Everything You Need to Know About Automated Shipment Tracking Systems

Introduction

The way people have taken to online shopping it’s not surprising to find that ecommerce sales are expected to cross over USD 8 trillion by 2027.

The boost in online sales translates into businesses scaling up faster than ever. This means more customers and more orders.

While budding entrepreneurs can afford to use manual shipment tracking methods, large enterprises with thousands of daily orders simply can’t. 

Manually tracking a truckload of packages unquestionably leads to inaccuracies, losses, frustration, and customer disappointment.

In this post, we discuss why businesses must invest in automated shipment tracking systems. We also look into how a company must choose an automated tracking software that works for them.

What is Automated Shipment Tracking?

Automated shipment tracking refers to the use of shipping software and logistics technology to reduce manual labor and improve efficiency.

Such tracking software can track hundreds of parcels at once and relay delivery information to customers and businesses in real time. This feature makes it indispensable for medium and large ecommerce companies. 

Some of the other functions shipping and tracking automation systems aid in include:

1. Shipping and return label generation
2. Delay or exception management
3. Data-driven on-ground fleet management

4 Biggest Advantages of Automated Shipment Tracking Systems

The main benefit of using automated shipment tracking lies in the reduction of human errors and labor costs. Let’s look at the many ways in which automated parcel tracking software can enhance your shipping operations.

1) Real-time Visibility

Real-time shipment monitoring is at the heart of providing an excellent customer experience. Automated shipment tracking systems track carrier movement to display the latest order status information on tracking portals. 

As a result, customers tracking their orders have a realistic expectation of when their shipment will arrive. Such transparency also allows businesses to proactively manage delays and exceptions by following up with shipping carriers.

Moreover, most shipping software with tracking abilities can send automatic order status notifications to customers via SMS, email, and WhatsApp. This feature helps in furthering customer trust and satisfaction.

2) Resource Optimisation

Automated shipment tracking systems help businesses with load optimisation, i.e., how to fill a delivery fleet for maximum efficiency.

It issues a visual plan for arranging consignments according to a planned route so shipments are always easily accessible. Efficient load management means faster deliveries and fewer trips which ultimately save up on logistics costs.

Moreover, automated tracking systems identify the best carrier for order fulfillment based on past performance, serviceable locations, shipping costs, and more.

In this way, businesses can ensure cost-efficiency while fulfilling orders on the promised delivery date. 

3) Lower Operational Costs and Greater Efficiency

Since automated shipment tracking systems replace repetitive manual tasks like picking, packing, sorting, and AWB generation, they eliminate the need for a larger workforce.

This not only helps businesses save up on operational costs but also allows them to process more orders in less time. 

Additionally, entrepreneurs can now allocate employees to other areas that need human resources like planning, customer support, sales, management, etc. 

4) Reduced WISMO calls and support tickets

Automated shipment tracking solutions pay close attention to the movement of goods within the supply chain, i.e., outbound and inbound shipments.

As a result, they can keep brands constantly updated about items in transit, delayed orders, lost shipments, and undelivered parcels. 

Therefore, businesses can act upon these data-driven insights before customers start making WISMO (Where Is My Order) calls or call customer service.

Transparent order status information enables e-commerce companies to reach out to customers with an updated delivery date in case of delays.

Proactive communication in the post-purchase phase is a great way to gain repeat customers. 

Key Features of Automated Shipment Tracking 

The efficacy of automated shipment tracking systems rests on technological advancements.

Features like GPS and sensor tracking, while not developed specifically for the logistics industry, have contributed greatly to improving several aspects of it. One of which is automated shipment tracking. 

1) GPS Technology

GPS tracking conveys the real-time status of any package in transit. It allows businesses to constantly monitor the status of moving fleets, including engine start-stop, route opted, and fuel efficiency.

By leveraging live traffic data, GPS technology can alert drivers about approaching roadblocks, weather conditions, and the shortest route to destination.

2) Sensor Technology (RFID and Barcoding)

Sensor technology places sensors, in the form of RFID tags or barcodes, into shipments. This allows businesses to know the exact location of their packages.

Information collected from these devices can be collated on a centralized platform to know more about the items, like, their temperature, condition, etc. 

