The saying, “Time is Money,” has been around for some time now. Benjamin Franklin helped popularize the phrase when he penned an essay for a book published in 1748 called “The American Instructor: or Young Man’s Best Companion.” Within the book, Mr. Franklin wrote the now-famous line, “Remember that time is money” (it first appeared in a 1719 edition of the newspaper “The Free-Thinker”). It has been over 300 years since the concept of time is money first appeared in the written word, and yet that saying is more true than ever before.
In the world of shipping, you rely on your products arriving not only at the correct location and in one piece but on time as well. The longer clients wait for a shipment, the greater the potential of merchandise going bad and clients looking for other service providers. And yet, it is so much more complex than that. Thankfully, with the help of modern technology and the services available through RJS Logistics, you have access to industry-leading logistical services. Whether you’re new to the world of distribution or you haven’t looked further in-depth with what is available to you, the right logistics service provider can help transform your entire business. To help, here are some of the logistic features you need to know about.
Real-Time Fleet Monitoring
Not long ago, the only way to find out where a particular shipment was required radioing into the driver and requesting their location. The drivers could provide a generally accurate location, but it wouldn’t provide any insights into available ETAs outside some basic information.
Generalized transit information does not provide an accurate assessment of when a specific delivery is set to arrive, especially if multiple trucks arrive at any given location. Modern distribution now allows you to check the exact location of any vehicle in a shipment fleet whenever you might need it. This way, should the receiving location require an up-to-the-minute ETA to schedule with other arrivals, all of this is possible.
Real-time fleet monitoring will help both you and the recipient schedule out all departures and arrivals, which should help make loading and off-loading faster. The longer a truck sits, waiting to be off-loaded, the longer it takes for any subsequent shipment still on the truck.
All of this makes real-time fleet monitoring via GPS and vehicle tracking one of the most valuable logistics service your distribution department needs to take advantage of.
Shipment Scheduling
As your business grows, so will its reliance on an expansive distribution network. You will likely not have a single shipment going out at once or having a single vehicle pick up all the shipments and then take everything together. Instead, you might have one product shipped upstate, and another product shipped several states over. To ensure all shipments go out as quickly as possible, you will want to schedule these shipments. This not only allows the individual trucks to come and go easier, without any wait time, but it allows your warehouse to prepare any kind of shipment ahead of time.
With logistical assistance, you can process your shipments, have the products ready, and wait on your sending/receiving docks, so when the truck arrives, everything is ready to go. Without proper logistical planning, you won’t know when a particular truck is set to arrive, which can leave you scrambling. It might force your shipping warehouse to move a delayed shipment out of the way to bring material for the truck that is docking.
By knowing when the trucks are set to arrive and what shipments are going out, you’ll cut down on possible shipment errors as well. If your business has been operational for several years (if not decades) by now, you likely have had a shipment go out to the wrong address. This often happens when there is some confusion with loading up trucks. A package might end up on the incorrect vehicle and then go out to the wrong final destination.
Sending products to the wrong destination can push back shipment by days, if not longer. This may then result in an unsatisfied customer, the loss of the customer, or at the very least your business offering up a sizable discount on future orders, all to make up for the error.
These errors can become a thing of the past with the help of logistical services and proper scheduling. Combined with the real-time tracking features for fleets, you can also tweak plans and shift material set for departure based on when a particular vehicle will be arriving. Because truck routes can unexpectedly change due to an accident, road closure, or nasty weather, real-time tracking helps make necessary corrections to your distribution.
Instant Communication
While trucks are still mounted with traditional radios, it is now possible to send and receive information to the truck and the driver. The truck may be able to provide all the information required without the driver needing to. This way, if an urgent order needs to upgrade to a top priority, all of this is possible with logistics service.
Discover The RJS Difference
There should never be a one-size-fits-all approach to distribution. Your business is unique, as are your clients and the products you offer. You need to have a shipping service provider who understands this and will work with you to offer a bespoke shipment service tailor-made for all your needs. At RJS Logistics, logistic services play an important role in your shipments, and yet it isn’t the only tool available.
From an assortment of truck and shipment methods designed to enhance how your products are transported, there’s a solution to every distribution problem. If you’re ready to discover the RJS Logistics difference, or you’re curious about what sets RJS apart from the competition, there’s never a better time to contact the customer service staff at RJS Logistics than right now. It might end up being one of the most important calls you make to help further the growth of your business.
