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If you own or run a business in the carrier industry, it’s vital you keep up with the latest trends to prevent your company from falling behind. The good news is that you can take advantage of recent software packages and mobile apps to keep your business on track for success and long-term profitability.

From applications that backup your files and let you create databases, to last mile delivery software, having the right apps on hand can make a positive difference. Keep reading to explore some of the top apps worth considering.

MOZY

All businesses must store customer data, financial reports, and other files that are vital to ongoing success. Some companies overlook the importance of creating backups and face the unthinkable as a result. Imagine the impact of losing your files and not being able to get them back; your business could fail.

Mozy is an easy-to-use, online backup solution that combats the problem and gives you peace of mind. Whether you need to store files generated by dispatch software or secure financial documents, Mozy will do it automatically.

FILEMAKER PRO

When you want a solution that lets you create, edit, and manage databases, FileMaker Pro is the product for you. Storing customer files, travel logs, and other data points that are critical to your carrier service are some of the things the system can do. Some people have trouble publishing this data to the internet when needed, but you will never encounter that issue if you use FileMaker Pro. This software features easy web integration so that you can publish your reports without stress.

DISPATCH MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

As far as many carrier companies are concerned, mobile driver management tools from Key Software Systems are a great choice for streamlining communications to your mobile workforce. Our mobile software allows you to track accuracy with barcode scanning and track drivers with GPS. It also enhances the customer experience with SMS text messaging, giving you visibility for each step in the delivery process.

As a result, last mile delivery software gives you the power to find areas of weakness, so you can make improvements and boost your overall productivity.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Using the latest software and technological advances is key to beating the competition and staying relevant in a crowded market. You can create and manage reports with the touch of a button, and backing up your essential data will be easier than ever.

Distribution software lets you monitor every order you ship so that you can improve delivery times and keep your customers happy. If you are serious about keeping your business moving in the right direction, consider trying these apps right away.

Have you ever noticed how scout bees fly long distances in random directions to find food and notify everyone else with their so-called “waggle dance” when they do find food?

The urge to optimize delivery routes is such that to find the best routes that can save huge amounts of time, a startup designed an algorithm based on the “bees algorithm,” which describes how bees find the best route to flowers, according to an article published by Fast Company. However, this is not the best way, since calculating the perfect route this way could take days for humans.

Experts at Key Software Systems say that with customers now exposed to an endless choice of products and services, only a courier company that is able to optimize their delivery route efficiently and consistently will be able to achieve cost and quality distinction over their competition.

WAYS TO OPTIMIZE DELIVERY ROUTES

No doubt, a rise in fuel cost raises the budget and brings the profit margins down, as indicated by an article by The Financial Times. Courier companies have two options to better manage their logistics:

1. Restructurethe current delivery routes:The aim of restructuring the existing delivery routes is to reducethem to the bare essentials, such that the delivery requires leastnumber of delivery personnel, vehicles in transit and warehousespace.
2. Identifythe best possible delivery routes:Every delivery network has some flaws, which increase delivery costsfor businesses, impacting their profits. It is really important forcourier companies to identify the best delivery routes, in terms oftime and distance, so that they can meet all their deadlines, whilesaving on logistics costs.

Instead of choosing one option, companies can make both these solutions run parallel. Delivery route optimization will also streamline inventory. However, certain businesses do need to take into account the need for maintaining the quality of goods in transit, customer demand for quick home delivery, real time reporting as well as tracking uncertainties associated with travel, such as traffic, construction and weather.

When businesses try to optimize routes manually, errors are bound to occur, which can cause further delays.

To achieve seamless and cost-effective delivery route optimization, courier companies are taking advantage of dispatch software that has features like dynamic route optimization, route scheduling and planning, taking into consideration complex variables like vehicle capacity, cargo weight, cost of the order and vehicle location tracking to keep their customers informed about when to expect delivery of their order.

When logistics management is efficient, customers tend to be more satisfied, which only leads to increased sales.

There’s no one way to run a fulfillment company. Unlike many industries, this field is wide open to experimentation. You must choose how to operate, and in most cases, building your own custom business model is the best way to stand out.

While it’s nice to enjoy such freedoms, this can also pose unique challenges. For instance, it’s not always easy to institute effective courier management service practices. Even if you’ve equipped your enterprise with powerful courier dispatch software, you might not know how to put it to good use or which data points you ought to track.

Fortunately, you don’t have to settle for feeling lost. These pointers on effective courier software management can help you get started off on the right foot.

DEFINING BEST PRACTICES

According to industry observers, the courier management software market is set to expand steadily for some time. Thanks to factors like expanding e-commerce and increased awareness of business data, more supply chain companies are putting dashboards and other intelligent analysis tools to use.

Given sufficient time, the heightened role of courier software management tools may lead to industry-wide standards and practices. In the interim, however, you can set the tone for your business by devising your own guidelines and frameworks. As you define what constitutes best practices, you should consider factors like:

• What level of individual accountability you’d like to establish
• How much time and money you’d ideally prefer to devote to managing couriers
• Which types of warehousing data sources you want to track, and
• Which stakeholders should be responsible for maintaining the courier management service

ZEROING IN ON INDIVIDUAL STANDARDS

The previous considerations should help you get a better feel for what goes into managing couriers using software tools. Now you just have to buckle down and create concrete rules.

