The logistics sector in Spain continues to show signs of prosperity. Ports breaking traffic records semester after semester, growth in the number of operations and multinational transport companies entering the national market. Logistics operators play a key role in the prosperity of the sector, enabling the rapid flow of traffic operations and keeping information accessible to customers and partners. In order for them to play this role, they need a specialized logistics ERP that allows them to have control and management of the processes of the transport and logistics sector.
If you are a logistics operator competing in today's fascinating market, you should know that much of the value you provide to your customers is based on the ability to handle information quickly and securely. And that goes in large part to the IT systems that must provide you with the tools to process shipments quickly, consolidate accounting and inform your customers of operational milestones.
You probably already have some kind of management system in place in your company, and the question you may be asking yourself is: is it really time to change? We are talking about three indicators that will allow you to analyze the decision:
1. I can't trust my ERP software management reports.
The end of the week arrives and you ask for a summary of the operations carried out. You receive an excel file with data, but something doesn't add up. So, you open your accounting software and just as you assumed, the numbers don't match the report. You have already discussed this with your IT manager, who told you that it was a problem with the integrations between your accounting software and the logistics ERP. And they are still arguing to see who can solve it. So, you end up creating your own excel, in which you import data from different sources that you have to update manually every time you want to have information about your business.
If you have been in this situation, it is probably time to consider changing your ERP software for logistics operators. It often happens that companies acquire software solutions to respond to specific problems at a given time. The problem with this is that each solution handles a different database, and when consolidated reports are required, the information is not transferred from one site to another in a complete or automatic way. This situation worsens when we start to handle larger volumes of data, where the databases slow down and corrupt the queries.
2. I fear that my productivity will be lower than the competition.
Let's change the scenario. You are very satisfied because you have landed a large multinational as a client, which means hiring a new employee. Interviewing potential candidates, you realize that there are people in other companies who are handling twice as many files as your team. You think maybe they're just doing land-based, but as you interview more people, the more you get the feeling that the average competitor is way above your productivity.
Your team's low productivity is not due to your company's work culture. It is possible that many repetitive operations are performed manually. You should know that the competition today uses automated processes integrated with quotation platforms that make their productivity soar.
3. My logistics ERP does not have complete traceability of shipments to customers.
This new customer you have acquired has demanding specifications. It asks for full traceability of shipments, from the time they leave the warehouse in China until they reach your facilities in Spain, with more than 20 milestones along the way. Up to now, the management of communications with your customers has been punctual. Basically it has consisted of e-mail or phone inquiries from your operators to the different control points, followed by an e-mail to the customer with the details.
You realize that, for the volume of containers you must manage for this customer, it is impossible to perform this task manually. You must provide a self-consulting space so that your operators do not have to spend their time making shipment status reports. Your IT manager comments that in order to be able to respond to the customer's requirements, the information must be received automatically, but that these integrations are not possible with your current logistics ERP software.
If you have found yourself in any of these situations, it is likely that the solution is to change your transport and warehouse management software, your logistics ERP. Current tools such as _b first allow full integration within all critical operations of your business and automatic transition to all other areas of your organization. In addition, connectivity with external platforms will greatly facilitate your team's operations, and increase your productivity.
If you are a logistics operator competing in today's fascinating market, you should know that much of the value you provide to your customers is based on the ability to handle information quickly and securely. And that goes in large part to the IT systems that must provide you with the tools to process shipments quickly, consolidate accounting and inform your customers of operational milestones.
You probably already have some kind of management system in place in your company, and the question you may be asking yourself is: is it really time to change? We are talking about three indicators that will allow you to analyze the decision:
1. I can't trust my ERP software management reports.
The end of the week arrives and you ask for a summary of the operations carried out. You receive an excel file with data, but something doesn't add up. So, you open your accounting software and just as you assumed, the numbers don't match the report. You have already discussed this with your IT manager, who told you that it was a problem with the integrations between your accounting software and the logistics ERP. And they are still arguing to see who can solve it. So, you end up creating your own excel, in which you import data from different sources that you have to update manually every time you want to have information about your business.
If you have been in this situation, it is probably time to consider changing your ERP software for logistics operators. It often happens that companies acquire software solutions to respond to specific problems at a given time. The problem with this is that each solution handles a different database, and when consolidated reports are required, the information is not transferred from one site to another in a complete or automatic way. This situation worsens when we start to handle larger volumes of data, where the databases slow down and corrupt the queries.
2. I fear that my productivity will be lower than the competition.
Let's change the scenario. You are very satisfied because you have landed a large multinational as a client, which means hiring a new employee. Interviewing potential candidates, you realize that there are people in other companies who are handling twice as many files as your team. You think maybe they're just doing land-based, but as you interview more people, the more you get the feeling that the average competitor is way above your productivity.
Your team's low productivity is not due to your company's work culture. It is possible that many repetitive operations are performed manually. You should know that the competition today uses automated processes integrated with quotation platforms that make their productivity soar.
3. My logistics ERP does not have complete traceability of shipments to customers.
This new customer you have acquired has demanding specifications. It asks for full traceability of shipments, from the time they leave the warehouse in China until they reach your facilities in Spain, with more than 20 milestones along the way. Up to now, the management of communications with your customers has been punctual. Basically it has consisted of e-mail or phone inquiries from your operators to the different control points, followed by an e-mail to the customer with the details.
You realize that, for the volume of containers you must manage for this customer, it is impossible to perform this task manually. You must provide a self-consulting space so that your operators do not have to spend their time making shipment status reports. Your IT manager comments that in order to be able to respond to the customer's requirements, the information must be received automatically, but that these integrations are not possible with your current logistics ERP software.
If you have found yourself in any of these situations, it is likely that the solution is to change your transport and warehouse management software, your logistics ERP. Current tools such as _b first allow full integration within all critical operations of your business and automatic transition to all other areas of your organization. In addition, connectivity with external platforms will greatly facilitate your team's operations, and increase your productivity.