Logistics managers generally have to deal with the same problem: having to use a lot of different platforms that don’t talk to each other to obtain a full view of their operations. Ship management in one system, keeping track of data in another, and talking to customers through a third platform, all of which need separate logins, distinct data formats and human coordination. The system is broken.
Paul Hill from Sorted’s product team adds: “Right now, even though tracking is at the heart of both Ship and Track, we do it in very different ways. It’s like selling burgers, but there are two ways to make those burgers. A single track engine can only be used in one way.”
So, adding new systems or hoping for greater integration won’t work. It’s getting rid of the silos completely with what Sorted calls “connected simplicity”.
The real cost of splitting up logistics
Separate platforms that should function together but don’t provide the basis for traditional logistical operations. Companies have to handle a lot of different tasks, such as buying goods, planning production, managing inventories, logistics, fulfilling orders and shipping them out. In the past, each of these processes worked as separate silos, with different systems, platforms and people often in charge of them.
People waste hours hopping between systems, painstakingly reconciling data and looking for inconsistencies that shouldn’t be there. The costs that aren’t obvious add up quickly. To get full shipment histories, customer service teams have to examine several systems. It’s hard for operations managers to connect carrier performance with cost-effectiveness, and it costs finance teams valuable time checking shipping costs versus the actual delivery of services.
Most importantly, customers have different experiences. It’s a situation of one system sending shipping confirmations and another one sending tracking updates, often with information that doesn’t match, which lowers trust and leads to costly support interactions such as WISMO. (Learn more about why WISMO isn’t just a contact centre problem.)
Sorted’s goal for linked simplicity
We are tackling this problem by combining Ship and Track into one platform that runs on Shipping Data Units (SDUs). This integration will lead to an architectural transformation, eliminating the operational silos that currently affect logistics teams.
An SDU is like a box full of information, such as shipping dates, addresses, weights and sizes. The Ship product will process this data and provide further elements, such as tracking information and audit history, as we work on this unified approach. Unlike the way things are done now where information has to be manually moved between systems, SDUs will automatically keep track of the entire shipment at every stage of the delivery process.
This single track engine will get rid of the artificial boundaries that separate shipping management from tracking oversight. Teams will be able to keep an eye on shipping quantities, track how well carriers are doing, and handle customer communications all from one place. No more switching systems, no more reconciling data, and no more gaps in information.
The push for unity in the industry
More and more, the logistics business is realising that broken-up methods don’t work. Blue Yonder’s research says that the future belongs to “unified logistics”, where shippers and LSPs can easily plan, optimise and coordinate across nodes and networks. This will lead to consistently higher levels of customer service and efficiency.
But just integrating existing systems isn’t enough to really unify them. Blue Yonder adds: “Existing logistics systems are usually configured with static, pre-setup actions and often lack advanced visibility. Even if visibility exists, the functionality doesn’t allow timely execution.”
This is exactly why Sorted’s SDU-based method is such a big step forward. Connected simplicity doesn’t strive to connect systems that have diverse designs. Instead, it builds unification from the ground up.
How SDUs make real unification possible
SDUs are more than just standardising data. They are the technical base that will make real unity feasible. Right now, logistics teams have to work with numerous systems that have varying formats and update cycles. SDUs will change that by making a single source of truth that flows smoothly through all operational functions.
When a shipment is made on the unified platform, its SDU will have all the information it needs, such as customer information, package specifics, delivery needs and service expectations. As the shipment progresses, the same SDU will collect information about tracking events, addressing exceptions and talking to customers. This will give you full operational visibility without having to manually link up today’s broken systems.
The outcome will be operational efficiency that grows on its own. Teams won’t have to learn how to use multiple platforms or come up with complicated workarounds for system problems. The “connected simplicity” environment will have everything they need to handle logistics well.
Beyond basic unification
This connected simplicity approach will enable capabilities that simply aren’t possible with today’s fragmented systems.
Sorted Insights is already offering unified analytics, which means that six reports can replace hundreds of separate files, and refresh times can be cut from hours to minutes. When Ship and Track come together, teams will be able to see all of their performance data without any data assembly effort.
ShipLedger will let you track SDUs in real time so you can see all the costs from start to finish. This will enable you to automate reconciliation and billing, which will get rid of the problems and delays that come with disconnected systems.
When unified systems have all the information they need about operations, it will be easier to make shipping decisions and set better allocation rules. This is because they won’t have to rely on complicated connections between different platforms.
Strategic advantages of the unified future
Connected simplicity will give you strategic benefits that grow over time, in addition to making things immediately more efficient. When data is spread out over many platforms, it’s tough to perform advanced analysis and get useful insights.
When new carriers, services or operational capabilities are added to unified platforms, it will be easy to do so without having to connect each function to a different system. This flexibility will let logistics operations quickly adapt to new company needs and market opportunities.
Unified platforms will automatically make customers’ experiences better, which is probably the most crucial aspect. Customers will get precise delivery predictions, proactive alerts about exceptions, and consistent information across all touchpoints as shipping and tracking data flows through connected systems.
Preparing for the connected future
Forward-thinking logistics managers recognise that platform fragmentation represents a legacy approach that can’t keep up with the speed of modern business. Customer expectations continue to rise, operations become more complicated, and those who provide smooth experiences quickly will have the edge over their competitors.
Our plan for linked simplicity is a big shift in how logistics technology should work. Unified platforms will change to fit how teams really need to work instead of pushing teams to deal with system restrictions.
The movement toward connected simplicity emphasises both making logistics operations more efficient and giving them a long-term competitive edge. Teams that use this integrated strategy will focus on getting great results by managing systems that work well together.
Making the transition
Every passing day that logistics managers and operations directors spend managing broken systems is a day they miss out on chances to save money, improve customer experiences and make things run smoothly. While we work on our unified platform, current clients are already seeing big benefits that show how much it could change things in the future.
Want to learn how our linked simplicity strategy will change the way you handle logistics? Unified platforms that get rid of silos, make things easier and let teams get great results without the hassle of broken systems are the way of the future.
The move toward logistics platforms that are truly unified has already begun. The question is whether your company will be at the front of this change or have to scramble to catch up.