4 Technology Trends in Transportation and Logistics
The world is changing at a pace that’s amazing but capable to drown businesses that are lagging behind in spontaneous innovations and there are technology trends in transportation and logistics that you have to follow. Technology has taken center stage of this rapid change, with modern technological advancements disrupting the way most industries are operated. The transport and logistics sector is one of the most hit by the disruption, with the last few years being characterized by series of inventions that are breathtaking. The next few months are predicted to continue the tradition of change in the transport and logistics sector and it has become a top priority for businesses to research and find best ways to adapt and take advantage of the changes if they will stand any chances of remaining as heavyweights in the industry. From significant changes in the pattern of customer needs and the expected growth of e-commerce, to the availability of automation technology, digitalization of supply chain, and the looming economic shift, the pointers are already showing that the ending part of 2018 and 2019 will be a pivotal time in the operation of transportation and logistics companies.
Here, we’ve outlined some very important Technology Trends in Transportation and Logistics that will impact the industry heavily.
The Modern Consumers
The consumer buying pattern is unpredictably changing fast. We expect the transport and logistics sector to be shaped by increased customer expectations. Consumers have inculcated different buying patterns and those that are technologically savvy are already desiring instant exchange of goods and services – mounting pressure on transportation and logistics companies to adopt tested alternatives that will help increase the speed of their delivery process, at lowered price. Furthermore, consumers now want to know everything that’s happening to their purchases from the moment they click on the “pay” tab till when their purchases arrive at their doorsteps. Forward thinking transportation and logistics companies are already investing in new and exciting technologies and partnerships that will help customers maintain visibility throughout the process of order to delivery.
Supply Chain Innovation
This is yet another technology trends in transportation and logistics that will rock the transport and logistics sector in the coming months. The supply chain is suddenly going all digital, harnessing the great power IoT and the blockchain technology to create solutions in the supply line. This solution that will be resultant from this combination will help improve customer service to a large extent and maximize efficiency. Predictive analytics and big data will strengthen event-driven logistics, given them the power to be able to account for external factors such as war hazards, natural disasters and insane policies, helping to reduce risk along the supply chain.
An Uproar In Ecommerce
Of course e-commerce has been a thing for a while, but it is yet to penetrate every market segment. The next few months however, is expected to be characterized by an unprecedented increase in consumer demands, fueled by an uproar of e-commerce. According to a recent survey, online purchases have been on a steady rise over the past few years, with the amount of online purchases carried out so far this year already toppling the total online purchases from last year by nearly 100%. Moreover, people are becoming more acquainted with their phones, making it a primary shopping device for customers. The phone is a pocket device and the impact of this is that consumers can literally shop from anywhere and at anytime, just as long as they have their phones handy. To stay in competition, retailers must find easily adoptable logistics strategies that increase their chances of delivering seamless shopping experience. This has led to the introduction of new shipping and fulfillment challenges.
Automated Delivery of Goods
Seamless delivery of goods is one important section of the purchase process. Retail outlets are fast moving towards automation as a delivery solution, basically because it improves productivity. Amazon for instance have already experimented the use of drones as solution for express delivery. Modern changes in sensor technology also furthers the possibility of making autonomous vehicles a reality in 2019. With these automated solutions, supplies will become safer, have reduced risks, and efficiency will increase significantly. With full automation in the delivery process eminent in the next couple of months, transport companies are left with no other options but to think about improving their services towards this direction or get knocked out of business.
Irrespective of the transport routes a transportation company chooses to use, they still have to think out of the box to be able to stay in competition as more technological changes continue to unveil themselves. Technological advancements and changes in purchase behaviors are making the transport and logistics industry more complex, but fast thinking companies are already developing plans to reap fully from the opportunities presented by the changes. Companies that don’t want to be left behind must learn to be flexible, forward thinking and able to bend to changes at any time.