Eyes on the Prize: How Logistics Software Can Maximise Supply Chain Visibility.

Table of Contents:

• What is Logistics Software?
• The Benefits of Logistics Software
• Links in a chain
• How to Choose the Right Logistics Software for Your Business.
• How to Implement Logistics Software in Your Business.
• Train your staff
• Customise the software
• Integrate the software with your existing systems
• Give it a test run
• Monitor and optimise the software
• Keep Your Eyes on the Prize.

How to utilise logistics software to oversee every step of your supply chain and keep your customers happy by avoiding delays.

Does your business struggle to keep track of your supply chain? And do you find yourself constantly playing catch-up with your orders, inventory and shipments? If so, you’re not alone. Many Australian businesses face these challenges. And it’s often because they lack the visibility required to manage their supply chain effectively.

Luckily, there’s a set of digital tools that can come to your rescue. These tools are called logistics software systems and they can help take most of the headaches out of monitoring and controlling your supply chain. 

Logistics software is a powerful tool that can help you gain visibility into your supply chain and streamline your operations. In this blog post, we’ll explore the link between logistics software and supply chain visibility, and give you a few pointers about how you can use these tools to improve your business.

What is Logistics Software?

OK…let’s start with the basics. Logistics software systems are cloud-based digital tools that help businesses manage their supply chain operations. It typically includes features such as: 

• Inventory Management.
• Order management. 
• Shipping and Logistics Oversight. 
• Transportation Management. 

Logistics software can be used to automate many of the tasks involved in managing your supply chain, such as tracking shipments from your suppliers and to your customers, managing the inventory levels in your warehouse, and efficiently and accurately processing your orders.

The Benefits of Logistics Software

One of the chief benefits of logistics software is that it can help you gain that all-important overview of your entire supply chain. This is especially important here in Australia where our supply chains can be extremely long. 

With logistics software, you can track your inventory levels, orders, and shipments in real time. This oversight can help you to identify potential issues before they become problems. For example, if you notice that your inventory levels are running low, or a particular component of your products is becoming hard to get, you can take action to restock before you run out.

Logistics software can also help you streamline your operations. By automating many of the tasks involved in managing a supply chain, you can reduce the amount of time and effort required to manage your operations. This can free up your staff to focus on other tasks, such as customer service or marketing.

Another benefit of logistics software is that it can help you improve your customer service. You’ll be able to easily track your shipments from source to delivery, and provide your customers with real-time updates on the status of their orders. This builds up trust with your customers and improves their overall experience with your business. And we all know what that means: customers who have a great experience will come back for more.

Links in a chain

The many steps that a product has to take in order to successfully move from initial supply to satisfied customer is literally like the links in a steel chain. Each link is vital, and each link contributes to the sturdiness and completeness of the chain. And just as you can examine a piece of chain and spot its weaknesses, logistics software lets you keep an eye on every link in your supply chain. 

By using logistics software to track your inventory levels, orders, and shipments, you can spot the defects (so to speak) in your supply chain. This information gives you the ability to head off potential issues before they become catastrophic and take action to address them before they do serious damage. 

For example, if you notice that one of your shipments is delayed by, say, shipping congestion in the Panama Canal, you can use your logistics software system to track down alternate supply options. Your system can also automatically advise your customers about the delay and provide updates in real time about the progress of their orders.

How to Choose the Right Logistics Software for Your Business.

When choosing logistics software for your business, it’s important to consider your specific needs and requirements. Some logistics software may be better suited for your business than others.

Here are some factors to consider when choosing the right logistics software package for your particular situation.

• The size of your business: Some logistics software may be better suited for small businesses, while others may be better suited for larger businesses.

• The complexity of your supply chain: If your supply chain is long and complex (as is often the case in Australia) you may need logistics software that can handle a high volume of transactions and provide advanced features such as real-time tracking and analytics.

• Your budget: Dollars and cents will play a big part in choosing the correct system for your business. Logistics software can range in price from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the features and functionality you need.

• Your staff’s level of technical expertise: Some logistics software may be more user-friendly than others, depending on your staff’s level of technical expertise.

How to Implement Logistics Software in Your Business.

Once you’ve chosen the right logistics software for your business, it’s time to implement it. Here are some of the steps that you’ll need to follow

Train your staff 

Before you start using your logistics software, it’s important to train your staff on its operation. This will help ensure that everyone is using the software effectively and efficiently.

Customise the software 

The best logistics software packages can be customised to meet your specific needs and requirements. By taking the time to fully customise the software to fit your business’s needs and expectations, you’ll ensure that it will be working effectively for years to come.

Integrate the software with your existing systems 

Logistics software can be integrated with many other systems, such as your accounting software and your customer relationship management (CRM) software. Take the time to integrate the software with your existing systems to ensure that everything is working seamlessly together.

Give it a test run 

When you buy a new ute, truck or van, you’ll put it through its paces to make figure out all the controls and get the seat set up just right. And it’s the same with your logistics software. Before you and your staff start using the software to manage your supply chain, it’s important to test it thoroughly to ensure that it’s working as expected. This will help you identify any issues or bugs that need to be addressed before you start using the software in your environment.

Monitor and optimise the software

Once you’ve started using the software, it’s important to monitor its performance and optimise it as needed: like tweaking the seat comfort and the wing mirrors in your new delivery vehicle. This will help you ensure that the software is user-friendly for your staff and is providing the visibility and efficiency you need to manage your supply chain effectively.

Keep Your Eyes on the Prize.

So as you can see, logistics software and supply chain visibility are closely linked. By choosing the right logistics software for your business, and implementing it effectively, you can streamline your operations, improve your customer service, and gain the visibility you need to manage your supply chain effectively.

If you’re struggling to keep track of your supply chain, maybe it’s time to consider using logistics software. With these handy digital tools, you can easily keep an eye on your supply chain and fix or change those damaged links before they come undone.