High-tech IT systems improve logistics services for online shops.
The e-commerce market is developing rapidly, and prognoses for the upcoming years are still very optimistic. Experts estimate that the value of this sector will in 2020 exceed PLN 64 billion. Development of e-commerce would not be possible without modern IT solutions, significantly optimising lead time of purchase orders, resulting in increased customer satisfaction.
Online shopping market is growing, and the needs of online consumers change with it. Customers become more and more demanding when it comes to the quality of the entire delivery process. According to polls by Trusted Shops (a platform awarding the quality certificate for online shops in terms of the security of e-customers shopping) and TNS Poland, the most common problems encountered by e-commerce customers include excessive costs of delivery (21% of respondents) and missing the delivery date by online shops (16% of respondents). Customers are now concerned not only by the price and quality of products, but most of all want a quick, fairly cheap and comfortable delivery to the selected location. Such expectations create new additional services, as well as become a certain suggestion for online shops and logistics operators, which observe the market looking to implement new ideas, such as stair climbers which simplify the transport of large-size household appliances or furniture.
‘It is the customers themselves who basically demand that online shops implement certain improvements shops. The logistics operator is responsible for implementing these improvements as quickly as possible. We cannot forget that IT systems are of utmost importance to handling such additional services. Thanks to modern IT solutions, logistics companies can consolidate deliveries of various products and services to final customers, enabling the optimization of the delivery time and allowing e-consumers to, for example, return their old household appliances/audio-video devices to be recycled while having the newly purchased products delivered’, said Teresa Bukalska, Project Manager at ROHLIG SUUS .
Integration with IT systems operated by its customers (contractors) is one of the key areas of activities of every logistics operator. ROHLIG SUUS Logistics provides cutting-edge and flexible solutions based on its proprietary operating systems and integrated databus. They include an exchange of information through an Internet application, webservice or file exchange.
The first option allows customers with a moderate consignment volume to enter purchase orders and recipients into a database and manage the database directly in the online application, providing an easy access to information and ensuring low costs of online communication.
Exchange of information can also be based on files, using the EDI transfer technology, enabling the transfer of electronic alerts in the form of the agreed standard. Computer systems operated by the purchaser and the recipient are usually quite different, but must be able to read and interpret the structure of exchanged data, which usually results in additional implementation costs. This is crucial for customers using ERP class systems, with a large consignment volume and expectations exceeding standard solutions.
Data transfer through a webservice meanwhile allows customers operating their own e-store system with a medium and large consignment volume to fully service orders within their own system. Advantages of this solution include a direct exchange of data between systems, regardless of the technology in which they were created. Webservices are very versatile thanks to the use of existing and popular technologies, i.e. HTTP protocol and XML, enabling customers to limit costs thanks to no longer needing to implement and operate additional components or licences.