Four ways to optimize the shipping process
How warehouse and logistics managers can worry less and ship smarter
(Advertorial) Warehouse and logistics managers are typically charged with increasing the efficiency of shipments. But with many aspects to a complicated supply chain, this can be a daunting task to tackle.
Experts at nShift, the global leader in delivery management software, have spoken to industry experts to create a list of four ways to optimize the process and help companies ship smarter.
1. Prioritise printing - label printing can be laborious and time-consuming. But re-using the data from backend systems, rather than manually typing it all out, can significantly speed up the process. Once everything is correctly set up, you can print the label the second the order number is scanned and retrieved from another system.
2. Keep track of deliveries – customers care more about the delivery arriving on time than anything else. It is crucial that you can quickly and easily track shipments. Ideally, the customer should have direct access to the tracking data. When they have a clear read on where the shipment is in its delivery journey and when it will be arriving, it can significantly reduce the customer processing time and build a better relationship.
3. Offer delivery options – customers vary on how they want their shipment delivered and when they want it. That is why carriers need to provide different delivery options. By using a system that makes these easily available to customers, delivery can become a competitive advantage in the online checkout. Whatever the option, on-time delivery remains critical.
4. Rapid returns - attractive return options, as well as simple and efficient returns management at the warehouse, is vital. It’s important that staff can register returns with just a few clicks or even automatically when scanning the return. It must be easy for customers to fill out and print return labels and quickly receive their refund.
Investing in the right delivery management system is critical to making each of these aspects work as smoothly as possible. The right platform will enable warehouse and logistics managers to:
- Prepare – by taking their pick of integration methods and using prepared templates to get up to speed, quickly and accurately.
- Execute - plan transports, book carriers, print labels and documents, send notifications through multiple channels
- Control - secure easy, customizable access to all your shipment data, for anyone who needs it for analysing and reporting.
- Improve - simplify the supply chain. Reduce freight spend and inventory. Increase operational efficiency and sales.Manging shipments and returns as efficiently as possible requires constant visibility over the supply chain. Giving customers the delivery options, they really want requires access to a large carrier library. In a world of constant change, regular access to insightful data that improves performance is essential.
Find out more about nShift’s delivery management solutions at nshift.com.