Imagine you’ve decided that your couriers, warehouse parcel handlers, and warehouse managers should all participate in collecting system data. You’ll probably want to codify the different roles that each employee plays. What better place for this than in the job descriptions and training materials you use to teach people how to complete their duties?

This kind of onboarding can take various forms. For instance, it may be wise to introduce warehouse intake staff to basic procedures, such as ensuring that barcodes are scanned into the system properly. A high-level manager, on the other hand, might receive a crash course about using their smartphone dashboard to track departmental performance.

Proper training is essential to instituting best practices that people follow faithfully. By comparing your business goals to the data and capabilities your courier dispatch software makes available, you can gradually hone your ability to use digital management systems to the fullest potential.

Courier delivery software takes many forms, and so do best practices. Before setting any rules in stone, get to know your tools and how their use impacts mission-critical business processes. Give your company the power to derive smart standards from tracking the data that counts most.

If you’ve set your sights on business growth, you should be open to suggestions for improvement for your courier organization. There are plenty of great delivery management software options, but you require more than just powerful business tools. You also need to understand how to use them. Here are three tips for putting courier delivery software to good use.

1. START BY DEFINING YOUR PRIMARY KPIS

The world’s best business applications vary widely yet share a common characteristic: They heighten your access to data. For instance, leading home delivery software systems allow you to integrate practices like package scanning, warehouse space management, and driver location tracking so that you can keep tabs on individual orders and processes throughout the complete lifecycle.

BE JUDICIOUS ABOUT WHAT YOU TRACK.

Before zooming in on any of the acute details, consider the more general processes and activities that you engage in on a regular basis. Use these to come up with business-oriented key performance indicators, or KPIs, related to broader domains. Refer to your business plan or core mission statement to identify the most important quantitative figures that indicate organizational success. Do you place a high value on seasonal revenue? Are you concerned with cutting fleet fueling costs or minimizing delivery times? The goal is to paint a big-picture view of your business, so decide which elements you want your at-a-glance perspective to feature before you move forward.

2. FOCUS ON COMPONENT PROCESSES TO MAKE CONNECTIONS

Now examine the fine-grained activities that let your company thrive. You can use these to conceptualize performance objectives for specific positions or job roles. For instance, suppose you were assessing your delivery drivers’ performance. You’d probably want to list the kinds of responsibilities they hold. Once you’ve enumerated position-specific responsibilities, it’s easier to connect each duty to a primary KPI that it influences. As an example, a delivery driver who also works in the warehouse might have a heightened impact on whether orders get fulfilled on time because he is responsible for correctly loading the truck with the day’s parcels. Go through all of your company’s major processes or job positions to identify performance variables relevant to each.

3. CREATE A HOME DELIVERY SOFTWARE DASHBOARD THAT LINKS PROCESS-SPECIFIC KPIS TO MAJOR BUSINESS GOALS

By now, you should have a set of major KPIs and a whole army of process-specific performance factors to track. Organize your delivery management software so that you can switch between the two levels at will. Finally, connect your app to real-world data tools, such as barcode scanners, vehicle trackers, or even drivers’ mobile devices. For example, you might use courier delivery software to:

• Automatically track package scanning to highlight order fulfillment hangups
• Draw parallels between customer reviews, complaint handling and repeat business
• Proactively recognize fleet maintenance history patterns so that you can stay ahead of vehicle breakdowns
• Identify which package sizes correlate with high-revenue deliveries.

PUT IT ALL TOGETHER

It’s up to you to choose what you’ll use your delivery management software to accomplish. No matter how you put your toolkit to use, however, it must be flexible enough to accommodate fast integrations with real-world, up-to-the-second data sources. Discover why carriers of all sizes depend on Key Software Systems to stay informed.

Smartphones are not called smart for nothing. This is a device that easily fits in your pocket and has not only changed the way we live but has significantly altered the way we do business. More than 80% of all CEOs see mobile technologies as being strategically important for their enterprise, says an article on Forbes, since it leads us to new levels of connectivity and productivity.

The major benefit of having smartphones at workplace is when they have apps that increase productivity by automating different tasks, organizing time, encouraging collaboration and getting real-time updates from employees, says an expert at Key Software Systems.

Here are three major ways smartphones are changing businesses for the better.

ALLOWS MOBILITY

Gone are the days when we used to stay chained to the office desk to complete our everyday tasks. As a new business strategy for workplace mobility, businesses are empowering their employees to work from anywhere, at any time and from any device. There is no need for the client to wait in limbo till the time the business tries to make up for an employee not being present in the office. Successful workplace mobility enables companies to instantly reach employees who work remotely, which leads to better workplace communication and higher productivity.

