Trends that were already playing out before the crisis have rapidly accelerated. The three big trends that come to mind in the transportation and logistics industry are mobile, digitization and automation.
Mobile
Nowadays all truck drivers have a smartphone in their pocket, making it possible for them to submit paperwork from the safety of their cab using a mobile capture app. During Covid-19 this is helping keep drivers safe, minimizing contact between drivers and staff, and preventing the need to exchange physical paper.
This method for submitting paperwork was already on the rise because it cuts hardware expenses, makes life easier for drivers, kickstarts billing immediately upon delivery and, with the right TMS integration, eliminates indexing entirely.
Digital
For years companies across industries have been undergoing digital transformation to avoid becoming the next Blockbuster of Sears. Considering the pandemic, trucking companies have scrambled to make their processes more digital and paperless to facilitate remote work and empower staff to keep things rolling from anywhere.
Microdea, a document management and back-office automation software provider, has been helping trucking and logistics companies digitize their processes for the past 2.5 years. The organisation helps companies streamline processes, increase efficiency and boost their bottom line by using digital technology and paperless solutions.
Automation
Trucking companies find that making documents and data more digital is the greatest and most immediate return on investment.
With workflow automation you can automate tasks like:
- Indexing and repetitive data entry
- Tagging document types
- Checking to see if billing documents have arrived
- Verifying amounts
- Creating and sending invoice packages
- Updating the general ledger and ERP systems
- Sending settlement sheets
- Sending collection reminders
- Distributing PODs or uploading them to customer portals
- Ingesting emails and email attachments
It is time to shift your transformation into high gear, survive this recession and come out the other side with a leaner, more profitable operation that has the right systems in place to support growth when recovery comes.