With the UK logistics industry under increased focus within the last few months as supply chains are stretched, more companies are having to adapt their processes and consider how technology and automation can help to improve efficiency.
James Orton, Chief Product and Technology Officer at self-employment technology specialist, Wise, shares his view on the future of this technological adaptation which is currently sweeping the sector.
Q: What changes have you noticed within the last twelve months within the logistics industry?
“As we continue to move past the pandemic and the sector continues to adjust to the new challenges presented by Brexit, there are a range of changes which have emerged over the last year or so. Firstly, as has been extensively covered by the mainstream media, there is a short-term, acute driver shortage. This scarcity of available talent has led to a multitude of other changes in the behaviour of companies within logistics as it has become even more imperative to provide efficiency and a positive experience for both employees and subcontractors alike in order to increase retention rates. Many logistics firms are meeting these challenges head on by innovating and making use of technology across traditionally labour-intensive areas such as onboarding drivers, documentation, finance, compliance and even payroll.”
Q: Why do you think technology is being increasingly relied on at a time when supply chains are stretched and we’re seeing stories of industry-wide staffing issues?
“Whenever industries as a whole face issues there is always a drive and determination to modernise to improve efficiency. Of course, with the ongoing personnel issues and the different challenges which Brexit has caused the logistics sector, bringing in technology and automating processes can help save time, money and stress.
“From our perspective, we’ve seen that a lot of logistics firms have opted to bring in the Wise platform to help free up their staff from a number of functions which traditionally required lots of admin, with examples including onboarding new subcontractors and checking all of their documentation”
Q: In what ways can innovation solve these pressures facing the sector at the moment?
“We know that each company within the sector is different in the way that they operate and the specific challenges that they’re facing at any one time. Technology is a problem-solving tool and the best innovations are often created to solve a certain issue or lighten the load on users and that’s certainly the case with recent innovations within the logistics sector.
“Whether it’s saving time with how you can onboard and get new subcontractor drivers out delivering goods or improving your compliance processes to avoid falling foul of HMRC, bringing in expertise or tailored technology can make a huge difference to both short term and long term business performance.”
Q: What role do you see technology playing in the years to come within this sector?
“As technology firms continue to grow and establish a mutually-beneficial relationship with delivery service providers across the logistics industry it is natural that the software and platforms being provided alter slightly. As long as there are acute causing friction and headaches within the industry, there will always be a need for intuitive, user-friendly solutions and this could be across any area of a business’s functions.”
To find out more about Wise and how it is revolutionising the whole self-employment experience, head to www.withwise.com
