- 5 min read
- Jan 6, 2022
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IoT solutions have already begun industry grade applications, and one of the industries said to benefit the most from this kind of technology is the logistics industry. The logistics industry is already under a lot of pressure because it has to complete demanding customer expectations in as little time as possible, be flexible and then have a strategy of making continuous profits.
Warehouse management and inventory management are also some of the problems that need to be taken care of in the logistics industry. In this article, we will be looking at the key parts of the logistics industry and how the IoT app development process can be applied for the purpose of logistics.
Key parts of a logistics system
To look at How IoT can help the logistics industry, we have to understand how the logistics industry is built. Following are the key parts of the logistics industry.
Communication systems
For any logistics operation, communication between the customer, the logistics company and the agent is a must. The communication is done usually through mobile devices between drivers, customers and managers. It is also one of the key components of customer support.
Cybersecurity
With communication as a key building block, comes the responsibility of protecting personal information. The logistics industry needs cybersecurity to block any hackers from doing malicious activities in them.
Location tracking
This is one of the most important parts of the logistics industry, and this is accomplished by GPS technology combined with location information based on the network carrier. The location of their package is transmitted in real-time to both managers and customers.
Supply chain monitoring
The entire supply chain is monitored as much as possible by a system designed for the purpose. This helps streamline the entire process from item acquisition to warehouse management to the delivery process.
Applications of IoT in Logistics
Now that you know the key parts of the logistics industry, it’s time to understand how IoT solutions can help the industry. A good logistics software development company can flexibly build custom applications that can have multiple applications in the industry. Following are some of the major applications of IoT technology in logistics.
Location tracking
As you already know, location tracking is one of the most important parts of the IoT industry. The IoT based real-time location tracking system or RTLS goes beyond what is required and helps transmit accurate location information in multiple scenarios. It tracks the location of each of the many items that may be present in the warehouse in the following three circumstances
- Deliveries to the manufacturing facility or the warehouse from the supplier
- Tracking at the manufacturing facility or the warehouse
- Deliveries to the customer or the manufacturing facility from the supplier
As you can see, RTLS helps both in business to business and business to customers.
Fleet management
IoT devices can be installed in vehicles to monitor multiple parameters of the vehicle like fuel level, speed, vehicle health, engine temperature and more. This also helps in assigning the right vehicle to the right delivery task by sending notifications to the agent based on vehicle location. IoT fleet management serves to reduce cost in vehicle management and increase delivery efficiency while keeping the health of the vehicle as optimal as possible.
Environment sensors
IoT sensors can be installed in warehouses and this helps special items and packages that are to be stored within certain environmental thresholds. Temperature, humidity, vibration data and shock data can be monitored in real-time. This can also help keep the packages safe en-route to their destinations. Special IoT apps allow for the inspection of environmental parameters for every item currently in the warehouse or in transit to their respective destinations.
Inventory tracking
The IoT solution will make the whole industry more data-driven because it has the capability to analyse all the data present in the process. Things like predictive maintenance of inventory and tracking the inventory in real-time will become possible if one installs an IoT solution in the logistics system. Remote control of such inventory over long distances is also possible by the right people, offering a great deal of freedom for the industry managers.
Demand forecasts
Finally, the last application of IoT in the logistics industry is the ability to study patterns of customer behaviour and predict demand forecasts based on that. This can be done through the combination of artificial intelligence and IoT technology. This can also be used to personalise the customer experience based on customer data. This can help increase the profits of the logistics industry.
If you are looking to advance your logistics technology, you should look for a good app development company that already has expertise in transportation app development. Preferably they must have worked with different technologies and must be able to deliver the software and the updates in a given time frame. They should also come up with an attractive user interface design so as to attract the customers and give them a good experience.
Conclusion
As you can see, IoT solutions can really help the logistics sector by giving an unprecedented degree of control of the hardware. It can sense and monitor the condition of various devices in the logistics department and hence increase the overall efficiency of the process. IoT will also help in data-driven smart forecasting which will increase profits and reduce cost.
Nextbrain Technologies, based in Toronto, Canada, specializes in IoT application development for all kinds of mobile devices. It is also well known in SaaS and web application development for various operating systems. It has several clients all over the world and in-house UX/UI designers who provide all of the client’s user experience design needs.
It is one of the few organisations that has worked on numerous IoT projects and can construct custom logistics applications with a high focus on the security of the application. If you want a custom logistics solution based on IoT technology, contact us today.