You’ve just clicked the checkout button on your latest gadget purchase and its time for your precious cargo to hit the road and make its journey to your door.
With life’s incessant pace and advancements in technological development more and more people are turning to the use of online shopping to purchase a vast array of items ranging from tech gadgets and household appliances to clothing and even groceries and medication. This surge in online shopping and societies need for instant gratification means that a shopper’s purchases are often being delivered directly to the door and the demand for same day freight delivery is on the rise.
In order to cope with the rapidly rising demand for quick delivery, the technology used by delivery services needs to advance and adapt accordingly.
Warehouse Technology
As with other industries, the use of robotics and data collection is increasingly relevant in logistics to ensure rapid turnaround times.
Large e-commerce companies, such as Amazon, now make use of digital algorithms to evaluate their stock requirements and to determine the most efficient arrangement of products in storage, grouping items by popularity rather than category.
Robotics are gradually taking over the repetitive jobs that cause people to become tired and bored. Robots can continue working at a consistent pace without pause, increasing productivity and efficiency.
Route Planning
To save time and money it has become critical for delivery vehicles to make use of GPS as a means of route planning, helping drivers avoid delays and increasing delivery speeds.
Even the most remote destinations can now be found with satellite systems further broadening the delivery area.
Tracking
Parcel tracking has become an integral part of any good delivery service, keeping customers in the loop on the progress of their greatly anticipated cargo.
In the past parcel tracking consisted of occasionally updated time estimates that did not accurately reflect reality. With recent advancements however, the tracking devices of today are far more accurate and can give the customer the exact location of their package at any time.
Delivery Methods
Most deliveries are still performed by driver occupied vehicles but even here technology is beginning to knock at the door.
Advancements in automated transport systems, such as driverless vehicles and drone technology are exciting new developments that are set to change the way we experience the world in general. Currently this technology shows great promise for use in the delivery of smaller items, however there is still considerable trepidation with regards to safety.
As the world continues to progress steadily into the future, modern life continues to evolve, shaping the way companies do things and continuously encouraging them rise to the challenge of providing even better services.