Imagine yourself in 1860, residing in New Jersey, and having a box to deliver to your cousin in California. You go to the post office and have the choice of traveling via stagecoach for 25 days, shipping for months, or the Pony Express, which takes ten days. Since 1860, a lot has changed around the globe. When we place an internet purchase, it often arrives at our doorstep in two days or less. For the majority, overnight delivery is a choice rather than a luxury.
Innovation and commercial solutions are borne out of need is how we arrived at this point. The Pony Express was a solution to the lengthy delivery delays between the east and west coasts, despite its brief existence. The necessity for quick and inexpensive shipment in the contemporary world may now be satisfied by automation.
You can automate shipping process by including tools like software, RPA (Robotic Process Automation), machine learning, and even drones, which have all been made possible through innovation. Your shipping process may become more precise and effective if RPA and AI are successfully used. Robots have replaced ponies, yet they are working effectively.
To offer you a place to start and demonstrate how advantageous automated shipping processing can be, we will focus on some of the most often-used shipping methods.
1. Automate every aspect of your organization by using Cloud Computing
You probably already know what cloud computing can accomplish for you in your day-to-day life. Still, it’s possible that you haven’t given much attention to how it may assist you in automating your company.
Cloud Computing provides your whole company with access to various services, including databases, software, an automated shipment scheduling system, and data storage, all of which can be accessed remotely. It is simple to connect every component, cheap and can be set up in a short amount of time. It also makes it possible for everyone in your firm to be on the same page, which helps prevent misunderstandings in communication and ensures that the system is easy to use.
2. Management of stocks and supplies
If you glance in your inventory at the things you have stashed there, you can get an idea of how much inventory you have on hand, but do you know how much exactly? But what if you’re working with a third-party logistics provider? Take away any room for error by eliminating the mystery around the quantity of stock available for shipment after each purchase. Take things further by incorporating an automated update into your website if a product is sold out.
You may quietly encourage clients to purchase by demonstrating that there is a limited supply of a product and that they would be prudent to acquire it sooner rather than later. This not only makes it simple to purchase fresh stock when your current stock falls below a given level, but it also makes it easy to do it automatically. Automate shipping process to reduce wasted time, eliminate complexity, and make your company agile.
3. Improve the efficiency of your shipping operation
The optimal and most economical mode of transport for each of your items may be determined through automation. Depending on your shipping, you may design automation rules (such as “if this, then that”) to streamline your shipping processes and save on expenses.
You have the option of establishing shipping restrictions such as:
- You may mail anything with USPS first-class mail if it weighs less than 16 ounces.
- Insurance is required for certain high-value items; extra insurance is required for particular high-value objects. Make this process automated so that you and your clients will be protected.
- Orders placed internationally that are required to fill out customs declarations may automatically have their taxes and levies added on top of the shipping cost. You may also include supplementary papers (such as a certificate of origin) to ensure that everything goes well during the trip. In addition to this, you must make use of the correct international shipping services.
4. Assigning orders automatically
Do you have a team of individuals responsible for managing your shipments, and some orders must be allocated to personnel working in a specific warehouse or location? Even in this area, shipping automation may be of use to you. Let’s imagine you have someone at a warehouse on the east coast and someone in a warehouse on the west coast. How are they going to communicate with each other?
In order to guarantee that orders can be handled in a timely way and that they can be dispatched from a geographically nearby origin point, you may find it helpful to segment orders according to time zones that are comparable to one another. You may very simply delegate orders to a user in any of those two warehouses, depending on the location of your shipment.
5. Gives access to analytics in real-time
One of the best things about having access to the internet is having a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips. When you use automated shipping, you get the same sense of satisfaction that you get from real-time analytics. This is because it consolidates all your shipping and inventory information into a single location, making it accessible whenever you need to see the broad picture or the minute details. Do you need cost information for the most effective shipping options? The answer will be determined by automated shipping processing, and the resulting data will be compiled for your review.
6. Create a unique packing slip for gift orders, and print it
Giving and receiving presents is another significant aspect of the festival season. If you provide your clients the option of marking an item as a gift, you can conceal the cost of any presents they may purchase from you. You may delete the price information from things tagged as gifts if you set up automation to create a specific packing slip for such items. This can help you avoid those uncomfortable moments that arise when you find out how much money someone spent on a present.
Because of this regulation, you are also permitted to write unique remarks on the packing slip. Additionally, the person who will receive the gift may not be familiar with your company. You can use the customization on your packing slip to potentially gain a new customer by greeting them and even including a discount code or invitation to join your email newsletter. This is all possible, thanks to the fact that you can personalize your packing slip using automated shipment scheduling system.
Bottom line
You are now aware of what automated shipping processing is, how it may improve the efficiency of your company, and how to include it in your shipping procedure. What should we do now? Maintain vigilance over your shipping procedure, and always be on the lookout for new methods to enhance both your automated and manual work processes if you want to leave your competition in the proverbial dust, future-proof your firm by researching new shipping techniques and keeping up with trends, and equip it with an efficient and automated plan.
So, if you are looking for the best shipping consultancy USA, then we recommend trying our services by visiting Sobel Network Shipping as we provide all kinds of services including custom brokerage service.
