywhere in the logistics industry.
Amazon has purchased a fleet of Kiva robots which can fulfill their one click orders in as little as 15 minutes per order. The same task would take a human approximately 1 hour.
This results in cash savings, a better service although less employment prospects.
Wearing It
The inclusion of smart glasses as part of staff uniform has seen an increase in productivity and a decrease in the number of mistakes made when picking; this has been illustrated by the test project carried out by DHL in Bergen.
Drones
Drones are almost always in the news; from being a great bit of kit to have fun and see the world from a different angle to a new tool in the race to deliver goods fast and efficiently.
Amazon is already testing delivery by drone and this is likely to become the norm in the future; providing the sky is not overrun by drones!
Automated Vehicles
You’ve probably heard the stories regarding automated vehicles which generally work very well. There have been a few accidents but this technology is still proving a promising way of delivery goods faster with increased safety.
Once all the bugs are ironed out it is possible delivery trucks can run non-stop with automated technology; your order could be with you in hours or even minutes!
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