The way consumers consume products has changed massively over the last few decades. The internet has changed the way people shop, and the way products find their way into their homes. Delivery and logistics services have become one of the most important parts of the supply chain. This has led to huge investments in technologies that can speed up the process and save money. Here are some of the emerging technologies on the horizon that will change the way we receive packages.

Remote Fleet Management

The vehicles and drivers that make modern logistics services possible are the most important assets in the business. Without them, the industry grinds to a halt. The key to providing higher-quality services while staying efficient is fleet management. This used to be difficult to achieve, but now remote fleet management software is making real-time large-scale fleet management simple.

For the next big thing in fleet management, try out FleetGO’s remote tachograph download. Using this software allows you to monitor the mileage of each vehicle and driver and ensure regulatory compliance. With this remote tachograph download, you can easily download, monitor, and store the tachograph files from all your vehicles or drivers automatically. At a glance, logistics companies can ensure that they are adhering to EU regulations and maintain a complete archive of all journeys.

Real-Time Tracking And Analysis

Technology is changing packages. RFID chips, wireless communications, and data-driven analysis are all helping speed up the delivery process and get packages into customers’ hands more quickly. These developments give managers a granular level of data, giving them the ability to monitor individual packages or delivery routes. This can help them to discover efficiencies and insights that can save the business both time and money.

The ability to track packages is now expected by consumers. Regular updates, estimated delivery times, and even details of the driver and delivery vehicle are now all commonplace in the industry. Apps have changed the game, and with apps comes data. Logistics services can now make more informed decisions by using the data they generate day-to-day to make changes to distribution routes to save time and fuel.

Machine Learning And Algorithms

The biggest changes in the business are being made automatically by sophisticated algorithms and machine learning software. This is helping logistics services companies to operate more efficiently and reduce delivery times at every stage of the process. Each package creates valuable data that software can analyse to improve processes and reduce wasted time or wasted miles.

It is not just the journeys that the packages and vehicles take that are analysed either. Customer satisfaction is an important factor, and by gathering the data generated by customer feedback and reviews this software can highlight issues that get repeated. This makes it easier for managers and planners to spot problems and find solutions faster, speeding up the supply chain at every point of the process.

Autonomous And Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicles are already making their way into the supply chain. Electrified vans are on the streets of the United Kingdom already, delivering packages with zero emissions. In the next few years, electric heavy goods vehicles are going to become a more common sight on the motorways too. This creates a huge money-saving opportunity for the logistics industry, as one of the biggest regular expenses is fuel. Autonomous vehicles will reduce the biggest expense on the balance sheet, labour.

Vehicles driving themselves to deliver packages sounds like science fiction, but they are almost literally around the corner. The delivery process will have to change a little to accommodate autonomy. People may have to go out to a vehicle to retrieve their package themselves, but if it makes delivery more reliable and cheaper they will make the change.

Last Mile Efficiency With Delivery Drones

There are many stops along the supply chain, and the most expensive is the last mile. The cost of getting a package from a local delivery depot to the customer’s door often represents nearly half of the total cost of delivery. By making savings at this stage of the process, logistics services can make huge reductions to their operating costs.

Last-mile delivery costs more because it is the most time-consuming part of the process. It involves multiple short stops delivering individual or low-volume packages. Speeding this stage of the supply chain up will be crucial to saving time and money, and doing more with fewer resources. Drones will be an important part of last-mile delivery in the future, with major players in the industry already experimenting with drone deliveries.

The Blockchain And The Supply Chain

The technology that underpins cryptocurrency is known as the blockchain. It uses decentralised ledgers and logs to track crypto coins as they move through the online monetary system. This technology can also be applied to logistics services, treating every package like a bitcoin and monitoring its journey through the system. This can help every member of the supply chain manage inventory more efficiently.

Though expensive to implement, at least for now, this technology can empower logistics services with the ability to manage each package while also maintaining data security across its IT systems. The potential of this type of software should not be underestimated. Blockchain tech is developing all the time and it has a lot to offer many industries outside of finance.

3D Printing Versus Supply

One of the biggest changes on the horizon for the supply chain is 3D printing. This could make many products available almost instantly. In the future, consumers may be able to order a product online and have it printed for them either in their homes or at a local distribution centre. 3D printing technology has the potential to trim product delivery time down to a few minutes instead of hours or days.

The technology is still in its infancy, and 3D printing takes time and delivers mixed results. As it is perfected, we will see more and more products aimed at home or localised manufacture. This will massively reduce delivery times for many simple products and will reduce the strain on existing logistics networks.

Also Read: 7 Types Of Tech Tools That Can Help Remote Working Businesses In 2023

Every one of these emerging technologies has the potential to be game-changing for the logistics industry. When a logistics service becomes more efficient and more capable, it quickly becomes a leader in the field, and its competitors quickly copy the innovation. As businesses embrace these technologies, they will become more ubiquitous at every stage of the supply chain.