Mobility Tools Drive 3PL Efficiency

Third-party logistics (3PL) providers can use mobile technology to drive efficiency in the manufacturing supply chain and improve their competitive advantage, according to a report from IDC Manufacturing Insights.

As mobile technology continues to evolve, supply chains will continue to find opportunities to leverage and apply mobility. Perspective: Use of Mobility Tools in the 3PL Industry says mobile technology for the 3PL is especially critical when considering that the 3PL must create a balance between its customer, its customers’ customer, and its internal operations.

Some of the mobile applications relevant to the 3PL include:

• Mobile analytics dashboards
• Alerting and reporting directly to mobile devices
• Improved track and trace capabilities
• GPS location for in-transit inventory
• Physical conditions monitoring
• Instant access to critical documentation
• Mobile access to CRM

According to the report, the utilization of mobility within 3PL operations helps to provide visibility of operational, performance, and product data to the shippers while also providing product location, availability, and chain of custody to the customer. Such insight is outfitting the end-to-end supply chain with valuable data relative to the movement of goods and providing actionable insights by which supply chain partners can work together to drive even greater efficiencies within the supply chain.

An IDC report published earlier this year found the future of factories is “smart manufacturing,” which can also deliver financial benefits.