3) Estimated Delivery Date Projection

Many automated shipment tracking software come with an added feature of estimated delivery date (EDD) projection.

EDD is a part of the pre-dispatch phase and is usually displayed on product and checkout pages. This is a very important aspect of managing customer expectations and is absolutely vital for online shoppers.

Customers can check a product’s EDD by entering their pin codes and zip codes. Advancements in logistics technology have really helped shipping software in narrowing in on accurate EDDs.

How to Choose the Best Automated Shipment Tracking System for Your Online Store

Automated shipment tracking systems offer businesses a seamless way to grow without having to worry about missed shipments or delays. However, the services provided by shipment tracking softwares vary.

Therefore, businesses must pay attention to the types of features available with shipment tracking solutions. Some of the crucial characteristics of an automated shipment tracking system are as follows.

1) Centralized tracking 

To not get lost tracking every single item, brands must be able to track orders across websites, storefronts, and marketplaces on a centralized dashboard.

Centralized tracking allows entrepreneurs to sift through orders using filters to check which shipments are delayed, in transit, or returned. It also shows them payment and refund statuses. 

2) Easy integration with existing systems

To successfully run an ecommerce store, businesses make use of several tech stacks which include, CRMs, ERPs, WMS, OMS, and more.

While choosing an automated shipment tracking system brands must check how well the new software pairs up with their existing systems. Adding new software should not disrupt existing systems or cause downtimes. 

3) Multi-carrier Support

Most ecommerce companies use various shipping carriers to fulfill International orders and domestic orders. Therefore, the automated shipment tracking system a brand opts for must be able to track shipments across multiple carriers. The best shipment tracking solutions leverage carrier APIs to deliver real-time packaging tracking notifications.

4) Customizable Features

The needs of online stores differ so the selected shipment tracking solution must also reflect that through customisable features. Some of the most requested customisations in order tracking are related to customer notifications.

For instance, sellers may want to notify customers about their shipment’s live status through some or all of the communication channels like WhatsApp, Email, and SMS. They may also want to choose the milestones at which such alerts are triggered.

5) Branded Tracking

Branded tracking is great for improving customer experience and the world’s biggest brands swear by it. With branded or white-labeled tracking, shoppers are redirected to a tracking page that feels like an extension of the brand itself. 

Meaning, it has the same logo, color scheme, and lettering that the store uses. This creates a continuity between the shopping and the after-sales phase. Branded tracking pages also generate additional sales through upselling and cross-selling.

6) Proof of Delivery

Digital proof of delivery is becoming more and more important for businesses as ecommerce fraud and theft cases rise. POD ensures businesses are duly notified when an order is fulfilled. In many cases, POD also includes the name of the receiver.

In many regions of the world, for example, the United States,  where curbside and doorstep deliveries are more common, digital PODs prove essential in confirming delivery.

While POD services are offered by carrier companies, brands must look for an automated tracking solution that partners with carriers that offer this benefit. 

7) Hassle-free onboarding

Last but not least, any software you use must offer a smooth onboarding. No matter how packed your shipment tracking software is with extraordinary features it wouldn’t be worthwhile if it isn’t set up right.

A hassle-free onboarding means the software is up and ready to go so businesses can start shipping and tracking their packages. It must also offer a glitch-free, user-friendly interface for constant long-term usage. 

Empower Your Brand with ClickPost’s Automated Shipment Tracking System

ClickPost’s integrated tracking offers brands the comfort of tracking all their orders on a single unified dashboard. It allows merchants to merge, cancel, and track multiple shipments with one click.

ClickPost’s tracking solution also provides a branded tracking page that store owners can customize to increase brand engagement and sales.

It provides 350 shipment tracking APIs that relay real-time order status updates to customers via WhatsApp, SMS, and email.

Conclusion

Automated order tracking is the preferred method of tracking online orders for most ecommerce companies. It offers unparalleled accuracy, saves time and money, and improves customer experience.

With AI, blockchain, and IoT, the future of automated shipment tracking systems will see greater accuracy, fewer counterfeit activities, and a streamlined supply chain. 

Automated shipment tracking systems streamline logistics operations, reduce operational costs, and enhance customer satisfaction. ClickPost’s integrated tracking feature is designed for all this and more. Get in touch to send real-time notifications to customers.