13 Software Tools For Logistics To Step Up The Business Ease

Introduction

Yes, you heard it right!

If you are into supply chain management and logistics business, it is paramount to adopt all the arts and smarts of logistics and supply chain software tools to streamline your workflow process and optimize internal operations.

Almost all top eCommerce and online retail companies, such as Amazon, eBay, and Walmart use logistics software to provide real-time shipment tracking information and monitor items digitally.

So we thought why should your business fall behind in this race? You must match up and walk shoulder-to-shoulder with these tech-savvy companies to brace and embrace the technological transformation.

Of course, you want to stay at the top of the ROI game and mitigate all disruptions and hindrances, impact your business performance.

Are you wondering how to achieve that? Well, we have a perfect plan for you, which is relatable to your business and also cost-effective.

Now, let’s reveal the secret.

Today, we have got for you the 13 most advanced and incredibly useful software tools that will step up your logistics business, providing a competitive edge over others.

So are you ready to drive your business to the next level? Yes. Let’s begin.

First, let’s see which pivotal and handy software tools we are going to cover in this article.

Dive into any of software tools for logistics

1. Shipping Status Tool

2. Lean Inventory Management Tool

3. Order Processing Tool

4. Specialised Freight Handling Tool

5. Cloud Storage Solutions

6. Warehouse Management Tool

7. Supplier Management Tool

8. Logistics Analytics Tool

9. Demand Forecasting Tool

10. Driver Management Tool

11. Accounting Tool

12. Project Collaboration Tool

13. System Security Tool

You can get in touch with us directly if you want to develop, deploy, and implement any of these software tools into your logistics business.

Wait a minute! We forgot to discuss something important before proceeding further.

Guess what? We will also highlight the core challenges of logistics industries that these software solutions will solve efficiently. 

The Challenge -  Finding Accurate Details About the Parcel Quickly

•  Do you spend most of the hours coordinating delivery details between the driver and the parcel hubs?
• Is your logistics company bugged up with a lot of product returns? 
• Is it difficult to tackle the irate situations, especially at the time of searching for information about the missing parcels?

You are not alone as these are the real bugaboo for most logistics companies. However, it’s high time to consider an advanced and efficient solution to eliminate the problem from the grassroots level.
 

The Effective Solution - Shipping Status Software

What can the shipping status software do for me?

• It is a perfect solution for the logistics manager to manage all these daunting tasks efficiently by  using the power of alerts and updates
• Using an efficient and user-friendly tool gradually alerts and updates you making a significant impact on the logistics and shipping businesses, especially when ‘data tracking and communicating’ is highly crucial for the entire workflow
• The real-time updates on delivery status help the logistics manager and driver to take quick actions before the small problem becomes a larger mess.
• The ‘Shipping Status Tools’ are the best way of automating and modernizing the shipping & logistics operations for businesses seeking accuracy and efficiency. 
• The logistics administration team utilizes shipping status software to enhance tracking, improve delivery accuracy, and streamline communication.

The logistics department gets messages such as

Core Benefits of Shipping Status Software

• Real-time Tracking: The software enables businesses to monitor shipments in real-time, enhancing visibility and control.
• Reduced Errors: Minimizes manual data entry and potential errors through automated updates and notifications.
• Improved Customer Service: Provides customers with up-to-date tracking information, boosting satisfaction and trust.
• Cost Efficiency: Optimizes shipping routes and operations, reducing transportation and operational costs.
• Enhanced Reporting: Generates detailed reports on shipping performance, aiding in strategic planning and decision-making.
• Scalability: Adapts to varying business sizes and needs, supporting growth without additional resources.
• Increased Collaboration: Facilitates better coordination among different teams and departments involved in the shipping process.

The Challenge - Managing Large Volumes of Inventory Goods 

We have observed that logistics businesses deal with large volumes of inventory goods or returned items. Also, the throughput of delivery and data becomes tedious and less effective every other day.  

Another core issue is committing mistakes and errors while entering the data, which complicates the entire workflow process. The concerned team cannot track the right details. A lot of time gets consumed in this process unnecessarily.

However, our experts suggest you implement inventory management software to avert all these hassles quickly and easily. You can even build custom software development to resolve this problem.

