Being an industry that goes a long way back, the shipping industry is steeped in tradition. Unfortunately, it also means that many in the industry tend to stick to traditional ways of doing things.
In some aspects, this doesn't work out well in this increasingly digital world.
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With companies like Amazon having offered 2-day shipping for the past years, consumers are getting used to instant gratification as a norm. The shipping industry must work faster.
Besides the physical speed of shipping goods that can be hard to control, shipping companies need to look at speeding up other processes within their control.
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There's plenty of paperwork where shipping is concerned—e.g. document submissions to port authorities, bills of lading, invoices, and much more. How do you get these done faster?
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Here's where Robotic Process Automation (RPA) comes into the picture to enhance your shipping productivity.
Benefits of RPA in Shipping
Work faster—and better
RPA bots can handle your paperwork at a fraction of the time. They work at superhuman speed, don't need any break and don't take leave—and at the same time don't make mistakes. This way, you can generate your documents quickly and get your good on the way fast.
Better data to help you optimise
Large volumes of data, processed automatically and quickly through RPA and AI, can give never-before-seen insights that provide a more complete picture. These data help you make better decisions as to how you can further optimise your operations.
Reduced reliance on manpower
Each staff member, both technical and non-technical, can now do more—man more machines, analyse more processes, process more transactions—since they don't have to do as much mundane, repetitive work like manually copying and pasting data, compiling reports, etc.
RPA Use Cases in Shipping
Shipment scheduling and tracking
Invoice processing and credit collections
Preparation of documents for submission to regulatory authorities
Automating procurement and inventory processes
