The supply chain has many moving parts and can be challenging to keep track of. When times are busy, things can slip through the cracks and lead to high costs. One of the best ways to manage the supply chain is to monitor shipments. Shipment tracking is the best way logistics companies can gain supply chain visibility and maintain compliance.
What is Shipment Monitoring?
Shipment monitoring is when a logistics company monitors the status and condition of your remote shipments in real-time. The two pieces, status and condition, are important to companies’ success. So let’s break down both parts.
Status Monitoring
First, let’s break down status monitoring. Monitoring the status of a shipment means tracking the location of the shipment. Tracking the location is an essential part of the logistics process. Knowing where each shipment allows you to provide transparency to your customers and gives you the information you need to address a problem.
Let’s break down an example; a customer orders a package from Company A for the first time. She’s excited about receiving this package since it’s her friend’s birthday present. Once she places her order, she gets a confirmation email with an expected delivery date three days before her friend’s birthday.
Unfortunately, the pallet the package was on got lost during transport. This story can go one of two ways, depending on whether or not Company A has an asset tracking system in place. If they don’t have one, they are unaware of the lost pallet and get an upset phone call from the new customer and have no explanation for the issue, and have to resend the package. Whether or not the second package arrives to the customer, she still has a bad taste in her mouth regarding Company A and may not order again from them in the future.
The other preferable outcome occurs if Company A does have an asset tracking system. The first part of the story remains the same; the pallet still gets lost in transit, but this time, Company A has put an asset tag on the pallet with the package. Company A can see where the missing pallet ended up, get it back on a truck, and to its final destination. Company A can call or email the customer explaining the unfortunate situation and apologize for the delay. Since Company A was able to find the pallet as soon as it went missing, they can get it to its final destination only a day late and still in time for the birthday.
Increase Your ROI by Investing in AirFinder Everywhere
- Loss Prevention. Reduce the amount of loss that occurs during the supply chain process
- Location Coverage. AirFinder Everywhere uses a combination of GPS, Cellular, and WiFi to determine location everywhere
- Security Alerts. Know when a delay in shipment has occurred so the problem
can be addressed immediately.
Condition Monitoring
Some companies have to take their tracking efforts one step further but monitoring the temperature, humidity, or shock of their shipments. The cold chain is the primary user of shipment condition monitoring, especially because of the existing FDA regulation. Temperature-sensitive foods must always remain refrigerated to prevent bacteria growth and spoilage. The best way to ensure the refrigerator is working and set to the correct temperature is to monitor the temperature by using asset tags with sensors. These sensors monitor the temperature of the pallet foods transported and send an alert to the fleet manager in case of an issue. The manager can then alert the driver to find a dealer to get the reefer trailer looked at and fixed before the food spoils.
How a Logistics Tracking System Works
Our shipment monitoring system is simple to set up and use. It’s as easy as attaching tags to your pallets, shipping containers, or whatever you want to track, connecting them to the UI and watching them move. Our system is also completely customizable. You can choose how often you want the tag to update its location, which technology you want the tag to use to determine location, you can even set up geofences with alerts to know when the tags are moving in and out of specific locations. Most importantly, the reporting is customizable. Though some companies may have similar needs, not every one is the same. The data your company requires to make important decisions might not be the same as other companies’ data requirements. Because of this, you can choose which data you want to see on your reports to ensure you’re seeing the necessary information and leaving out what doesn’t matter.
Gain Supply Chain Visibility with AirFinder
AirFinder Everywhere provides real-time data, including the location and condition of assets anywhere. Knowing the location of remote assets can alert you of any unexpected delays, improve supply chain operations, and even help with temperature monitoring. If you want to get a better understanding of these benefits and learn more, visit our website or book a demo with our team.