STREAMLINES BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

With a mobile device in one’s hands, people have become easier to reach than ever before. Mobile devices have enabled us to communicate across the globe at any time. A smartphone gives you the advantage of also sending various types of media through text messages, emails, cloud services and other platforms, and collaborate with the team through face-to-face video conferencing from wherever you might be. This adds additional layers of efficiency, encouraging even more seamless business communication. Access to social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn allows organizations to increase their social circles to build and maintain business relationships.

ACCESS TO PRODUCTIVITY APPS

According to key findings of a 2016 CITO Research study, conducted on behalf of Apperian, 30% of respondents found apps to be really helpful in improving business processes, while 23% said that apps increased employee productivity.

Industries like logistics management & supply chain operations, which involve mobile resource management (MRM), are increasingly using courier management software to streamline their business processes and increase efficiency, especially through intuitive smartphone apps for drivers. Other than acting as a GPS mobile tracking solution, mobile solutions are being used to track mileage, manage schedule and timings, measure driver/field worker performance, interact with back-end systems, and automate vital information, such as hours of service (HOS), fuel tax reporting, fuel consumption and engine performance.

With such benefits, it is quite evident that businesses will continue to adopt smart solutions and mobile devices to improve their business processes and productivity.

Todays’ consumer is more discerning than ever before. They are not ready to compromise on delayed shipments or bad quality products. This has put a lot of pressure on courier companies to maintain their dispatch processes to match to the expectations of their customers. For growth, it is immensely important that these companies continue to improve on their business processes, complying with customer requests, while also cutting costs and enhancing customer service.

However, if we look closely, a courier company cannot run without an efficient warehouse system. The warehouse and distribution centers are at the very heart of the supply chain network. Warehouses perform a wide range of services that add value, such as labeling, assembly, packaging, branding, kitting and reverse logistics. Warehouses also need to be efficient in accommodating any spike in demand during the festive season, says an article published by MACH 1 Global Services.

To achieve an efficient warehouse, courier management software can be the key. Let’s see how.

ENCOURAGES MORE REGIONAL LOCATION

Earlier, when courier companies used to operate manually, they preferred their warehouses to be restricted to one geographical location to easily manage pickups. However, an efficient courier management system, which can easily take care of several warehousing hubs simultaneously, is encouraging the building of more regional locations, bringing products even closer to the customer. This will help courier companies reduce transportation costs and ensure last mile delivery, says an expert at Key Software Systems.

ALLOWS EXPANSION OF SPACE

Technology continues to change the way consumers shop and how businesses fulfill orders. As 2018 unfolds, we need to watch these six trends in B2B e-commerce and develop dynamic models to meet the expectations of customers.

MORE CONSUMER-BASED TECHNOLOGY

B2C companies have set the stage for the way people shop, and these habits are creeping into businesses as millennials take over top positions. These executives grew up with technology and are used to fast, smooth purchasing experiences. An estimated 53 percent of B2B customers now make at least half of their work purchases online, and handling this increase requires an e-commerce platform tailored to meet their needs

B2B GOES MOBILE

Upgrading B2B e-commerce software is also necessary to accommodate the high percentage of customers who consider mobile devices a “vital” part of doing business. About 84 percent of millennials and 76 percent of people in Generation X rely on mobile devices in both their personal and professional lives, and B2B companies need to respond accordingly. Providing a mobile-friendly platform allows these customers to make purchases and manage orders any time, instead of waiting for a B2B representative.

THE OMNIPRESENCE OF OMNICHANNEL

Sixty percent of B2B sellers report an increase in sales after adding online channels to their marketing strategies. Making the most of this shift requires the adoption of software designed to cover all customer touchpoints and optimize the buying process across diverse channels and platforms

REFINEMENT OF PERSONALIZATION

Personalized shopping experiences are deeply entrenched in the B2C realm, and B2B customers will expect the same in 2018. With the advent of machine learning and the growing use of AI technologies, it’s possible to process, analyze, and understand more behavioral data than ever before. Improved ERP platforms can take this data and use it to tailor shopping experiences to individual customers.

FULFILLMENT AUTOMATION

Integrating purchasing and fulfillment with ERP and delivery management software reduces the errors B2B companies experience when relying on the manual transfer of order information. Instead of risking a bottleneck between processes, integrating systems creates an efficient flow of data to speed up fulfillment and improve the customer experience. When we can remove barriers to purchasing, customer satisfaction and repeat orders increase.

BETTER TRACKING AND DELIVERY OPTIONS

Thanks to the availability of up-to-date weather and traffic data, it’s now possible to use route optimization software to get orders to customers faster and provide them with more detailed tracking information. This allows us to meet the increasing demand for services like same-day and weekend delivery driven by trends in B2C markets. In B2B e-commerce, being able to offer more shipping options prevents customers from going to competitors better equipped to meet their needs.

The way we respond to customers in the changing landscape of B2B sales and fulfillment should be focused on creating better purchasing experiences and using new technologies to meet expectations. With a wider reach through omnichannel marketing and increased delivery options, we can reach more customers and build stronger relationships throughout 2018.