Mobile data access has become increasingly relevant to the supply chain industry. Increased accessibility and jumps in hardware have made it commonplace in logistics.
Outside of simply capturing the time of an activity on an asset, how can mobile data solutions impact supply chains today and what are the trends for the future?
There are differing types of mobile data solutions in the supply chain – the first are vehicle asset based, the second being job and activity based.
Telematics solutions acquire data about the movements and activities associated with a vehicle. The data is gathered from an ‘on board black box’ linked to the vehicle that transmits data back to a central location.
By gathering this data the enterprise indentifies opportunities for future improvements. These solutions are widely used in the supply chain to primarily reduce the cost of transport.
Today a mobile data solution can despatch complete job information in real time across an entire network. The flexibility of sending, receiving, changing and monitoring all collections and despatches across the network gives an advantage to controlling costs at a new level.
Communication – traditional voice calls and paper data transfer was the key to most supply chain communication. Today with the robustness of databases and the flexibility of a mobile data solution, there is rarely a true need for paper based information.
Everything should be in a database, hence with a modern mobile data solution, information can be communicated to anyone, in real time.
Location – with our ever increasing fuel costs and demand for immediate information, real time location tracking is vital. Using GPS technology, there are benefits for the driver delivering goods, the supply chain management company and the end recipient of the goods.
By having in vehicle GPS and mapping services the driver can be assisted in gaining the most effective route for delivery. Several studies have shown varying a delivery route using a satellite navigation system can save up to four percent of journey time, saving time and money.
The end customer can benefit by having a better understanding of when their goods will arrive. Today’s mobile data solutions are automating messaging systems to the customer to pre-alert them with an estimated delivery time.
This automated pre-alert, often an email or text message, allows the customer to prepare their dock or receiving area for the inbound goods. Having real time location solutions can reduce costs, improve service and further productivity.
Dynamic deliveries – at the point of delivery there should be the flexibility to immediately account for any variances to an order and where stock is on the vehicle, immediately change the order.
In a situation where there is stock on the vehicle, at the time of delivery the customer might want to receive additional items. With an accurate, completely up to date manifest of what is on the vehicle, the delivery person can instantly indentify if they have the product and then allocate it to the customer.
Once again, this information is updated for invoicing and inventory control across the company, leading to more sales, lower administration costs, and better inventory management.
Frequently customers have the need to return items. The flexibility of a mobile data solution can handle this process. As with all of these processes, the information can be instantly transmitted and incorporated with existing financial and inventory systems, thus keeping the organisation up to date.
Packing and containers – to ensure goods are delivered in perfect condition, but also to reduce packaging costs, many organisations are exploring investments in reusable totes, crates and cages. This minimises the costs and environmental impact of disposable or recyclable packaging, but if not managed properly can significantly increase costs.
When a container is delivered to a customer they are not only signing for the goods, but also the container. If it is not collected or returned, an invoice for the cost of the container is generated, or as a minimum this is a cost associated with servicing this customer.
Some of the world’s largest supply chain postal carriers delivering mail and packages have saved £100,000s per year by tracking their reusable containers. Managing the location of containers in supply chains can reduce costs and provide efficiencies for the business.
The day will come when instead of seeing manifests, clipboards of dockets, maps and other paper littered on the seats of a delivery vehicle, we simply see a PDA on the dashboard.