15 Ways To Use IT In Supply Chain Management (Courier and Logistics)
The Internet of Things (IoT) is changing how we live and work. The IoT is a widely used term that refers to the connection of devices, vehicles, buildings, and other items to the internet and each other.
The IoT plays a vital role in supply chain management as it allows companies to track and trace their products. This helps improve traceability, quality assurance, and customer service.
Here are some ways companies can use IoT in supply chain management:
1. Real-time tracking:
Using GPS trackers or RFID tags on vehicles, you can get real-time information about where your vehicles are located at any time. This data can be used for better route planning and scheduling deliveries based on traffic conditions at different times of the day.
2. Monitor inventory:
Before sending out your shipment, make sure that there are no damages or losses due to weather conditions or any other external factors such as human error while packing it up. You can do this by using sensors to track inventory levels and alert you if anything is amiss.
3. Measure operational performance:
The IoT allows you to monitor your operations and improve them by quantifying them. You can use sensors to track the performance of your fleet vehicles and cargo equipment. With this data, you can make better decisions regarding vehicle maintenance schedules or routes.
4. Reduce theft and counterfeiting risks:
The IoT can help retailers track their products, from the manufacturer to the consumer. This allows them to monitor inventory levels and identify missing or stolen items. With this information at hand, retailers can act quickly to reduce the risk of theft or counterfeited merchandise entering their stores.
5. Improve customer service:
IoT devices can provide a better experience for customers by providing them with information about the status of their order and how far along their package is in the delivery process. This helps reduce customer complaints since they know exactly what’s happening with their shipment.
6. Improve product quality assurance:
By using IoT in product monitoring and tracking, companies can ensure that products are shipped and stored at appropriate temperatures. This helps reduce product loss due to spoilage and food safety issues. It also enables companies to have better control over their businesses by knowing exactly where their products are at any given time.
7. Reduce energy costs through intelligent metering:
The Internet of Things is already helping businesses save money on their energy bills by enabling them to monitor their usage more closely. By installing smart meters that allow users to track their consumption, companies can see where they’re spending money unnecessarily and make changes accordingly.
8. Automatically update delivery schedules:
IoT sensors can monitor the location of courier vehicles, allowing you to adjust scheduled deliveries based on real-time information about when drivers will arrive at their destinations. This reduces delays when couriers miss appointments because their schedules are out of date or inaccurate.
9. RFID tagging:
RFID tagging is one of the most widely used IoT technologies in logistics. It helps companies track their products from the manufacturing stage to the point of sale.
10. Weather alerts:
Sensors placed on vehicles can detect weather conditions such as rain or snowfall that can affect driving conditions. This information can then be sent to drivers to take necessary precautions before heading out on their routes.
11. Locate lost shipments:
Lost shipments are a common problem for couriers and customers who are waiting for their packages to arrive. If you want to keep track of your packages, you should use IoT tracking devices for each shipment to monitor its location at all times and know if something goes wrong with it or not.
12. Monitoring driver behavior using vehicle sensors and cameras:
With the help of IoT devices such as smartphones, tablets, and GPS trackers, managers can monitor their drivers’ activities such as speed limits, working hours, route deviations, etc. This helps them improve efficiency by identifying areas where they can cut down on costs without compromising quality or service delivery standards.
13. Tracking driver performance using sensors on the vehicle and in the cabin (GPS, speed, braking behavior, etc.):
This can help you identify which drivers are performing well, which ones are struggling with their jobs, and how to improve their performance. It may also help reduce accidents by identifying those who tend to drive too quickly or aggressively.
14. Monitoring driver health using biometric data from their bodies (heart rate, blood pressure, etc.):
Using sensors to monitor driver behavior such as speeding or harsh braking could lead to accidents or damage cargo or vehicle parts (tires, brakes, etc.). This can help improve driver training programs by providing detailed data about driving habits so managers can identify problem areas and teach drivers how to avoid them through training sessions or coaching sessions during regular work hours when they are not driving trucks/vehicles).
15. Optimise routes with real-time data:
The IoT allows you to optimize your shipping routes based on weather forecasts and traffic patterns — this helps cut down on costs while improving customer satisfaction.
There is nothing wrong with the Internet of Things (IoT) technology, which is an interdisciplinary network of physical devices, vehicles, buildings, and other items — embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators, and network connectivity that enable these objects to collect and exchange data.
IoT provides a unique opportunity for supply chain management owing to its effectiveness in reducing time delays in product delivery. Therefore, if you are thinking about a career in supply chain management or already working in this field, you must know how to use IoT in supply chain management.
