It seems like everything is being automated nowadays, and rightfully so. Even the process of shipping in warehouses is becoming more automated.
The shipping process is one of the most expensive procedures in a warehouse. Packing orders, sorting them, and checking them for delivery takes time and money.
That’s why so many business owners are leveraging automation in shipping to be more efficient and cost-effective. If you want to learn more about shipping automation, you’ve come to the right place.
Here are 5 things you should know before implementing automation in shipping management.
1. It Could Reduce Shipping Costs
You can significantly reduce costs in shipping with automation. Systems can help you optimize processes.
For example, UPS and FedEx both began using dimensional weight in 2015 to calculate the price of shipping costs. This new, systemic rule charged according to the volume of packing rather than weight. Now, both companies ask for a surcharge when packages fail the dimensional weight calculation and make up for lost revenue.
2. It Helps Scale Your Business
Shipping automation takes away the effort and time when your business begins to grow. You can accept a lot more shipping orders without worrying. You can also automate the quotes for international shipping, which would previously take hours to calculate because they were such personalized orders.
These (and other) transformation advancements are taking the e-commerce industry to the next level.
3. Customize With Automation Rules
You can easily customize shipping automation for your own needs using automation rules. These are a set of orders that are carried out when a criterion is met. You could set up rules for:
- International orders
- Weight
- Insurance
- etc.
Let’s take ‘weight’ as an example. You could set a rule that sends any package under 3 kg using First Claas Mail. Moreover, it sends any package above 3 kg in a different, more cost-saving manner.
4. You Can Improve Communications
It is not only the shipping process that benefits from automation. You can greatly improve communications with customers by sending automated messages. You can release these messages when you accept an order, or forward, confirm, and ship an order.
5. You Can Reduce Human Errors
Last but not least, you can reduce errors. It’s a business owner’s nightmare when mistakes are made in shipping. Especially when a technological solution would have easily avoided the same mistake.
For example, implement a system that verifies addresses are the store checkout. This helps you avoid any mistakes when shipping the package to the customer!
Is Shipping Automation Right for You?
Before you make a decision, you need to carefully consider if shipping automation is even for you. It may seem shiny but your decision will ultimately depend on your budget, existing systems, and the challenges that your business has.
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