"Why fix if not broken yet?" - is what many logisticians and forwarders swear by, after years into the business. Just because an exigency hasn't struck yet doesn't mean we should not prepare for one.
Being in the business for a long time makes you and your employees comfortable with the ways of working. The confidence of the years of experience can cloud a modern outlook towards Logistics and Freight Forwarding.
Listed below are the most common follies by Freight Forwarders:
- Using just a spreadsheet to
consolidate all data
- Working in silos
- Relying only on paper-based
documentation
- No visibility into the current status of accounts
These will not be seen as follies until you understand the benefits of using a renewed approach towards your business and customers. Let's delve into detail to expand your views on this important subject.
Smart Processes that increase efficiency
Work from home cannot be fruitful unless all your teams and
respective team members are in sync. To keep all your team members on one page,
standard processes must be defined. Traditionally these processes were found in
a document sent via email. When processes are documented but not validated on a
system, it can be a cause of confusion and lack of clarity; especially in
remote working.
To straighten it out, the concept of workflows in Freight Management Software was introduced. A process that is unique to your organization can be designed in the system. All sub-processes have triggers that send out communications when a milestone is achieved or a deadline is missed.
One for All - All for one
Silos happen when functions either can’t or won’t easily share
information with other departments. As a result, it causes a dent in your
company’s long-term goals. The information must flow freely across functions in
a modern enterprise. Silos cut off the circulation of information.
With the addition of multiple software for each function, you
add overhead into maintenance without being able to have anytime access to
data. Effective Logistics Management with ERP Systems does the job of each of
the individual software combined.
By implementing a Logistics ERP Software, you integrate your Freight Forwarding Operation with Sales, CRM, and Billing for Air, Land, and Sea Freight. A central database that is accessible to all functions has its data integrity intact.
Control your operations centrally
You are a business owner and want to have a firm regulation on
your operations and administration. It can be quite some work to collate
performance and financial reports of your various branches and regions if done
manually. In view of taking critical business decisions, you need to base it on
the evaluation of all aspects of your company. The evaluation can happen more
rationally if data is available in one central system. This is where a freight
management system like Logi-Sys can help.
With Freight Management Software you have complete control over your budget, revenue leakages, and accounts receivable and payable. The data is presented in meaningful reports and graphs so you can make decisions with ease.
If you are a Freight Forwarder who wishes to build a robust business using a software solution, Logi-Sys from Softlink Global is the perfect fit.
Originally Published in Portcalls Asia Magazine
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