Freight efficiency is important to companies of all shapes and sizes, so logistics companies are constantly looking for ways to reduce overhead while getting packages to their destinations more quickly and safely. Some of the best ways to streamline your freight processes are also the easiest, such as using tech and data analytics for reports or upgrading your training and tracking systems.

Have the Right Data

Gathering the right types of data about your shipments and warehouse procedures can help you run better data analytics and generate reports to pinpoint bottlenecks or other ways to improve efficiency. One tool you can use to gather this data is a GPS for commercial trucks system. These systems can track movements, record average tip times and even suggest more efficient routes. You can even find systems with real-time traffic updates and detours to keep your trucks moving. Once you have the GPS tracking information for a specific route, you can run the data through an analytic algorithm to determine how efficient that path is compared to its cost in time and resources.

You can also gather data about individual package movements with the Internet of Things. This system uses RFID chips and scanners to provide location updates without the need for human-to-computer or computer-to-computer interaction, meaning that your employees do not need to scan each package as it moves. This allows you to see the average wait time your warehouse experiences for shipments at each stage, how long specific inventory spends on a shelf and what your delivery times are.

Choose an Information Management System

Having your warehouse, supply chain, inventory and tracking data in one information management system can save you time and money. A platform with a dashboard can give you updates at a glance while allowing you access to more details without having to open up several files or programs to get what you need. Many logistics companies find that having a custom information management system built can help keep all the information needed on an easy-to-use dashboard. If you cannot afford a custom system, it is a good idea to shop around until you find an option that fits your needs and is simple to use.

Train Your Staff

Make sure your staff is trained in the latest tools and techniques available such as the use of your information management system and your GPS tracking devices. This will help ensure that they are using the most efficient methods to find packages in the warehouse and to deliver them to customers across town. Training employees who order your supplies in how to use these systems can also reduce the possibility of a pallet of breakroom supplies getting lost in your warehouse.

Invest in Warehousing

Not every store has enough room for a sizable inventory, so logistics companies are offering space for third-party warehousing of products that you can never seem to keep in stock. This can help improve logistical efficiency for many stores as their shelves can be restocked in a matter of hours instead of days. If you are finding it difficult to keep a particular item on the shelves, be sure to order a sizable inventory and find a warehouse willing to hold on to it for you.

Refine Your SOP

As you make changes and look for inefficiencies in your business, it is important to refine your Standard Operating Procedure to reflect those changes. Your SOP should facilitate the flow of information along the value chain, include regular analytical reports being shared along this flow, and ensure concerns such as reducing delivery times are addressed. Making sure orders and input information are double-checked may seem like an inefficient task, but it will save you more time in avoiding mistakes than it takes to do the checking.

Consider Your Packaging

Different methods of freight shipping require different ways of packaging goods and materials. It is important to factor the costs associated with this packaging into your decision for how to ship items overseas or across town. Manufacturers should streamline packaging as much as possible to allow easier grouping for air, water or road travel.

Improving the efficiency of your freight handling means examining how things are working now to pinpoint areas that can be improved. This means gathering and analyzing the right data for each task by tracking products and materials through your supply chain with the latest technology. You can then run analytics on these data sets and have the reports automatically updated to your information management system dashboard for your trained employees to go over and find areas of your SOP to refine.