The Solution - Lean Inventory Management System

An optimum solution to constantly improve workflow processes is identifying and eliminating time, material, and effort wastage. It’s interesting for entrepreneurs to know the mechanics of the Lean Inventory Management Tools. It focuses on 5 Lean Principles to avoid unwanted costs and waste, such as

• Identify Value: Recognize the necessity to enhance logistic business processes in response to the increasing demands of the distribution channel.
• Map the Value Stream: Carefully examine each task involved in the logistics processes. Create a detailed map of how inventory moves through various logistics and shipping stages, identifying any waste of time, effort, and materials in the current process.
• Create a Flow: Eliminate all unnecessary steps and thoroughly verify the new, refined business process flow to ensure it is free from delays, bottlenecks, or other interruptions.
• Establish Pull: With the streamlined inventory management process in logistics, it becomes feasible to achieve milestones like 'just-in-time delivery services' or 'cost savings for your logistics business.'
• Seek Perfection: Achieving a level of quick, cost-effective, and on-demand logistic inventory management requires the ongoing engagement of all employees to implement Lean principles effectively.

The Core Benefits of Lean Inventory Management Software

• Standardize Business Processes: It ensures all business processes are standardized, allowing product lines to flow smoothly without inventory stagnation or prolonged holding.
• Streamline the Business Lifecycle: This approach helps shorten and refine the business lifecycle.
• Enhance Loading Efficiency: Assists the logistics inventory manager in avoiding issues such as overloads, damage, and unused space during the loading and unloading of inventory, thereby achieving high efficiency and productivity in the workflow of your shipping and logistics business.
• Reduce Costs and Waste: Inventory management tools significantly reduce costs and minimize waste in operations.
• Minimize Delivery Delays: It helps avoid delays in the delivery of goods, ensuring timely distribution.
• Eliminate Unnecessary Tasks: Prevent unnecessary tasks and movements by employees during working hours, enhancing operational efficiency.
• Reduce Redundancies and Inventory Risks: Removes redundancies and reduces risks associated with inventory management.

The Challenge: Errors in Order Processing

Are you constantly handling errors while processing orders, which is becoming irksome and costing time and money? Are you able to trace the reason for the error in order processing?

Maybe you haven’t identified what’s going wrong but we have. The reasons for error processing are manual and legacy systems, costing you a heavy financial penalty. It is also disrupting overall productivity, leading to employee dissatisfaction.

But the good news is that we have an efficient and viable solution to resolve his logistical problem.

The Solution: Order Processing Tools

The order processing software is the optimal way to eliminate all errors and delays in the processing tasks. The software tool digitizes the process, allowing logistics companies to stay on top of error-free and streamlined processing, managing the orders efficiently.

Whether dealing with parcels of small or large quantities or managing high-value orders, these advanced tools are designed to assist at every stage, aiming for zero-defect order fulfillment.

Do you want to know the types of errors these tools can help managers avoid in their workflows? Here are the key areas.

• Errors during inquiry handling
• Mistakes in entry-making
• Errors in the picking and packing of parcels
• Shipping errors
• Invoicing errors
• Errors in cost calculations

The Core Benefits of Order Processing Tools 

• Systematic and Speedy Operations: Tasks are handled systematically and quickly, ensuring the correct parcel reaches the right recipient without delay.
• Enhanced Interdepartmental Communication: Quickly resolves irate situations by providing immediate, authentic shipment updates. Also, it offers valid proof of delivery delays upon request, facilitating smoother management.
• Streamlined Business Processes: Optimizes logistics and shipping operations, enhancing overall efficiency.
• Error-Free Database Management: Simplifies the management of logistical tasks through a robust, error-free database system.
• Reduced Miscommunication: Minimizes misunderstandings and errors related to addresses and locations, ensuring parcels are accurately picked up and delivered.
• Efficiency During High Order Volumes: Maintains manageability and efficiency even with a high frequency of order processing.
• Automated Invoicing and Payments: The invoicing and payment processes are largely automated, making them smoother and reducing manual intervention.

The Challenge: Difficulty in Managing Freight

We witnessed logistics businesses and companies facing another critical challenge of scheduling, managing, and tracking freight and transportation. The core issue is the time-consuming manual tasking that leaves everything disorganized and makes the process complex.

