If you are a specialist in the logistics or transport industry and plan to improve the company, get inspired and be sure to take a moment to read this entry. Check out popular functionalities that can be developed in a dedicated mobile logistics app. Gain control over processes and learn to solve problems in one place - in your application.

From the article you will learn about:

• the challenges of the logistics and transport industry,
• the benefits of digitization in logistics,
• the best functionalities of mobile applications for logistics.

Fast delivery, precision in tracking goods, process security and delivery insurance, efficiency in the transfer of goods between departments, transparency, and timeliness of the information. You probably hear about them constantly, from competing companies, from partners or clients.

These are not only expectations but above all obligations that must be fulfilled as a logistics and transport company. Do you know how efficiently you can gain control over processes and how to solve many problems at the same time? Check the best functionalities that can be developed within the mobile application.

The benefits of digitization in the logistics industry

Planning and management of logistics or transport processes often cause a fast heartbeat. It happens that delivering goods to end-users as soon as possible evokes chaos, misinformation, and ill-considered spontaneity. This, unfortunately, contributes to making unfortunate business decisions...

However, all your fears can be skilfully dispelled if you choose to perform the digital transformation. By introducing new technologies into your logistics business, you will:

• organize your processes,
• effectively accelerate them,
• increase control over them,
• influence the security and stability of the supply chain.

According to the PWC report, 68% of managers from the transport and logistics industry believe that too dynamic changes in technologies related to the service provision disrupt their activities.

Therefore, do not be discouraged. Remember about flexibility and be optimistic about innovation. Look for technological support so that your solution would be tailored to your needs and capabilities.

There is no denying that publicly available logistics apps have changed the industry once and for all. The supply chain apps not only streamlined the processes, but make implementation of tasks by managers or lower-level employees easier. Digitization has benefits such as:

• simplifying internal processes through the use of digital solutions - both ready and dedicated. Company members use the same software in their work, and this reduces information and communication chaos,
• streamlining and management of talent supply chain. Digitization means that the development of the talent supply chain is conducted as needed. This results in reducing the gaps in talent supply, cost savings and more agile control of the Input/Output system,
• increasing revenues through the emergence of new communication channels. Expanding reach to potential customers,
• reducing business risk and affecting transparency after introducing online payments,
• reducing the cost of customer service by moving services to online space,
• opportunity to meet customer needs through new categories of services,
• emergence of new online marketing opportunities and new business relationships.

By choosing ready-made solutions or dedicated logistics applications, including mobile ones, you contribute to building your competitive advantage. By obtaining a high level of technological sophistication, you can try to compete not only with small players on the market, but also with large and influential ones.

The functionalities of the mobile logistics app that are worth having

The logistics software should always be adapted to the specifics of your business. It is to be an intuitive, useful and aesthetic tool (yes! Nothing is more pleasing than a beautiful interface and well thought out visual elements). Learn about the most important functionalities that you can implement in your application:

Easy user identification

As part of the mobile application, each user has their own profile. The profile can be created via e.g. an email address or a social media account. Mechanisms such as federated identity and Single Sign-On are used. As part of the profile, data such as may be compact:

• personal data: name, surname, age, place of residence, personal identification number, ID or driving license scan, criminal record,
• position in the company and entrusted duties,
• scope of responsibility as part of logistics and transport services,
• currently performed task and its status,
• availability, working time and shifts.

You can decide on the quality and amount of data collected as part of profiles, after all, you know best which data is worth processing and which can be useful.

Each profile is equipped with permissions adequate to the position held. You can flexibly increase and decrease the possibilities within each user account (e.g. at the time of vertical/horizontal promotion). In addition, employees can report their daily activities, report the start of the task and its status. Thanks to this, you are aware of the challenges your employees face.

Planning and process management

One of the biggest challenges in the logistics and transport industry is planning activities, implementing them and exercising control. Thanks to the logistics management software, you can manage many processes at once, e.g. control the warehouse, create and iterate the delivery route, exchange messages with the place of delivery, check the condition of the vehicle, etc.

Within transportation and logistics management, the basis is routing. This involves defining the most cost-effective route (including stops) while minimizing distance and travel time. Properly planned routing is crucial given the existing competition.

Thanks to extensive management options, the mobile logistics app ensures timely execution of operations. What might a sample logistics process look like using a dedicated application?

• setting a route with the driver to calculate the resources needed to complete the course and deliver the goods. The entire route is included in the application and becomes available to all interested parties,
• based on the selected route - its length and specificity - you can estimate the cost of transport (e.g. use of fuel, driver’s working time), stopping place and even the date of delivery. This contributes to the transparency of the process, to the effective management of company resources and to the fulfillment of business promises,
• the driver via the mobile application may, in justified cases, can request a change of route. The terms of such a change can be negotiated within the application. This gives flexibility and fluency of emergency communication. The consent appears in the system and is visible in the form, e.g. a message in news feed. The vehicle movement is shown in real time on the map,
• the administrator has constant access to details related to the vehicle and its expenditure. In one place it has access to information, e.g. regarding service performed, fuel consumption, combustion and air pollution control, mileage, reported defects.

Trackers for vehicles and drivers

The vehicle tracking and driver status function is introduced in the mobile application for logistics. The driver can keep a travel journal thanks to the app. In the journal, the driver indicates the time of start and end of work, distance traveled or comments about the route. Aggregated information can be successfully used in future cases.

Tracking travel or progress made in the delivery of goods is possible thanks to the use of GPS and real-time notifications. In a split second you can find out about the location of the driver. So you can easily determine if s/he will be on time or if there is a delay. GPS is an irreplaceable support in understanding the details of the driver’s journey - it is the basis for calculating time and costs.

Once the driver finalizes the transaction, you can engage him/her to collect the next goods for transport. Just send a request with a new task via the administration panel. The driver receives a notification (e.g. push) to mobile device. The notification contains instructions and information related to the next order. Also here your smart logistics app will do its work. In this way, you can plan your activities, rationally use resources in your company and react quickly when there is a favorable opportunity.

Great functionality flexibility

This is the first part about the functionality of mobile applications for logistics. Go to the second part to learn even more.

The presented functionalities are only examples that can be considered popular and often chosen. In the Sagiton portfolio you can see projects in the logistics industry that we had the chance to implement.

Remember that thanks to technological support, application development can be tailored to the specifics of your company and identified needs. If you want to know how to develop logistics app just for you, contact our specialists. You can get information on how new technologies can serve your business and goals.