The world has changed a lot since the pandemic started. Many B2B and B2C businesses, especially small businesses, have turned sensitive towards customer safety and warehousing and logistics costs. Social distancing has made it necessary for the warehousing and logistics industry to undergo a lot of optimisations and adjustments ever since.
Nowadays, businesses look for affordable and customisable 3PL providers. The pandemic has made it vital for the logistics provider to optimise the processes and utilise the resources to maintain and enhance the business’s bottom line.
It is essential to look at the transportation costs in-depth. Many companies are facing many issues handling the shooting logistics cost. The main reasons are increased overall costs, un-optimised shipping routes, failed or delayed deliveries, etc.
In this article, we discuss how to improve we can bridge the gaps in logistics operation and maximise profits.
Optimise Packaging
One of the easiest ways to reduce costs is by rethinking how you look at the packaging. Road transportation faces one big hurdle, that is, space management. While railways and maritime transport can carry many goods simultaneously, not all businesses need to transport their goods to distant places.
Road transport is the best way for these businesses. More goods can travel from point A to B at once, reducing the overall time and resources needed. Optimising packaging can cause breakage, but the costs are far more insignificant when compared to the cost saved in freight costs. Find ways to use the underutilised spaces on your vehicles efficiently.
Optimise Shipping Routes
Planning a route takes much time, and your entire planning will sink if you have not looked at all the aspects while planning the way. Your driver will spend a tonne of time stuck in traffic with goods in the back and sometimes with an empty vehicle. It affects the schedule of not just one client but many other clients.
Planning a good route will help skip the fuss, and find the fastest way from point A to B, and make the run as productive as possible. Other factors can also cause delay and are not in your control, such as the weather conditions, avoidance zones, sunrise and sunset time, the weight of the load, and more.
Supervising Drivers
You can’t discipline your drivers. They are stressed with their tight schedule, but you can do one thing: ensure that your drivers are going on the optimised routes with the help of a proper monitoring system in place. A simple GPS monitor will provide you with information like the route, brake frequency, speed, etc. It will help you track the path they have taken and minimise the number of personal stops and the idle time of the vehicles.
Timely Vehicle Maintenance
Imagine your vehicle is on its way to the client’s location. For some reason, your vehicle broke down, causing setbacks. If this situation occurs frequently, it will cause serious financial damage and reduce your overall business credibility. It is what irregular vehicle maintenance can do to your business.
Ensure that all the vehicles on long journeys are maintained after their return to save your business from any significant financial damage. The maintenance would typically revolve around replacing air filters, changing engine oil, replacing spark plugs, etc.
On-time Deliveries
Failed deliveries happen due to multiple reasons. Some are in your control, and some are beyond control. For example, your driver reached the client’s location on time, but the client wasn’t available for pickup. Such scenarios can cause a dent in your revenue and would delay the entire schedule.
You can avoid such circumstances by actively interacting with your clients and keep them updated about the delivery timings. This way, they can plan their day according to the delivery plan, and you can focus on first-time delivery success. You can ask the customers about their delivery preferences and deliver the goods accordingly.
In today’s time, every business is trying to optimise its process and profit from it. Now that you know how clients can benefit from optimised road transportation, leverage it to its fullest. If you’re looking for professional help and expertise for your logistics and transportation needs, contact us at Blueline Logistics and Warehousing LLP. Contact us: bluelinelogistics.in/contact-us/
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