Small and medium logistic business owners know the past two years have brought significant changes and challenges to the logistics industry, reshaping the way businesses have to operate in order to navigate the supply chain.
Specialization, outsourcing of logistics services, and fourth-party logistics (4PL) oversight and management have allowed SMB to adapt to the ever-changing logistics landscape by diversifying revenue streams.
Recent years have accelerated changes in the industry, pushing faster and same-day delivery, omnichannel ordering and multi-channel delivery options, pressure for greener practices, and increased order and product trackability.
From the unprecedented disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to the surging e-commerce boom and emerging technologies, small and medium enterprise (SME) logistics business owners now find themselves at the forefront of a rapidly evolving landscape.
“It's crucial for SMBs to adapt and stay ahead of the curve to thrive in this dynamic environment,” CartonCloud Logistics Software CEO Vincent Fletcher said.
“Consumer actions evolved rapidly throughout the pandemic, with a massive boom in e-commerce, increased tracking and traceability, contactless delivery and more — and the forerunner activity of that era ais now becoming expected in everyday industry activity,” he said.
“As a small-medium logistics operator, you need to ensure you have the ability to continue to adapt and respond to industry and consumer demands.”
CartonCloud provides powerful Warehouse and Transport Management Software with a focus on usability, integrations, fast onboarding and expert support.
“We’re tackling the barriers that prevent SMB logistics companies from adopting or getting the most from logistics software,” Fletcher explained.
“Our cloud-based software is powerful, yet easy to implement and train on — giving our customers faster ROI, and making it easier for them to add additional services or provide better customer service — while scaling their business for growth.”
Fletcher said one key to CartonCloud’s success was the fact they worked so closely with their customers and with industry partners, to ensure the software enables SMB logistics operators to stay ahead of the curve, and up to date with industry trends and requirements — and shared five key ways SMB operators are navigating industry changes.
How SMBs are navigating the ever-changing Logistics Landscape
1. E-commerce growth: The logistics industry has experienced significant growth due to the rise of e-commerce. Consumers increasingly prefer online shopping, driving the need for efficient and fast delivery services.
2. Last-mile delivery challenges: The last-mile delivery segment has faced challenges in meeting customer expectations for speed and convenience. Companies have been exploring innovative solutions such as crowd-sourcing, drones, and autonomous vehicles to improve efficiency.
3. Warehouse system automation: Cloud-based WMS software like CartonCloud allows operators to improve accuracy, speed up order fulfillment, and optimize warehouse workflows to allow room for growth.
4. Digitalization and data analytics: As tech adoption increases across the logistics industry, real-time tracking, demand forecasting, and optimization of logistics processes are becoming expected from all layers of the supply chain.
5. Workforce hiring and retention: Warehouse and multi-licensed workforce shortages continue to be a leading issue for logistics operators; and a key driver in building company culture, workforce incentives, and other means of attracting and retaining staff.
“In 2023, we’re seeing more companies look internally to optimize processes, differentiate services to win new business, and boost workforce attraction — and this starts with having the right systems in place,” Fletcher explained.
“We don’t go after the big players and industry giants, we specialize in providing the perfect software for growing SMB logistics operators, focusing on helping them to overcome the hurdles that impact them day to day — and to achieve their goals.
“That starts with easy-onboarding and fast ROI, features and a user-centric design that is easy to train their team on, and automated workflows to give them more hours back in the day.”
Fletcher said CartonCloud offers a free, personalized software demonstration for SMB logistics operators interested in learning more about the software, allowing them to bring in members of their team who use the system daily to ask questions and see the features in action.
“We start with your goals — what you want to achieve, the customers you want to win, and the services you want to offer; and we show you how top use the software to achieve that.
“It’s not about providing a one-size-fits-all approach because we have worked in the industry as logistics operators and managers, we know that won’t work. We know every business is unique and needs flexibility.”
