This article is a guest post written by Burak Yolga, founder of PingPong's partner, Forceget Digital Freight Forwarder. Having lived in China and Hong Kong for seven years, Burak visited more than 50 trade shows and 500 factories in more than 40 Chinese cities. He now dedicates his time to helping Amazon FBA sellers with their shipments from China.
Innovative Technologies in International Freight
Even though international logistics and international freight are one of the world's largest and oldest sectors, most of the industry continues to be run in an old-fashioned way. The recent declaration of the global pandemic explicitly exposed all the places where there are kinks in the armor. Early on, international freight in many countries was halted entirely. Many organizations are still recovering from the repercussions.
However, new developments are evolving that provide real-time data tracking, visibility into customers' supply chains, online payment options, and many more benefits.
Customers can now manage shipping from China to the US more efficiently by adding a modern software layer and technology to the international freight forwarding process. These kinds of platforms give logistics managers complete insight and control over their shipments at every step of the value chain.
Not running out of stock is vital to success for any eCommerce and Amazon seller. Adding digital components to your supply chain is a crucial differentiator when distinguishing success on marketplaces like Amazon.com, Alibaba.com, and Etsy.com, among others. Digital platforms bring data, transparency, and flexibility to their supply chains.
International freight forwarding requires a combination of:
a. local presence in Asia, Europe, and the USA
b. expert people
c. technology, and
d. general logistics know-how
Technology enables customers to save cost as it records a transaction's underlying operations. In addition, this information provides (and helps create) data digitization and process automation from the beginning to the end. In turn, this enables freight forwarders to be more productive and minimizes human interaction/error.
Nowadays, users can compare quotes for any price and service level and book their shipping through a web app. They may then track and trace shipments in real-time and make payments via ACH or credit card through digital payment systems. Payment service providers like PingPong also offer an alternative way to make payments while avoiding hefty conversion fees and other baked-in costs.
The power of digital technology has transformed a nearly unchanged, traditional freight industry to one where everything happening is visible, transparent and cost-saving for its customers. Now, digital freight forwarders have the power to connect the dots at every level of the supply chain, keeping everyone aligned and in sync!
The game has changed. In recent years, trailblazers in the logistics industry began innovating and developing new-age software platforms that would present the cutting-edge technology the international freight industry needed to adapt for the next decade. Any savvy logistics player understands they must be open to new ideas and this level of innovation to follow suit.
A large sector of the logistics industry still prints documents. Why? Digital technology can convert many processes and data instantly to web format, contributing to its sustainability? However, it will take some time before the entire industry goes online. Traditional, antiquated logistics companies and carriers are still hesitant to change their processes. Customers in the e-Commerce business and Amazon FBA sellers are more open (and eager) to using digital freight forwarders, as they navigate technology regularly to run their business and keep up with their customers' digital needs. They're keen on gaining the insight and data digital freight software collects to identify the most efficient shipping methods and carriers to get their products faster.
Expertise & User-Friendly Software: Working Together to Manage International Trade
Relying solely on software is not enough for a sophisticated business as international freight. However, taking advantage of digital features and technologies available saves costs.
While humans are better at making significant, nuanced judgments than software, digital automation can significantly optimize a process. Thus, integrating the two and using software creates more powerful, improved workflows. For example, digital logistics software developers can work on freight forwarding tools while their operations managers research the best rates to quote their customers. As a result, digital logistics platforms improve the customer experience and reduce transaction costs.
Paying Digitally
Digital freight forwarders also allow integration with digital payment systems both for vendor and customer payments. Again, that's where PingPong comes in. Their payment capabilities create an elevated level of transparency and flexibility those in the freight industry can pass on to supply chain managers. Benefits are boundless: make and receive payments in local and foreign currencies, cuts out local banks and foreign travel, the best FX rates and simplified supplier payments - to name a few!
From transportation spending to inventory planning, digital international freight forwarding companies can - and should - be making data-driven decisions! It is this unique blend of human and digital intelligence that results in successfully reviving an outdated industry. As a result, more and more international freight customers rely on their forwarders to provide new and innovative solutions for improving their supply chains.
How Forceget Digital Logistics Can Help Transform Your Supply Chain
As a focused Amazon freight forwarder, Forceget is a top choice as an Amazon logistics service provider. The company offers a broad variety of services for Amazon FBA sellers, including a network of warehouses in the East and West Coasts of the US, Canada, and China. Furthermore, warehousing, full container load (FCL), less than container load (LCL), air, and door-to-door transportation to fulfillment facilities capabilities are all included.
Their digital platform helps customers efficiently manage their inventory levels, allowing them to track the exact location of each shipment. To learn more, check out Forceget's full suite of solutions, and use your PingPong account to save big when making international payments!