Furthermore, companies also find it difficult to maintain the fleet of freight vehicles during breakdown situations, leading to unexpected delays and dissatisfied customers.

All such major concerns prove costly to the logistics company in terms of cost and time. However, investing in a freight management system can help mitigate these issues quickly.

The Solution: Freight Management Software

The freight management tool is an innovative and advanced software solution that helps logistics companies plan, control, manage, and monitor transportation and freight operations. These tools can manage new compliance standards related to freight management, such as those concerning perishable goods or refrigerated items.  

These specialized freight handling tools are integrated with digital technologies, such as AI/ML and IoT to monitor the condition of goods, concerning proper place and temperature before getting delivered to the customer.

The software can seamlessly track the driver’s location and activities from end-to-end delivery with real-time communication facilities.

The Benefits of Freight Management Software 

• Efficient Scheduling and Tracking: Facilitates easy scheduling and real-time tracking for on-time delivery.
• Minimized Risk of Damage: Drastically reduces the chances of goods being damaged or expiring.
• Swift Multimodal Freight Delivery: Enhances the speed of deliveries across various transportation modes.
• Effective Fleet Management: Streamlines fleet operations, ensuring smooth management.
• Simplified Transactions: Eases the booking, billing, and payment processes.
• Vehicle Maintenance and Management: Simplifies managing the availability, usability, repairs, and breakdowns of freight vehicles.
• Accurate and Fast Consignment Tracking: Offers validated and speedy tracking of consignments.
• Real-Time Driver Management: Allows for the real-time management of drivers to enhance efficiency.
• Optimized Vehicle Loading: Reduces overloads in vehicles, promoting safety and compliance.
• Quick Price Calculation: Speeds up the calculation of prices for freight services.
• Cost Efficiency in Vehicle Utilization: Decreases costs associated with unoccupied space in delivery vehicles.
• Demand Forecasting: Facilitates easy demand forecasting for future freight needs.
• Interdepartmental Coordination: Ensures synchronization of activities across departments.

The Challenge: Difficulty in Capturing Real-Time Data

Our experts also found that logistics companies find it difficult to capture, search, and compute data in real time, especially if they have a remote working team.

Another major challenge was regarding data storage as companies did not have proper knowledge of storage methodologies and they were not trained to sort and analyze large data sets.

The result is that they are unable to effectively scale the data completely, leading to inconsistency and data insecurity.  If you are facing most of these challenges, we have a cloud-based solution to meet your specific needs.

The Solution: Cloud-Based Storage Solutions

At TRooTech, we offer customized and highly scalable cloud storage solutions that streamline the process of data accessibility from anywhere, anytime.

Our cloud computing solutions have revolutionized the logistics and supply chain industry, enabling professionals to access real-time information and store data under comprehensive fortified security just like a virtual locker.

The logistics manager has complete control over these cloud solutions and they can allow or disallow data access to specific groups only.

The Benefits of Cloud-Storage Solutions

• Cloud solutions provide real-time easy access to data insights, allowing logistics companies to make informed decisions.
• It streamlines direct communication between logistic providers, drivers, and customers.
• Customers can get an accurate estimate time of delivery 
• The software streamlines and simplifies the distribution network with optimum storage facilities 
• Helps to bridge the gap between logistics and shipping companies by harmonizing the entire process 

The Challenge: Issues With Warehouse Management

• The logistics and shipping firms have to constantly deal with warehousing issues, such as placing incorrect inventory, entering wrong receipt data, and issues related to managing orders. 
• Companies still using old-school methods find it extremely difficult to search for correct information or details related to the shipment of items. 
• Another challenge that pops up here is regarding the mismanagement of products, which leads to unnecessary damage, especially with perishable and non-durable goods. 
• Many warehouses face the problem of slow delivery and distribution due to inadequate or incorrect location details given to parcel delivery boys. 
• Are you sensing a high rise in cost due to improper utilization of your warehouse space?
• The delivery and distribution process gets backlogged due to incorrect vehicle routing.

These problems might look small but they prove costlier when seen in a larger arena. But don’t worry, you can easily resolve these issues. All you have to do is implement a viable warehouse management software that caters to your unique needs.

