The freight shipping and transportation management world is an ever-expanding industry in today’s globalised age. From the TMS system to logistics application, software becomes a critical tool for upscaling freight operation and transportation processes without involving a thousand pieces of paperwork and wired communication.
The concept of freight software is not something new. Most of the processes occur via mainframes, and large carriers often use them. Today, they still play a prominent role in managing different shipping operations and carrier procedures to maintain quality service and meet the demands of clients.
The technology we currently have today has further materialised the realisation of an efficient and satisfying logistic performance for freight management. Whether a shipping organisation is seeking a cloud based transport management system or a real-time tracking solution, software becomes an integral and indispensable part of the shipping process. Since globalisation leads to more complex documentation issues, using the right software can provide an effective solution.
Shipping Software – Not Just Exclusive Tool For Top Tier Shippers
Shipping software is not just exclusive to the ‘big players in the market. Most top-tier shippers who tend to spend millions of dollars annually on freight use top-of-the-line shipping solutions. However, most small shipping enterprises are refraining from using shipping software or TMS systems since they are convinced that most logistic software developers design such software for the top-tier shipping players in the shipping market.
While most assumptions may be true at some point for modern-day shipping businesses, smaller enterprises can benefit and take advantage, especially in the field of the ecommerce market. The software grants small businesses the perk of automation solutions to amplify efficacy and operation efficiency.
Whether you’re planning to opt for freight procurement software or cloud-based TMS, here’s what smaller businesses can achieve by using the latest shipping software in the market:
- Reduces human errors
- Cuts down significant freight operation costs
- Real-time customer communication
- Consolidate shipments
- Wider and easier access to carrier pools
- Ability to choose more cost-effective options
5 Common Beneficial Features Found In Almost Every Freight Software
Regardless if you’re investing in a transportation management software (TMS) or a logistic service provider and procurement, numerous freight software has common features that you can take advantage of:
1. Tracking
Almost every freight shipping software can provide a tracking feature that allows you to show your clients the current location of the freight in real time, including the estimated time for arrival. Even the most basic-level software will allow you to experience and use tracking, which you can manually check and loop your customers for every tracking update.
2. Inventory management
A TMS system is not the only shipping software that provides inventory management. It is a common feature in other prominent related freight shipping software. Inventory management helps keep track of almost all shipments to prevent loss and provide insight on stolen items from warehouse space to freight moving.
3. Filling out import and export forms
Incorporating shipping software also provides less time for filling out and completing forms with minimal to no errors. Such a basic feature from every transport management/freight procurement software remains a must for global shipments. It provides an efficient and automated filling solution for import and export forms.
4. Quoting details
Quoting features, especially in transportation management software, provides quote freight details on multiple carriers. Quoting-detailed features help you choose the ideal and viable shipment/carrier for every situation. If there is no instant quote, the software can automate a forward about the logistics and shipment information to the carrier to return with a quote.
5. Automated booking and invoice
Almost every TMS system and other freight shipping software has its way of preparing documentation for shipping and generating account invoices for every involved party.
Ways How Your Small Business Can Benefit From Shipping Software
As we have mentioned earlier, software can serve as a tool for advancing your enterprise. If you’re deciding whether you should invest in a cloud based transport management system and other freight shipping software, here’s how your business can benefit from it:
Automated reporting and analytics
Shipping software is more than just a standard tool for day-to-day shipping procedures. Such software remains a powerful solution for shippers to access more advanced and in-depth insight into expenditure and operation. It also gives users more meaningful and comparable data to make sound decisions and improvements accordingly.
Low-cost transportation
A TMS system and other shipping software reduce transportation costs, making them more manageable for organisations. Shipping enterprises can deal better with processing, enhance client relationships and communication and access inventory management, etc., simplifying control and overseeing multiple aspects of the shipping process.
Optimises shipping routes
Shipping software has key features, such as assessment and analytics for finding the best cutting-cost options for the best shipping strategy. Users can focus more on creating more efficient shipping routes, which also helps reduce fuel consumption while improving your business’s operation. Apart from finding the best route, your TMS system or shipping software can also enhance your shipping loads and open lower-cost searches for your operational needs.
Real-time tracking solution
The advantage of a real-time tracking solution is unparalleled in today’s complex shipment and freight procedures. Real-time tracking of ships and cargo implements better connectivity in all aspects of the supply chain with better visibility. Updates are also done in real-time, allowing your business to communicate the latest location of shipment while moving throughout the procedure. Users can also acquire usable data for insights.
If you are looking for a TMS or logistics service provider in Singapore, visit Cargobase for a leading transport management solution and other logistic software.
