If the recent global pandemic has taught business owners anything, it is that they need options for operations. Creating processes that end up being the main way that tasks are carried out is typical, but backup plans, and assistance strategies are essential. Technology has made a huge impact on the ways in which logistics companies continue to thrive and below are three top examples.
Safety and Compliance
Fleet managers know all too well that this can be a dangerous job in terms of their on the road staff, and also a business that is filled with rules and regulations that are non-negotiable. With this industry booming now more than ever, it can be easy to drop the ball. That’s why top industry leaders look to technology to help support their safety and compliance initiatives.
Using electronic logging devices is something that can be easily implemented and take a ton of menial work from the plates of your drivers and managers. Before you install logging devices in all your trucks, you can review a complete guide on ELD’s so that you can take advantage of all their features. Primarily used to support the regulations surrounding hours of service, these nifty gadgets send the data directly to the office to be analyzed and reviewed which is a great way to get in front of any potential to fall out of compliance before it happens.
Audio/Visual Solutions
Top companies know that it is incredibly important to have the ability to do everything and anything in real time. The top AV solutions can help your team collaborate better, give you a better opportunity to hold meetings with clients, and even allow your dispatchers to have a way to view their entire fleet on one screen. Since workplace interactions have changed so significantly over the past year or two, at this point, it is a change you simply cannot resist if you want to remain competitive, efficient, and modern within the industry.
If a remote team is something that your business is dealing with, that does not mean that AV solutions are beyond you. Yes, they can be incredible in terms of in-person benefits, but when you need ways to set up your satellite teams, they can be helpful as well. Specifically, because you want everyone to still be able to remain productive, giving them the tools, they need to do so is critical.
Smartphones and Apps
It is probable that your staff operates off some type of dispatching software, but how modern is it? In today’s market there are programs and apps that can help drivers and dispatchers better communicate at the touch of a button. Always keeping safety in mind, also think about how much better using an app to communicate is than phone calls?
And what about customer expectations and your customer service capabilities? Customers and clients are also going to have questions and demand answers in terms of your fleet, just as managers and owners will. You can use these apps and the data collected from them to give answers in real time. Certain programs can also be connected directly to the customer and offer opportunities for things like text updates about deliveries and photo proof of a drop off.