In today's world, technology plays a decisive role in business communication and process organization within companies. Of course, we won't discuss the use of phones, computers, and software, which have long been part of daily life. However, in the last decade, there have been truly rapid advances in the development of information exchange and process speed, which can be considered record-breaking in world history.
Just 10 years ago, one could get by with a regular phone, computer, email, and standard programs. Today, various IT solutions, digital platforms, and applications are available for every industry, every process, and even every operation.
Logistics, which essentially involves the processing and transfer of information, is one of the most active and interested industries in utilizing IT solutions. In fact, cargo transportation is just one part of the broad concept of "logistics."
Different digital platforms have been used in logistics for a long time, and their number continues to grow, as does the number of mobile applications with grand ambitions. However, things are often not as straightforward as initially planned...
Just 10 years ago, one could get by with a regular phone, computer, email, and standard programs. Today, various IT solutions, digital platforms, and applications are available for every industry, every process, and even every operation.
Logistics, which essentially involves the processing and transfer of information, is one of the most active and interested industries in utilizing IT solutions. In fact, cargo transportation is just one part of the broad concept of "logistics."
Different digital platforms have been used in logistics for a long time, and their number continues to grow, as does the number of mobile applications with grand ambitions. However, things are often not as straightforward as initially planned...
How Do Digital Solutions Improve Transportation and Delivery?
Ordering a taxi or food through an app is so common now that it seems obvious that maintaining one's own vehicles with drivers for city passenger transport or food delivery is no longer practical and definitely not cost-effective...
Accordingly, cargo transportation companies and courier services are actively developing and improving their business online, reducing administrative costs and minimizing the impact of human factors on service delivery! Today, ordering the delivery of a small package from point A to point B is almost effortless—just a mobile phone is needed... Of course, this is in a standard situation with no nuances or additional factors!
However, the larger the cargo and the greater the volume of deliveries, the more risk factors are involved in the delivery process, and risk analysis is essential for your business to thrive...
Accordingly, cargo transportation companies and courier services are actively developing and improving their business online, reducing administrative costs and minimizing the impact of human factors on service delivery! Today, ordering the delivery of a small package from point A to point B is almost effortless—just a mobile phone is needed... Of course, this is in a standard situation with no nuances or additional factors!
However, the larger the cargo and the greater the volume of deliveries, the more risk factors are involved in the delivery process, and risk analysis is essential for your business to thrive...
Let's Examine the Pros and Cons of Working with a Real Person or a Digital Platform...
1.---Obvious Advantages of Human Service:
Individual Approach and Flexibility: In complex situations, such as unforeseen route changes, urgent shipments, or non-standard requests, an experienced specialist can offer solutions considering all aspects. Personal relationships between the client and the transporter can improve cooperation.
Emotional Connection: Personal communication, the ability to listen and understand the client can create more reliable relationships, which is especially important in long-term cooperation.
Flexibility in Non-standard Situations: When a creative approach or non-standard solution is needed (e.g., transporting unusual cargo), a person can quickly adapt the process.
Emotional Connection: Personal communication, the ability to listen and understand the client can create more reliable relationships, which is especially important in long-term cooperation.
Flexibility in Non-standard Situations: When a creative approach or non-standard solution is needed (e.g., transporting unusual cargo), a person can quickly adapt the process.
2.---Equally Obvious Disadvantages of Human Service:
Human Factor: There are risks of errors, delays, or misunderstandings. Individual decisions may be subjective and not always optimal in terms of speed or cost.
Slow Process: Organizing transportation via phone and paper documents takes more time and resources than digital systems.
Limited Scalability: As the volume of orders increases, it becomes harder to maintain service quality manually, which can lead to reduced efficiency and an increase in errors.
Slow Process: Organizing transportation via phone and paper documents takes more time and resources than digital systems.
Limited Scalability: As the volume of orders increases, it becomes harder to maintain service quality manually, which can lead to reduced efficiency and an increase in errors.
Digital Platforms and Their Advantages:
- Automation and Speed: Digital platforms allow for quick organization of transportation, selection of carriers, cost calculation, and route planning. This saves time and reduces the likelihood of errors related to human factors.
- Transparency and Control: Clients can track the status of their cargo in real-time, monitor the route, and get delivery time information. This increases customer trust and convenience.
- Cost Optimization: Using data and algorithms allows for route optimization, fuel consumption reduction, and better vehicle loading, which lowers overall costs.
- Scalability: Digital platforms can handle a large number of orders simultaneously, making them ideal for large logistics companies with high transportation volumes.
Obvious Disadvantages:
- Lack of Individual Approach: In some cases, clients may encounter a lack of flexibility and attention to unique requests. Automated systems may not account for all the nuances and needs that a person might understand.
- Technical Failures: Digital platforms depend on the stability of IT systems. Errors or cyberattacks can cause delays or issues with data processing.
- Challenges for Less Technologically Advanced Clients: Not all clients are ready or able to use digital systems. Older or less technologically advanced companies may face difficulties transitioning to such platforms.
Why Can't a Digital Platform Fully Replace a Human in Cargo Transportation?
The aforementioned factors do not cover all possible scenarios where complex processes are automated or not controlled by a person. We are not even considering logistics from the perspective of vehicle drivers or warehouse workers, as logistics and cargo transportation involve many unpredictable situations—from the loading process to road conditions, route changes due to road repairs, and so on. Therefore, the human factor will always be relevant...
Moreover, even in the process of organizing transportation services or deliveries, there are so many nuances that no form can cover all options to ensure absolute clarity about the shipment! Even when all the necessary information for calculating the cost is provided in a special form on the website, it is often filled out inaccurately, requiring contact with the client to clarify various details! Not to mention situations where information about the cargo is received by phone or in a free format, and the transporter needs to visualize the cargo, since the phrase “one meter by one meter” only indicates that this item or cargo could be 1 cm, 10 cm, or 300 cm high, and it's clear that the cost for such different cargos will vary... But that's a bit of a different topic...
Moreover, even in the process of organizing transportation services or deliveries, there are so many nuances that no form can cover all options to ensure absolute clarity about the shipment! Even when all the necessary information for calculating the cost is provided in a special form on the website, it is often filled out inaccurately, requiring contact with the client to clarify various details! Not to mention situations where information about the cargo is received by phone or in a free format, and the transporter needs to visualize the cargo, since the phrase “one meter by one meter” only indicates that this item or cargo could be 1 cm, 10 cm, or 300 cm high, and it's clear that the cost for such different cargos will vary... But that's a bit of a different topic...
Why Does Working with Latcarrier Provide a Human Touch with Modern Technology?
The ideal solution may be a hybrid approach: using digital platforms to optimize and automate standard processes while retaining the possibility of an individual approach and personal interaction for solving non-standard tasks.
Simply put, in an ideal situation, your transporter should make your life easier and organize the delivery process so that everything is done timely, accurately, carefully, and at a fair price!
Latcarrier knows how to do it! You don’t need to worry about how the delivery is progressing! We accept information about your required transport in any convenient way—by phone, email, or through any popular messaging app! We will listen or read, and if necessary, immediately ask clarifying questions! And when the cargo transportation is entrusted to us, you won't have to think about the technical side of the execution!
Simply put, in an ideal situation, your transporter should make your life easier and organize the delivery process so that everything is done timely, accurately, carefully, and at a fair price!
Latcarrier knows how to do it! You don’t need to worry about how the delivery is progressing! We accept information about your required transport in any convenient way—by phone, email, or through any popular messaging app! We will listen or read, and if necessary, immediately ask clarifying questions! And when the cargo transportation is entrusted to us, you won't have to think about the technical side of the execution!