The Solution: Warehouse Management System

It has been observed that logistics companies that have implemented warehouse management tools have reduced operational costs significantly and also mitigated errors related to product handling.

The warehouse management software is capable of managing all warehouses, regardless of size, work complexity, and storage facilities. It allows the logistics team to streamline the procurement, inspection, and labeling work, seamlessly handling the stock picking, packing, and shipping operations.

The warehouse manager can get direct access to monitoring activities, improving overall efficiency.

The Core Benefits of Warehouse Management Software

• Easily optimizing the use of all the warehouse resources.
• Simplified and error-free process of picking, packaging, and dispatching the inventory.
• Strong control of stock rotations like LIFO, FIFO, or other inventory management methods.
• Smooth flow of inbound and outbound inventory in the warehouse.
• Easy and speedy processing of returned goods.
• Effective validation of stock labeling and barcoding.
• Customized and strong reporting mechanism in the warehouse.
• Easy to even manage the 3PL contracts (Third-Party Logistics Operations).

The Challenge:  Struggling With Managing Suppliers

• Are you facing challenges with adopting new delivery methods in your logistics company? 
• Struggling with the management of accounts and prospects? Spending excessive time on handling tenders, bids, and expenditures? 
• Experiencing ineffective marketing campaigns due to mismanagement? Or dealing with high dissatisfaction rates due to inadequate order management?

These issues are prevalent among logistics and shipping companies, and finding effective solutions is crucial.
Don't overlook the benefits of investing in a specialized, cost-effective CRM application tailored to address these logistical challenges! This tool is designed to streamline your operations, enhance efficiency, and improve customer satisfaction.

The Solution: Supplier Management Tools

Effective leads management along with managing the bids and spends.
The high level of real-time communication featured in the Supplier Management Tools helps to make it interactive for the sender to easily solve their doubts, quickly place an order, check the delivery status anytime from anywhere, and swiftly operate the process of tendering & bidding.

The best part about the Supplier Management Tools is the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for a much better understanding of the behavior and demands of the sender.

Some readers might think that if this type of software tool for logistics is for the sender then why it is called the ‘Supplier Management Tools’?
The answer to this is,

Majorly, the senders for any logistic & shipping business are:

• Suppliers who need logistic services to transport the goods in bulk.
• Manufacturing units need logistic services to supply and transport their semi-finished goods or finished goods.
• Companies need logistic services to get the raw materials delivered from supplier to their production units.
• Small, medium, or large enterprises need a contractor to manage their product distribution channel.
• Government contracts or large companies that follow tendering or bidding of the logistic services.

The Core Benefits of Supplier Management Tools

• The increase in receiving repeat orders from the existing suppliers through enhanced efficiency of logistics services offered.
• One source where you can quickly find all the essential data.
• Digitize the complete process of bids & spending.
• Help build long-term supplier relationships by providing personalized logistic services through such types of effective software tools for logistics.
• The authentic and smooth process for the manager and supplier to record or notify the order requirements, complaints, queries, price differences, or any other important details.
• Easy delivery tracking system for the supplier and the logistics manager.
• Systematically tracking your business activities.
• Measurability and analysis of sales and marketing tasks.
• A highly automated process of informing and updating.
• Increased focus on providing quality services to the suppliers.

The Challenge: Issues Related to Fetching Real-Time Insights

• Does your logistics business face issues in fetching important insights about individual logistics departments or your company as a whole?
• Is everything mismanaged due to the lack of a proper reporting system adopted into your business hierarchy?
• Are you in a big dilemma about how to sort and analyze your business data?

You need not worry as every problem has a solution. Not just a solution but a cost-effective and precise solution!

The Solution: Logistics and Analytics Reporting Tool

With logistics software solutions getting comprehensive support from other tools and applications, logistics companies have to handle large volumes of data bundles.

The role of logistics and analytics reporting tools is to analyze the available pool of data and employee performance efficiently and accurately. It provides the best clear picture of complete order fulfillment and enhances business operations, apart from managing inventory.

