What are the Benefits of Using Logistics ERP Software?

The shipping and logistics industry is one of the biggest in the world. It is always buzzing with activity, 365x24x7. Whether it is imports and exports or even shipping the goods within the country, state, and city, logistics plays a vital role.

For a product to reach the distributor, retailer, or customer on time, the enterprise has to consider various factors that could mess up the plan. Weather, traffic, schedules of other service providers, unexpected breakdowns of vehicles, delays at inspection centers, and whatnot could play the villain and wreak havoc on the entire process.

Not just that, procuring raw materials on time, transporting the goods to warehouses and keeping them safe, cataloging them into batches, ensuring that the products are not damaged or affected during the shipping, and delivering the shipments at the destinations are all a part of logistics.

How can an enterprise or even a 3PL service provider manage the workload day in and day out? How do the enterprises keep everything streamlined every single time? How do employees, workers, and drivers stay updated about the shipments and deliveries?

That’s where logistics ERP software enters the scene. The software is integrated with the existing business system to create a centralized database with entire information about procurement, inventory, warehousing, transportation, and payment of invoices and salaries. There are various benefits of using the software for enterprises and third-party logistics providers.

Optimizing Inventory

• Tracking inventory is very much a part of logistics. How else with the enterprise know when to move goods to the warehouse and when to ship them to distributors? Timing and quantity, both play a vital role in deciding the sale of the products. Having a centralized system that tracks and determines the movement of goods will make it easy for enterprises to make production and sales-based decisions.

Communicate with Vendors

• Imagine being able to check out the order history and the list of orders placed with a vendor. What if the employee can send SMS or email updates, update invoices, and make vendor payments through the same software? Would it not simplify the process and reduce the chances of human error? There will be no delayed or double payments anymore.

Scheduling Maintenance Services

• The warehouse and the transportation vehicles need to be maintained in proper condition. Instead of waiting for something to go wrong and then fix it, the software will let enterprises schedule maintenance services in advance. The enterprise can be proactive and avoid a complicated situation instead of reacting to control the damage. The vehicles can be sent for services in a way that wouldn’t affect the distribution flow.

Manage Distribution Channels

• Keeping the communication activities between the drivers and coordinators is very important. Real-time tracking of the vehicles will enable them to share updates and make the necessary changes to the schedule. Whether it is suggesting alternate routes to avoid traffic or finding a way to reach the destination on time, managing distribution channels is one of the toughest jobs of logistics.

Reducing Time, Cost, and Effort

• The logistics software brings everything together on a single platform. It connects the different sections of the enterprise and shares the latest data with other departments. Investing in the right logistics software will help enterprises reduce the cost of managing the shipping and transportation services, reduce the workload on employees, and also save time for the enterprises. The goods can be shipped faster at a lesser cost. Isn’t that advantageous for every business?

Staff Management

• Staff management is more useful for 3PL service providers. That said, enterprises can also manage the database of the drivers and mechanics who handle the vehicles. From creating profiles for each driver/ coordinator/ mechanic to adding their personal and professional information, maintaining a record of their work hours, calculating their salaries, and recording their performance, the software allows the enterprise to have complete control over who is in charge of the fleet.

Communicate with Customers

• The logistics ERP software also allows enterprises to communicate with customers and generate new leads. It can be combined with the CRM system to align the goals for the sales teams. The marketing department can create promotional strategies based on real-time data collected by the logistics software.
• The sales department can identify potential leads and close them in less time. Using real-time data and past data together will provide the enterprises with a comprehensive report about what a customer would like. This will help in increasing customer satisfaction by offering them what they want and also by reducing errors caused due to miscommunication.

Enterprises can contact the leading logistics service provider in the country to get more information about the software. Enterprises can request a consultation through the company website.