Latest trends in shipping

Shipping

The digital age has generated consumers who value speed and efficiency when buying and receiving a product. To meet their expectations, companies today must adopt the new trends that appear in the market.

The logistics industry, and especially that of transport and shipping, has experienced the integration of new technologies that generate changes in the management of dispatches, in shipping costs and innovative business models are always appearing focused on new trends that seek the clients.

In this scenario, we highlight 4 trends that you should know:

1. Artificial Intelligence

It was in the 50s at the hands of Alan Turing, considered “the father of artificial intelligence” when this term appeared, which is currently present in many instances of people and companies. According to the Salesforce blog, AI is the concept that “machines think like human beings.”

In the case of companies in the logistics area, Artificial Intelligence is transforming the way of operating at all levels, helping to improve customer satisfaction by offering highly personalized services, a clear example of this are chatbots, AI services in chat conversations, which through programming allows a more fluid and immediate communication for your clients, being an artificial intelligence that will answer the doubts of your clients and even, being more complex, could close a sale in an automated way.

A closer example in our country that uses AI to optimize shipments and an Artificial Intelligence platform that is applied to last-mile logistics that allows companies to reduce their shipping costs and time by strategically devising dispatch routes.

2. Automation

As DHL’s “ Logistics Trend Radar ” report indicates, automation and robotics will become an integral part of future logistics. What does this mean?

Automation enables cost reduction and increased efficiency is given that tasks usually performed by people are transferred to technological elements. In fact, automated robots are being used more and more in logistics operations, improving the supply chain, contributing to internal and external efficiency in the transportation of product shipments. An example of this is the case of Minera Gaby, which since 2008 has used autonomous trucks that, since its implementation, have allowed productivity to be improved by 25%

3. Omnichannel

Consumers expect a perfect shopping experience, this is where the omnichannel concept appears, a trend that gives the possibility of buying where, when, and how you want, being immersed in a complete shopping experience.

Given the digital transformation, this new consumer demands more efficient and personalized logistics, you definitely have to be in all the places where your client is. Below we outline a simple omnichannel or omnichannel purchase process.

• The customer sees a product of interest in a store window
• At home, you go to the store’s website, find the product and make your purchase
• After the purchase is made on the day of receipt of the shipment, you receive a notification on your cell phone indicating that your product will arrive at your home soon, which you receive in a timely manner.

Again, you have to be where your client is and your client today is absolutely everywhere, so it is important that you are present and available on all types of channels.

In logistics, we seek to have greater last-mile delivery options and agility in the return process. Some known solutions are if an order arrives with a problem, having the possibility of going to a distribution center to change it for another in good condition or, being able to manage any change or from your cell phone with withdrawal and delivery of the product to your home.

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/05/new-york-legislation-would-ban-anonymous-online-speech/

4. Reverse logistics and sustainability

There is an interest in sustainability and caring for the environment, there are renewable energies, electric cars and companies are beginning to take charge of the impact they generate with their industries, why? the same clients demand it. In the line of online sales, the concept of reverse logistics is associated with a circular economy, which generates a responsible supply chain.

Among the ideas that are envisioned is the option that companies:

• Collect and recycle the packaging of the products sent.
• Make packaging with more environmentally friendly materials.
• Provide information on the working conditions that exist in your businesses, the concern for the environment, etc.

In Chile, little by little, cases that go along the line of reverse logistics are beginning to be seen, in fact, Natura started a campaign with which it proposed to voluntarily collect 20% of its containers and packaging through inclusive recycling.

conclusion

The shipping logistics industry undoubtedly has a promising future: this market is and will continue to be attractive for innovative companies, but it will also be a fairly competitive terrain for its participants.

It is important that entrepreneurs from all industries that want to benefit from increasingly efficient logistics processes, know all these trends so that they prepare their business models and can, why not? Send products through autonomous vehicles or drive your warehouses through virtual reality.