You can use this software tool to get better visibility of

• Supply chain
• Performance of human resource
• Inventory
• Delivery status
• Transportation of Vehicles 
• Order fulfillment status 
• Exceptional cases

The Core Benefits of Analytics Reporting Software

• Proper analysis of data helps to take strict action to increase the profit margins and reduce the cost of logistics operations.
• Optimizing the procurement and management of human resources.
• Advanced data filtering simplifies every single task in the business process.
• Helps to get insights into important metrics that matter a lot for optimizing logistics operations.
• Recognize the upcoming trends and immediately respond to on-demand logistics needs.
• Implementation of a highly transparent and effective reporting system.
• Logistics & shipping companies can achieve more by spending less through Analytics & Reporting Tools.
• Determine and avoid errors and delays in the shipments due to on-time reporting.

The Challenge: Facing Issues With Managing Accounts

• Are you facing problems managing the accounting work that does not cope with this quick-paced modern logistics?
• Do you get frustrated with an increased number of errors found in accounting entries manually managed and maintained by your logistics staff? 
• Are you looking for an accurate and high-performance logistic accounting solution?

Well, presenting you with innovative solutions, such as the best accounting software that will help manage account books and finances more efficiently.

The Solution: Demand Forecasting Tools

The demand forecasting tools are advanced and one-stop solutions to collect necessary data information and create a demand management repository. The software solution is an ideal suit for logistics and supply chain management companies.

It allows you to forecast demand accurately using secure search, data analysis, and data storage in the repository. So, what kind of data can it fetch and analyze? The answer is

• The Shipment History 
• Ongoing orders
• Current estimates
• Previously done demand forecasts
• Competitor analysis
• Expansion planning
• Risk assessment
• Raw material planning
• Logistics News and global happenings

Core Benefits of Demand Forecasting Software

• Provides a 360-degree comprehensive view of the logistics requirements
• Improved resource allocation
• Optimum capacity utilization
• Minimizing the inventory costs through proper space utilization. Reduce waste, and unsuitable jobs
• Helps to decide the price outlay
• Optimizes the cash flow management process 
• Determines the territory for demand and supply for logistics and shipping services

The Challenge: Communicating With the Drivers 

There are times when logistics companies find it difficult to communicate with vehicle drivers due to various reasons, such as 

• They are not following the proper routes and time schedules assigned to them
• Vehicle breakdown 
• Foul weather conditions 
• Their phones or communication devices are not working properly

In all such cases, it becomes challenging and costly to manage drivers. Additionally, some logistics companies do not have a fleet management system, and tracking vehicle movement manually becomes a painstaking task. This is where the driver management system comes to the rescue.
 

The Solution: Driver Management Tools

The driver management tools are designed specifically for managing drivers and their daily activities with comprehensive safety management and help them remain stress-free.

The software has all the essential functional features that enable logistics managers to control and supervise their activities, such as checking their driving licenses, allocating them the delivery routes and schedules, etc.

The tool provides regular and complete training to the drivers on cost-effective driving techniques, and simple methods to find the best fuel prices and map out the best delivery routes. The real-time driving updates provide logistics businesses with better visibility and enhanced cost management to make fleets more profitable. 

The Core Benefits of Driver Management Tools

• Optimum utilization of logistics vehicles with reduced misuse and easy maintenance.
• On-the-spot driver support and assistance.
  Real-time driver tracking, authentic driver identification system, and detailed evaluation of driver performance.
• Online training tools, enable drivers to learn and implement cost-efficient driving techniques and optimum routing for the shipments.
• Proper uploading, verification, and saving driver licenses.
  Manage the tolls and fines.
• Efficient data tracking and management used by drivers for the delivery of goods.
• Minimize and control the unauthorized use of logistic vehicles.
• Proper allocation of tasks and vehicles to the drivers.
• The software sends real-time alerts of the change in location, delivery status, or other instant notifications for seamless and quick product delivery. 

The Challenge: Miscommunication and Non-Collaboration Among Logistic Staff 

Sometimes, the logistics and shipping of products get delayed due to miscommunication and non-collaboration among the staff members. It happens if the information is not conveyed at the right time to the concerned person.  

Your logistics business model demands a collaborative system to manage all the tasks and optimize collaboration that increases responsiveness and minimizes inventory holding costs.

Hence, logistics companies must acquire a fully functional and user-friendly project collaboration software tool that elements all discrepancies related to communication and project management.

We suggest you invest in high-performing software solutions specifically designed for such logistics purposes. Take a quick look!

