The processes in the shipping and logistics industry are complex and intricate. The task of maneuvering goods and instructions from one country to another embroils a lot of areas that need to be taken good care of. From documentation to tracking of the delivery of the goods to the responsible person, everything needs to be assessed carefully. In fact, the international shipping industry is not just limited to the transportation of material from one country to another.
Today, shipping companies offer not only traditional shipping services, but also provide online shipping services, inbound inventory management, digital warehousing services, and warehouse fulfillment. All of these aspects include numerous intricate tasks and practices.
These activities are small contributors to help run the collective process in a shipping business smoothly. And, to ensure these tasks are well-performed, the ERP system is used to manage all the functions systematically. An ERP software system helps in planning, management, and execution of each shipping and logistics project successfully. ERP for Shipping Industry is such a scalable and robust solution that can help manage and handle all the shipping-related transactions and other processes from a single platform.
What is ERP?
ERP refers to Enterprise Resource Planning. Organizations use this software system to manage business activities on a daily basis. An ERP system helps in the smooth execution of significant business activities, including accounting, project management, risk management, and other operations. A comprehensive ERP system also includes company performance management, including features like planning, budgeting, analysis, prediction, and company’s financial reports.
Benefits of ERP in the Shipping Industry
A shipping Industry requires approvals from different ends and proper documents to be submitted along with the shipment. ERP with customized modules can help in generating the documentation and approvals on one click from the system right after you pass all the records into the system.
It is very crucial to maintain track of all operations for a shipping Industry so that every process can be streamlined at the right time. This industry has multitudes of activities, from owning freights to providing guides and information. All of these services can be handled using an ERP for an international shipping Industry. It also helps maintain records of food and fuel provision for vessels owned or hired by the company.
A professional software development company can also integrate other systems in the ERP management tool. For instance, information available on one destination and the data stored in the ERP can directly move into the central system for the management without human intervention hence enabling the provision of correct information directly from a remote destination to the office.
Enhanced productivity
A well-planned and well-developed ERP for the Shipping industry can pre-schedule general workflows for each department and automate many iterative tasks operated on a daily basis. It helps staff members to spend comparatively less time on performing repetitive tasks like creating proposals, filling forms, making quotes, creating reports, performing calculations, and eventually in improving overall productivity.
Systematic Business Processes
A customized ERP solution can help understand the importance of all business actions and prioritize operations at different levels. With the help of such tools, a shipping company can unify all areas of business and procedures so that they can be tracked in one place. Also, by making use of the market information, shipping companies can uphold competitive pricing and services against their business rivals.
Automated Information Update
ERP software helps improve business profitability focusing on timely updating customer information and fast order processing. It also supports organizing a well-organized shipment of international shipments and freight forwarding of sensitive unpreserved or fragile goods.
Better Time Management
ERP for Shipping Industry enables businesses to meet several needs of the shipping industry. In an ERP system, the information is conveyed through the system fastly and effectively. This, as a result, saves a lot of time sending emails fo small transactions and data duplication as we can deal with all the data from a single channel. So, he time that previously had been used in handling complex processes can be utilized to accelerate the whole process and for the analysis of the data retrieved from the system for better use of the ERP system.
By using an ERP, a shipping company can be empowered to manage the following with the ease of automated working capital.
- Vessel Performance
- Vessel wise profitability
- Budget Maintenance
- Multi-currency Exchange rates
- Payments
- Provision controlling
- Fixed Assets
Central Management
An ERP system enables the shipping company to access regular updates and information easily for easy decision-making. It also enhances collaboration among the team by making communication easy between staff members and departments from different locations. ERP system provides an opportunity to build easy-to-use, intelligent, and customized interfaces having all contacts along business lines available by CEO and unit heads.
Improved Customer Service
An ERP platform for the international shipping industry helps improving collaboration and communication with clients and partners and offers to access industry best practices. By being aware of your customers’ needs and the easy ways to contact them can figure out significant clients for your business. So, with up to date information at your fingertips, you can even deal with irresponsible clients in a very professional manner. It establishes a good relationship with customers, ultimately increases clients’ loyalty with the company.
Scalable Sales and Marketing
With ERP software, shipping companies are able to get a better grasp of customer needs and behavior. This system helps companies manage time, resources, efforts, and business more effectively, which eventually paybacks in the form of overall business improvement.
The ERP system can be availed by reaching out to any local software development company. For instance, if you operate from Dallas, you can look for a software development company in Dallas to help your business get a customized and result-driven ERP system. An ERP system can improve miscellaneous internal and external systems and operations to help achieve the major objectives of an international shipping company.
