With the complexities and dynamism of the logistics industry, automation in the yard and dock management is no longer a luxury but a necessity to ensure success for the supply chains. By utilizing innovative technology to handle tasks traditionally done manually, businesses can enhance efficiency, improve accuracy, and adapt quickly to changes. To better understand the power of automation in this context, here are the top 7 tangible benefits. While every industry will have some additional benefits, these seven benefits run across sectors and have been recognized by companies globally.
1. Increased Operational Efficiency
The use of automation dramatically improves operational efficiency. By utilizing technology, businesses can reduce the need for time-consuming manual processes, eliminate delays, minimize errors, and make the most of available resources.
Consider an automated dock management system, where as soon as a truck enters the yard, it is directed to a vacant dock and provided with instructions for loading or unloading. With dock management, wait time reduces significantly, and the docks are used more efficiently, improving the turn-around time and ultimately increasing the number of daily pickups or deliveries.
2. Enhanced Visibility
This benefit helps remove many unseen obstacles. Managers can gain a thorough and immediate understanding of all operations through automation. This visibility extends to tracking every trailer in the yard, monitoring dock usage, and scheduling, leading to better-informed decision-making across the supply chain.
In a large yard with hundreds of trailers moving in and out daily, tracking them is a Herculean task if done manually. But with an automated yard management system, every trailer is followed in real-time, providing managers with instant visibility of all operations, locations, time spent, and more, all in real-time.
3. Streamlined Workflow
Automation can simplify complex workflows by reducing manual entries, minimizing paperwork, and enabling faster communication. It allows the managers to identify the non-value-adding activities in the process and then eliminate them methodically. Such changes lead to smoother operations and streamline the process over time.
Such streamlined workflows are frictionless and save much time for the company. For example, when a shipment arrives, an automated system verifies the documents, cross-checks the cargo, and even assigns a spot for the shipment, all without human intervention. These automated processes speed up operations and reduce the risk of errors that can occur with manual processes.
4. Reduced Costs
Yard Automation can significantly cut operational costs by minimizing manual entries and paperwork and avoiding scheduling errors. Moreover, an automated system ensures optimal resource utilization, reducing expenses and providing an excellent ROI.
An automated dock management system can schedule dock usage, preventing more trailers from arriving than available docks. This optimal scheduling can help avoid backlogs, idle trucks, and delays, leading to significant cost savings. Typically, a truck requires 2-3 drivers per day and incurs an annual cost of $175,000-$225,000 in North America, including the drivers' expenses. An automated yard management system can help in:
- 20-30% on yard driver expenses, including lower yard driver truck costs.
- Trailer utilization improvement by 10-15%.
- Warehouse throughput incremented by up to 12.5%.
5. Improved Safety
Automation can enhance safety in the yard and dock areas by monitoring compliance and equipment status and sending alerts about potential safety hazards. The automated system can instantly alert the yard manager if a trailer is parked in a 'No Parking' zone in a busy yard. This proactive safety management reduces the risk of accidents and enhances overall safety.
6. Greater Customer Satisfaction
Implementing yard automation makes processes more efficient, reducing manual work and lowering costs. This results in improved safety, high visibility, and timely deliveries with fewer errors. Proactive communication further enhances customer satisfaction levels. An automated system lets customers receive real-time updates about their shipment status. This kind of proactive communication, coupled with the efficiency of operations, can significantly boost the customer experience.
7. Future-Proof Operations
Yard management is an investment for the future. It prepares businesses for bigger challenges and more significant opportunities. It prepares the operations in a scalable and adaptable way, keeping pace with the evolving logistics and supply chain management trends.
With the growth of the business, the incremental space or labor requirement is minimal when the company has a yard management system in place. Also, it makes scaling up so much easier and faster. So if there's a sudden surge in demand, an automated system can quickly understand and alert the management in advance. It can analyze the labor and time to handle the increased volume. Such insights and flexibility make operations future-proof and ready to grab new opportunities.
Conclusion
Automation in yard management can revolutionize operations, increasing efficiency, visibility, safety, and customer satisfaction. Every business is unique, and the implications will differ based on your circumstances. To navigate these benefits, we encourage you to immerse yourself in research, connect with industry professionals, or discuss with peers who have embraced this technology.
At C3 Solutions, we're passionate about empowering businesses to harness the power of automation. So why not start your journey towards a more streamlined, safe, and customer-centric future today? Contact us to discuss your business needs today.