The digitization of freight forwarding companies is not just a fad, but a real need resulting from dynamic changes in the market. The transportation, forwarding and logistics (TSL) industry is facing challenges that traditional work methods often cannot meet. With increasing digitization, the work of the freight forwarder is becoming more efficient and transparent. In this article, we will discuss how modern technologies are revolutionizing the daily duties of freight forwarders, and what this means for TSL companies.
Process automation is the key to reducing human errors. The use of TMS (transportation management system) systems allows forwarders to automatically generate transport documents or issue invoices. It speeds up work and helps avoid errors that occur when transcribing data.
Digital tools allow forwarders to work faster and more efficiently. This applies not only to the process improvements described above (although these are also extremely important). Thanks to them, one forwarder is able to handle more orders at the same time, which has a positive impact on the company's bottom line. What's more, dedicated software can also help optimize routes and manage fleets in real time. This translates into cost reductions in wheeled transportation.
Customer, commodity or rate data is confidential information. Taking care of their security is not only a good practice, but also a legal requirement. That's why modern dedicated applications offer data encryption and multi-level access authorization, which minimizes the risk of information leakage. Moreover, Cybersecurity Ventures predicts that cybercrime spending will exceed $10.5 trillion in 2025. In light of this, taking care of data security in the TSL industry, which operates with terabytes of secret information about its customers and clients, is more important than ever.
Digitization enables full control over every stage of order execution. This is made possible by the integration of dedicated software for forwarders with GPS systems. This allows the forwarder to monitor the position of vehicles in real time and predict possible delays. The result is the ability to respond more quickly to problems and improve the quality of customer service.
Dedicated applications allow all forwarders' activities to be monitored and archived on an ongoing basis. This makes the management of their work more transparent, and the company has full control over the performance of the team. What's more, each completed transport is accurately documented, which makes it easier to resolve disputes with customers.
Manual data entry always involves the risk of errors. Automated TMS systems or dedicated software for freight forwarding companies offer data verification already at the data entry level, so shippers can avoid costly mistakes. Dedicated applications can also automatically retrieve information by connecting to databases.
With digital solutions, all order information is available in one place and can be updated in real time. As a result, the entire team, including management, has access to the latest data. This positively affects communication within the organization, facilitates cooperation and avoids misunderstandings.
The implementation of digital solutions in TSL (transportation - forwarding - logistics) companies supports analytical capabilities. Dedicated applications allow efficient collection, processing and analysis of data. They also enable the generation of diversified reports, useful in evaluating a given business. This gives companies the ability to monitor performance and make business decisions based on hard data.
Dedicated applications allow easy integration with systems used by customers. This makes the process of data exchange faster and more transparent. Automatic update of shipment status means more trust from customers.
Modern solutions are based on storing data in the cloud. This has the effect not only of improving data security, but also of increasing work flexibility. Such solutions allow shippers to work from anywhere. This is especially important at a time when work-life balance and the ability to work remotely are becoming increasingly important. What's more, a study in 2024 showed that in Poland more than 60% of companies in the service industry allow their employees to work remotely. Preparing tools that allow remote work in a safe way is therefore a must.
As can be seen from the arguments cited, the digitization of the forwarder's work brings many benefits to TSL companies. It allows to optimize processes, improve work efficiency, reduce errors and increase data security. All these elements translate directly into financial gains and increased competitiveness in the market.
When deciding on digital revolutions or evolutions, it is worth taking advantage of the help of experienced specialists. At 2Simple, we provide a dedicated development team, where everyone has experience in implementing projects for the TSL industry.
