What Logistics Software Is And What It Isn't
It's not a game…
What do you mean you don't know what logistics software is? OK fair enough it's not the most common thing to come across on a daily basis unless you're in the haulage industry but it definitely affects your like more than you might realise. <br/><br/> Logistics software does a lot to make sure that all the millions of tons of goods and produce get to where they need to in the UK, when they need to be there and in as efficient way as possible. Logistics is a system of managing the way goods move around the country from their source perhaps in a factory or warehouse, to the shops and consumers. <br/><br/> It may seem something quite simple: pick up a truck full of jeans, take to shop in shopping centre and unload. But when you think about the fact that millions of pounds worth of goods have to travel to thousands of destinations in the UK at certain times, on certain routes, with drivers from all over the place and on roads that can be temperamental at the best of times, you begin to grasp just how complicated logistics is. <br/><br/> What is Logistics Software? <br/><br/> Logistics software covers a range of different areas of good organisation and transport. For instance, when a factory is so vast that it is impossible to know where everything is, software steps in to help out with supply chain visibility. Let's say a shop in Wales needs a batch of CDs the next day, the software will tell a human picker, or perhaps even a robot exactly where they are and where to put them so that they can be loaded on the right truck. <br/><br/> The next layer of software organises the trucking companies to link up with the warehouse. The system tells what lorry to be where and when and works out the best timing so that no time or money is wasted. <br/><br/> Next supply chain software plans out the trucks route across the country. It looks at a map and plots the most efficient route that allows the truck to visit several locations in the quickest time possible. <br/><br/> What is Logistics Software not? <br/><br/> As with any software it isn't perfect. While it is important to trust the system, it is only as good as its last update. If a driver thinks that another route is better due to traffic conditions or something then they have the option to override the system. It is also not a substitute for creative solutions that would make a logistics solution more effective. There is no replacing the humble human brain. <br/><br/>
About the Author
Sam Qam is a supply chain visibility master. He uses supply chain software and computational neuroscience to find optimal logistics solutions.
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