The logistics industry is continuously improving thanks to digital technologies. Logistics management software makes the lives of various transportation-related businesses easier. It automates the process of tracking deliveries, products’ condition, and item availability; it streamlines communication between different parties involved: carriers, drivers, manufacturers, and end users; finally, it allows for better planning and strategizing thanks to analytical capabilities.

While web and mobile solutions are nothing new to the industry, logistics software development is facing new trends and ideas. Let’s discover what’s expected for logistics software in 2022 and beyond.

Current Trends in Transport Management Software Systems

All the major issues of logistics have become even more apparent during the pandemic. Transportation businesses are aimed at reaching faster deliveries and better traceability. Plus, they are increasingly more concerned with building resilience strategies. Hopefully, logistics software systems can help businesses reach their targets, specifically through the implementation of the following technologies:

AI/ML

Artificial intelligence and its subset, machine learning, are paving their way to becoming the industry norm. According to McKinsey, the early adopters of AI in logistics increased transportation costs by 15% and service levels by whole 65%. While the technology is already showing great results, most companies are far from fully integrating it into their systems. AI, and ML in particular, can help sophisticate logistics automation by teaching digital systems to spot patterns and make decisions based on their observations. Plus, AI/ML work in a way that systems can learn from each action and improve their precision. Intelligent item sorting and efficient route planning are just a few examples of the areas where AI/ML can greatly improve the speed and quality of logistics operations.

Supply Chain as a Service (SCaaS)

The SaaS model has been proven successful in many niches so it comes as no surprise that it’s also being introduced in transportation. Many logistics companies will benefit from having fragmented software solutions to be integrated into a holistic system, SCaaS. SCaaS is a customizable end-to-end solution based on cloud software that can help businesses gain control over all supply chain operations from warehouse management to last-mile delivery.

Blockchain-powered logistics

Blockchain is not just a buzzword that is flooding the business world. This technology has the potential to improve logistics by providing it with greater transparency. The essence of blockchain is that all data recorded in it is secure and can’t be altered. When introduced to mobile and web development of transport systems, blockchain can allow for more transparent and trustworthy document exchange, especially when a lot of parties are involved in the process. Already in 2016, a shipping company that used blockchain in its trucking logistics software decreased transportation costs by 20%.

Sustainability solutions

In recent years, transportation-related businesses have become more environmentally conscious. Increasingly more of them are trying to reduce their emissions and impact on climate and environment. It’s more of a strategic issue but software solutions are also involved. Digital systems can help businesses analyze and lower their impact by putting together financial, social, and environmental data. Sustainability control features are relevant in logistics software for small businesses just as much as in large-scale systems for enterprise use.

Building effective software for transport businesses

To stay afloat, logistics businesses should continuously re-evaluate their operation, identify weak spots, and improve them. Mobile and web logistic software can help them do so. Different types of logistics software for delivery management and other purposes help companies automate their processes and analyze data more effectively. Innovative technologies such as AI/ML and blockchain are promising in making logistics more sustainable, transparent, cost-effective, and fast.

What logistics solutions are effective in 2022?

Technology, including the e-commerce industry, got a major boost with the advent of COVID-19 and has significantly changed the world of logistics. This has simultaneously increased the demand for delivery services around the world and, consequently, greatly affected the amount of work that logistics companies have to do. This in turn required new creative logistics solutions for business software to prosper. Let’s see which of these have succeeded or will soon do so.

• Custom Supply Chain Management Software. To make sure that supply chain stakeholders are handling a certain product properly, SCMS is intended to assess all of its attributes and features. To increase a company’s operational effectiveness, this technique makes use of machine learning tools to develop predictive models. When utilized in processes with a lot of time-consuming and repetitive tasks, SCMS performs best. With the use of SCMS, logistics freight solutions may be carried out more quickly and accurately.
• API-Powered Networks. The emergence of new technologies has shown that software alone is not enough to make a logistics company run at maximum success. One of the creative logistics solutions of 2022 is the integration of individual software components into a single network, in other words, API (application programming interface).
• Transportation Management Software. One of the greatest pieces of software for logistics is TMS, which has an impact on practically all business operations carried out inside the shipping operational framework. TMS makes sure that both incoming and departing items are supplied in line with all client needs as well as local, state, and federal legislation. This contributes to the transparent flow of commodities.

What are integrated logistics solutions in 2022?

The development of the e-commerce sector entails the creation of a solid and long-lasting logistics system. Business owners can concentrate on their customers, goods, and marketing when they use comprehensive and integrated logistics apps.

The goal of integrated logistics, a service-oriented approach, is to improve and fortify existing lines of communication among various organizational divisions. It aids businesses in resource optimization, resulting in cost savings or competitive advantages.

Besides, integrated logistics solutions development offers the following advantages to your company:

• To anticipate and meet customer needs.
• To earn higher profits and cut costs.
• To increase collaboration and visibility.
• To become more flexible and adaptable.
• To reduce the number of wasted resources.

Who provides logistics solutions?

Nowadays, there are many ways to make use of logistics web solutions for a company. The two main ways include working with a third-party logistics solutions development company or doing logistics on your own.

It is worth noting that at the beginning of the company’s journey, many choose to do everything themselves because they believe that it will help save money and resources. Of course, one can take advantage of logistics web solutions and facilitate their task, but in the long term, this approach will not be financially beneficial.

Any cooperation with a logistics solutions development company will bring your enterprise a lot more benefits, as it will allow you to delegate tasks, and direct your resources to business development. Such service providers usually offer various logistics web solutions as well.