Technology impacts every aspect of our daily lives, and the logistics industry is not exempt from this transition into the digital world. There are clear pros and cons to this transition, some of which we will explore in this blog post.
Differences between B2C and B2B logistics
There are some stark differences between B2C and B2B logistics that are directly impacted by technology. In terms of the revenue per customer, B2B shipments mostly involve large-scale, bulk orders of raw materials and parts while B2C order fulfilment handles smaller items like personal electronics or appliances. Because of this, B2B orders can be in the millions of pounds and be recurring, while B2C orders are usually in the tens or hundreds and are usually a one-off purchase.
However, it is important to note that B2C shipments are easily trackable while the B2B tracking hasn’t quite caught up to be as efficient. This is important because, as mentioned above, B2B shipments involve millions of pounds worth of goods, which are too easily misplaced due to the lack of tracking technology available in this space.
Benefits of using technology for B2B shipping
What technology is available must be taken advantage of in order to ensure maximum gain within your shipping process. There are vast amounts of pros to using technology in your logistics process.
Firstly, the efficiency of digitalising your logistics cannot be overlooked. Your whole team will be able to see the status of shipments using large-scale technology, rather than just one person who then has to relay that information to others.
Another key benefit is the reduction of costs when looking at the longer term picture, taking advantage of costly technologies is more advantageous as it will reduce eventual labour costs in this area, rather than relying on humans to do jobs that can be more effectively done by this technology.
B2B ecommerce shipping
In B2B ecommerce fulfilment, products are shipped directly to a business or other retailer. Orders are generally large so that the receiving business will have enough inventory to sell from. When businesses place orders, it’s usually more efficient for them to do so in advance, and to order in bulk, so they don’t have to make purchases for more orders frequently.
Accuracy is extremely important with B2B order fulfilment services. Businesses may have compliance requirements, such as tax rules, product restrictions, SKU codes, parcel labels, barcodes, or specific invoicing structures. Because orders are bigger and in bulk, shipments can be expected to cost more and have longer delivery lead times.
B2B logistics shipping
When considering the uses of technology for B2B shipments in the logistics industry, there are so many efficiencies that can be created. Often, companies will have shipments to several events running simultaneously. Being able to track these all in one place saves time, provides peace of mind and allows you to foresee any potential delays.
Our Think Expo Logistics app paired with TEL’s trackers allows you to track every shipment you have across the globe. Anywhere in the world, in real time, for every shipment. You can also link the documentation for each shipment giving you a streamlined way to see everything in one place.
Taking advantage of technology in the logistics space is more important than ever as the world transitions to be more inclined to be accepting of new technology. Get in touch with the team to find out more about using our tracking system.