Table of Contents:
- Move It Up; Move It On
- How Dispatch Software Works
- Benefits of Dispatch Software
- Get That Stuff Out to the Customer
Dispatch software is a powerful tool for ensuring deliveries leave your warehouse and reach your customers in the most efficient and profitable way.
Getting stuff out of your warehouse and onto the road in the most efficient way is the Holy Grail for logistics operators. Keeping the goods flowing through your facilities, minimising clutter and double-handling, and successfully placing consignments in the hands of your customers is what your business is all about.
But bottlenecks at the warehouse doorway (so to speak) are one of the most likely ways that your otherwise efficient supply chain can break down. So how do you avoid these pesky snarl-ups? In this article, we will explore the features of dispatch software, how it works, and how it can be a useful tool for logistics operators in Australia.
Move It Up; Move It On
Just like the cattle in the song Rawhide, keeping the goods flowing through your system is vital to an efficient logistics system. Dispatch software is a powerful tool that logistics operators in Australia can use to manage their dispatch operations. Dispatch software is designed to streamline and optimise the dispatch process by providing real-time visibility into the location of goods, tracking your shipments, and managing dispatch carriers.
Features of Dispatch Software
Dispatch software is designed to provide logistics operators with a range of features that can help them manage their dispatch operations more efficiently. Some of the key features of dispatch software include:
- Real-time location visibility. There’s nothing worse than aimlessly wandering around the warehouse looking for a package or consignment that’s hidden in plain sight. Chances are, you’ll walk past it ten times before you see it…or someone else finds it for you!
Dispatch software can sort this problem out straight away. It provides real-time visibility into the location of goods in your warehouse (or warehouses) at every stage of the dispatch process.
- Carrier management and shipment tracking. Dispatch software allows logistics operators to manage their dispatch carriers, including scheduling, tracking, and billing. It can also track and monitor the time any consignment left your facility, who was in charge, and which carrier it was sent on. This can be of great use if you are using a carrier diversification system to send consignments using multiple carriers.
A dispatch software system can also help you quickly identify and resolve any issues that arise during the delivery process. This will ultimately allow you to reduce carrier costs by optimising routes, reducing fuel consumption, and minimising carrier-related delays.
- Order management. Gone are the days when you could run your logistics business using sheaves of dog-eared paper, grubby pencils and land-line phones. Modern dispatch software allows logistics operators to digitally manage order processing, tracking and billing. This can dramatically boost your efficiency, your turn-around time and, most importantly, improve customer satisfaction.
- Reporting and analytics. These days, big data is the Big Daddy of successful logistics operations. Being able to crunch the numbers is as important as keeping your pencil sharp. Dispatch software provides logistics operators with a range of reporting and analytics tools that can help them analyse their dispatch operations and identify areas for improvement.
How Dispatch Software Works
Dispatch software works by providing a centralized portal for managing your dispatch operations. From here you can manage your fleet of carriers, track shipments, and manage orders in real-time. Let’s follow the flow of a typical shipment process to see where dispatch software slots in.
Order up
For most logistics operators, the dispatch process typically begins with the receipt of an order from a customer. The order is then processed using your dispatch software system in tandem with other software systems you may have operating such as TMS or WMS setups. The dispatch software will work with these to provide real-time visibility into the location of goods in the warehouse or factory. It will then automatically allocate a driver or check the availability of other dispatch carriers in your network, then schedule a carrier to pick up the goods.
On the road
Once the carrier has picked up the goods, your dispatch software will work in tandem with your TMS to monitor optimise the carrier’s route and make changes as and when required. It will also provide you with instant proof of delivery and feed the details back into your invoicing and accounting system. Pretty nifty, isn't’ it?
Can we do better?
There’s always roome for improvement, even in the best setups. After the shipment has been delivered, the dispatch software provides a range of reporting and analytics tools that can help you analyse your dispatch operations and identify areas for improvement.
Benefits of Dispatch Software
Dispatch software delivers some key benefits for logistics operators in Australia. By implementing a dispatch software system you will begin to see improvements in your operation almost immediately.
Improved dispatch efficiency
Time is money in the logistics game. The faster you can move goods through your supply chain, the better. By providing real-time visibility into the location of goods within your facilities, and the availability of carriers across your network, dispatch software can help optimise your dispatch operations and reduce dispatch times.
Reduced costs
The bottom line is where it all comes together. Dispatch software is a simple way for you to reduce carrier costs by optimising routes, keep and eye on fuel consumption, and minimising carrier-related delays. By monitoring the location of goods in your storage and transport facilities, the software can also cut down on the amount of valuable time that your staff spend finding and collating shipments.
Increased customer satisfaction
We talk about this a lot in our blog posts. But the simple truth is that one bad review or a dissatisfied customer can quickly damage your reputation. Word spreads fast on social media these days so if you are able to avoid problems before they crop up, you’ll soo get a reputation for being reliable and good to deal with. By providing fast and reliable dispatch of goods, dispatch software can help improve customer satisfaction and build customer loyalty. This is vital for generating repeat business and growing your customer base.
Increased scalability
By providing a centralized platform for managing dispatch operations, dispatch software gives you business room to grow. This scalability makes it easy to add new locations, products, or customers. By growing in a controlled and efficient way you’ll be able to remain competitive and adapt to changing market conditions.
Get That Stuff Out to the Customer
Dispatch software is a powerful tool that logistics operators in Australia can use to manage their dispatch operations. TransVirtual’s dispatch software is designed to streamline and optimise your dispatch process by providing real-time visibility into the location of goods. It will keep your shipments moving through the warehouse and out the door (or off the loading bay), manage your fleet, and ensure that your carrier diversification functions seamlessly.
So if you’d like your logistics company to be “mentioned in dispatches” by satisfied customers, feel free to get in touch. We can help design the perfect dispatch software system for your business.