The Solution: Accounting Software

The accounting software is an innovative and next-generation tool that allows you to manage your accounting and financial operations with ease and speed. This tool seamlessly integrates with other platforms, such as inventory management systems, asset management software, and more.

If one talks about its role in the logistics business, it assists in recording journal entries, invoices, labor, inventory, and delivery costs, apart from preparing accurate balance sheets.

The essential features of accounting software are

• Auditing of the freight invoices
• Detecting errors in invoices
• Managing the logistics budgeting
• Manage and verify the returns and refunds of goods
• Accurate allocating of the transportation and freight costs to the right ledger, location, and department
• Analyze the pattern of freight and fleet spending with the sales of logistic services.
• Maintaining general entries, developing balance sheets, profit & loss accounts, reconciliation statements, and other essential accounting records

The Benefits of Accounting Software Tools 

• Maintain an increased level of standards in logistics accounting
• Systematic accounting of freight cost and double verification of freight quotation
• Automated calculation system
• Easy multi-divisional accounting
• Authenticated compliance with legal and regulatory accounting standards
• Managing the taxation
• Auditing tools for annual financial statements
• Wealth and tax planning tools
• It helps to manage complete accounting operations from liabilities, assets, revenue, losses, equity, and expenses to cash flow management.

The Challenge: Predicting Precise Demands of Logistics 

The logistics business can face multifaceted challenges related to forecasting precise demand as it needs a complete understanding of marketing trends, consumer behavior, and other crucial external factors.

Also, the issue may arise due to sudden shifts and supply chain disruptions because of natural disasters. Other variables, such as inventory levels, transportation constraints, and lead times add complexity to a smooth flow of logistics, impacting forecasts.

Demand forecasts are also influenced by geopolitical events and economic fluctuations where advanced technologies and tools cannot do much.

The Solution: Project Collaboration Tools

The project collaboration tool enhances team collaboration, streamlines networking, and manages all logistics tasks efficiently.

It goes deep into solving the project collaboration issues, such as 

• Issues in strategic collaboration during an ongoing project
• Operational collaborations  in the project 
• A collaboration of external sources involved in the projects
• Driver collaboration
• Collaboration to manage the inventory involved in the projects

The Core Benefits of Project Collaboration Tools 

• The software ensures seamless information sharing based on the hierarchy, responsibilities, location, and task allocation.
• Logistics managers can quickly and easily assign project timelines to the concerned team 
• The software is ideal for creating a streamlined and accelerated  Driver-Manager-Sender communication channel.
• It allows the implementation of a virtual collaborative approach for logistics tasks 
• You can quickly and easily prepare project reports based on the software’s analytical features 
• It speeds up the authentic verification of employee performance
  Real-time monitoring of the delivery status of shipments gives the sender a secure sense of transparency

The Challenge: Security Loopholes 

Logistics companies and customers have become cautious of security threats and perils as the systems and data are constantly under cyberattacks.

Today, customers think twice or thrice before sharing their vital information with the company, such as email addresses, delivery locations, data related to goods, and others.

Hence, most logistics businesses are fortifying the security of their systems with advanced and robust tools that protect user data at every stage of information sharing. 
 

The Solution: System Security Tools

The latest and technology-friendly security tools provide comprehensive 360-degree protection, securing all data and providing access to the right people. Also, these tools help in seamless data flow and increase user trustworthiness.

These security tools for logistics provide peace of mind through the protection of:

• Confidentiality of data
• Which goods going where
• Sender data
• Recipient data
• Driver data
• Information on the logistic vehicles and much more

The Core Benefits of System Security Tools 

• Ensures data confidentiality to enhance the trustworthiness of the sender and receiver\
• Every piece of information flowing in the system is completely secured with access to the right person
• Mitigates possibilities of data leakage, allowing businesses to carry out their operations without apprehension or data misuse.

However, we have keenly observed that entrepreneurs need help understanding and analyzing the proper functioning of the logistics software tools.

Hence, we recommend you consult our team of expert software consultants, developers, and engineers who will resolve all your queries quickly.

TRooTech is a leading software development company with a pool of skilled software techies, providing innovative, high-performing, and cost-effective digital solutions to put your logistics business in a commanding position.