One of the predominant strategies of retail has been to migrate physical points of sale and attention to digital channels such as online stores or automated customer service with the objective that consumers can access the offer of goods and services regardless of where they are when seeking to satisfy their need.
This has put logistics and transportation companies in the CORE of any company looking to survive this crisis, because if a year ago they were considered as secondary areas for decision-making, today they have played a fundamental role in the commercial and growth strategies of any company, forcing executives and logistics and transport managers to acquire new tools that allow not only absorb demand, but also contribute to the loyalty of customers and their constituents.
Considering the above, the transport areas, generally outsourced, have assumed the task of reaching the door of final customers not only with the product, but also carrying out post-sale tasks which prior to the COVID-19 were mainly absorbed by established points of care.
But how have transport companies managed to perform these tasks for which they were not initially hired?
The need to maintain expeditious communication channels with the client, coordinate an efficient route and train staff in customer service has not been an easy task. This is where technology has played an important role in the Transportation Industry, since although technological advances have been experienced for a long time, in the offices of these companies the implementation of new tools has focused on providing technological tools to the commercial and administration areas leaving aside the operational areas.
This has increased the stress of the employees and their workload, which has been reflected in reduced Customer Satisfaction rates. Although B2C customers are receiving their purchases or parcels, the satisfaction rates are mainly affected by delivery times, cargo tracking and reverse logistics, with the transport companies often being responsible for these results.< /span>
One of the difficulties that the Industry has had to meet this demand has been the low availability of new units (trucks) and the decrease in the workforce (drivers) which have decreased due to infections from the pandemic, another percentage for having underlying diseases that made them highly prone to contracting the < b>COVID19 and a not lesser percentage, affected by the protocols imposed by some companies that have lowered the age limit (60 or 65 years) for carriers that carry out work at their sites.
This is how Software TMS (TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM) have become a fundamental tool for companies of transport and logistics, allowing them to plan more efficiently the operations of transport, maintenance and distribution of personnel in the different tasks. At the same time the TMS have contributed to increasing relationships between clients in the B2B and B2C markets by providing centralized and accurate information for decision-making.
The great advantages that TMS contribute to the transport and logistics industry is the improvement in communication between sender and receiver of loads , reducing the stress level of traffic operators, carriers and operations.
For example, companies that have implemented TMS Software in their operations have experienced a considerable decrease in their rates of failed deliveries, second deliveries or empty trips, reducing fuel costs and idle capacity of rolling stock and drivers.This has made it possible to optimize the profitability of the operation and increase the offer of products and services that are delivered today.
The improvements experienced by transport companies, after implementing a TMS, have allowed them to operate with a large number of their administrative staff in home security, maintaining fluid communication between the personnel of front line (drivers, helpers and maintenance personnel), maintaining the flow of information with low error rates between load generators, carriers and the receiving customer.
< span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:107%">Having a Robust TMS software, which allows collecting information from other tools such as GPS, Telemetry and CAN Bus systems, has allowed transportation companies to generate added value for their customers, which translates into an improvement in the satisfaction rates of the latter and the possibility of being more competitive in the electronic market.
Tech companies, such as MERIBIA, they have also had to adopt the new market requirements and not just focus on creating programming that supports the CORE of the Transportation Industry. Creating tools that support the staff of the commercial and post-sale departments that work in this new scenario, improving the experience of the B2B customer, as well as that of the B2C customer.
