Nobody likes to think about the worst-case scenario. Logistics crises like storms, spoilage and political conflicts can cause slow-downs at all points of the logistics process and leave shippers scrambling to find solutions. But in today’s fraught global landscape–rife with international conflict, increasingly frequent severe weather events, and endless supply chain delays–the worst-case scenario is, occasionally, inevitable. When the worst happens, shippers need to be prepared.
With nearly $52 billion in freight a day moving through the U.S. alone in recent years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, shippers can’t afford to be distracted by the lengthy processes involved in resolving issues surrounding freight loss and rolled cargo. To avoid endless ‘he-said-she-said’ and, in some cases, litigation, shippers must maintain impeccable records of all transit operations, from the manufacturer to the final destination.
But maintaining these records in-house can be beyond taxing, often requiring entire staff teams just to keep track of what went where, and when. Luckily, shippers that use tech-enabled freight logistic tracking software can harness an API’s integrated record keeping and documentation (Automated Programming Interface) to ensure instant, 24/7 access to the records they need when problems arise.
What Exactly Is Freight Logistics Tracking?
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Freight logistics tracking is a broad term used to describe the many methods and systems implemented by tech-savvy shippers to keep track of their freight and freight assets. These logistics software resources, often built into an easily integrated API, can offer shippers the ability to track products, materials, and other freight resources in real-time.
In a logistics landscape increasingly besieged by seemingly endless slow-downs and delays, the resources of freight logistics tracking provide shippers with the visibility they need to prevent the lion’s share of logistical crises before they happen.
How Tracking Software Improves Shipping and Delivery Service
The tools provided by a tech-enabled freight logistics tracking software platform can offer a vast range of tools for shippers looking to update their tech stack. With these tools, shippers can gain access to the real-time visibility they need to meet the challenges of real-world logistics.
Better Real-Time Updates
With real-time updates, shippers can see logistics crises coming with enough time to reconsolidate, saving shareholders and customers alike from weeks-long delays. Real-time updates through an API-enabled freight tracking software can be easily automated so that the entire team can stay informed anytime, anywhere.
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Clearer End-to-End Visibility
Today’s unpredictable logistics demand that shippers have a clear picture of their supply chain. However, traditional logistics, dependent on BOLs (Bill of Lading), phone calls, and other antiquated technologies fail to give shippers the necessary visibility. On the other hand, freight tracking software can help shippers see the complete picture of their logistics process, allowing them to perform their daily operations with unprecedented efficiency.
Faster Response to Disruptions
No matter how much visibility shippers have, some logistics crises are inevitable. Fires break out, stormy seas cause containers to roll, theft and damage happen. But with high-tech freight tracking software, these inevitable snafus don’t need to doom shippers and can instead be quickly seen and addressed through an easily integrated, cross-platform logistics interface.
Accurate Delivery Route Tracking
If a customer can track their sandwich on its way from the restaurant to their house, why shouldn’t they be able to do the same with their freight shipments? Accurate delivery route tracking helps shippers wave goodbye to the days of inaccurate ETAs (Estimated Time of Arrival) and BOLs, and gives them access to the accurate tracking their customers need: helping shippers cut down on missed deliveries, and saving customers from stressful uncertainty.
Time Stamps for Delivery Points
Accurate time stamps for delivery points give shippers a highly detailed list of when a freight shipment entered a logistics hub, how long it was there, and when it left. These data points allow shippers to gain unprecedented insight into their supply chain, making it easier to restructure a supply chain for maximum efficiency.
How Logistics Tracking Impacts Freight Insurance Claims
Beyond the broad span of benefits offered by freight tracking software, an easily integrated, API-enabled logistics software platform can be an invaluable ally in insurance conflicts.
Reliable Track Record of Delivery Progress
Fully automated, detailed delivery records can be the backup shippers need when going up against litigation. By providing shippers with time-stamped evidence of a freight assets logistics journey, shippers can go into litigation protected from perilous uncertainties.
Insight Into What Went Wrong During Delivery
Data-forward freight tracking software gives businesses the analytics they need to understand the ins and outs of their supply chain, making it easier than ever to understand why a logistical crisis occurred and how it can be prevented going forward.
Documentation of Delivery Receipt or Failure
BOLs can be mishandled or misplaced, and records at the port can be shaky and unreliable. With integrated documentation capabilities, shippers that use freight tracking software never have to worry about searching for missing documentation again; with logistics tracking software, any document is instantly accessible through a fully-integrated API.
Better Shipper Protection Against Financial Loss
With shippers responsible for larger loads and faster delivery times, there’s not a penny to spare in the global logistics industry–so when carriers and customers demand unwieldy payouts, shippers can face a stiff bottom line or worse, bankruptcy. But with the detailed record keeping and real-time visibility of freight tracking software, shippers can rest easy knowing they’re protected from the staggering payouts demanded by logistics rivals.
Customer Assurance and Support Specialization
In volatile times, customers look for logistics reliability. A partnership with a tech-enabled, fully integrated freight tracking software provider allows shippers to offer their customers the transparency they deserve. This transparency, accompanied by the assurance of a tech-forward logistics provider, means that customers will feel taken care of at all points of the transit process.
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Maximize Freight Protection and Find the Right Tracking Services Today
Uncertain times demand certainty in logistics. With a tech-enabled, easily integrated freight tracking software solution, shippers can gain the visibility they need to take control of their supply chain and deliver on time, every time. With OpenTrack, an API-enabled logistics software solution, businesses can gain unprecedented insight into their logistics. Book a demo with OpenTrack today, and see what simple, smart, fast, and accurate logistics can do for your business.
