Order tracking is one of the most essential aspects of commerce, whether it be online or not. Being able to track your goods no matter where they are is not only highly beneficial to you but is also necessary for your customers. Here are a few of the latest trends and technology in the world of order tracking.
Why Order Tracking is Important
Order tracking is important for several reasons. Whether you are tracking your packaging supplies that are coming from a manufacturer or your customers are tracking what they bought for you, knowing where it is is vital for the customer experience and ensuring you have enough supplies.
Latest Trends & Technology
With technology becoming more and more advanced every day, order tracking is constantly evolving. Here are a few of the biggest trends in order tracking that we will see over the next few years.
Real-Time Precision Tracking
One of the biggest issues with tracking right now is that customers, more often than not, don’t know exactly where their packages are. Most delivery services will give a rough outline of where the order is instead of an exact location.
More and more companies are opting for precision tracking to allow customers to know exactly where their order is no matter where it is in the journey. This allows for better transparency and better customer satisfaction as they won’t miss any deliveries and they know if there are any issues during transit.
AI & Machine Learning
AI and machine learning are revolutionizing order tracking thanks to automation, enhanced predictability, and problem-solving. AI and machine learning can be used to track and optimize several aspects of the order and delivery process.
For instance, AI can be used to predict delivery times as it can analyze traffic, weather, etc, to give a more accurate delivery time. It can also be used to optimize routes, as it can find the most efficient and shortest delivery route, making deliveries faster and saving companies money on fuel.
Blockchain
The blockchain is one of the most exciting pieces of tech around today, and with its plethora of uses and immense versatility, it is no surprise that is being used and implemented in order tracking and product history.
Not only does this make tracking more accurate, but it also allows customers to inspect a product, where it came from, the materials used to make it, etc, all of which can be adjusted or changed due to the nature of the blockchain.
Eco-Friendly Deliveries
Part of the overall aspect of deliveries and order tacking is companies making more of an effort to become greener and more eco-friendly. Eco-friendly packaging is one of the main areas where companies are trying to lessen their impact on the environment.
As mentioned before, route optimisation not only saves time but also has less of an environmental aspect. Using electric or hybrid delivery vehicles, combined with optimised routes, means deliveries reach customers sooner and in a more eco-friendly way.
Drone & Autonomous Vehicle Deliveries
While not necessarily something that is fully part of order tracking, the use of drones and autonomous vehicles can very easily transform order tracking. Not only can these methods be far more accurate, but they can also ensure orders placed in more rural areas to be delivered quicker and with fewer issues.
Once again, autonomous drones and vehicles also have the power to optimise routes and make more accurate deliveries no matter where they are going. They also allow companies to operate 24/7, cutting down delivery times drastically.
Cross-Carrier Tracking
Another issue that many people face is when deliveries get lost or delayed due to cross-carrier problems. When they are several links in the chain, there is more chance of something going wrong and slowing down or halting the entire process.
One of the first things that will change for customers is that they will be able to access a single delivery interface, allowing them to see where their package is no matter who is transporting or delivering their package.
Seamless handovers make the entire process far more efficient, especially when products are being transported across multiple countries or through numerous transport methods, such as a truck, to a boat or aircraft, back onto a truck, and then onto a delivery vehicle.
Hyper-Personalization
Another trend that we are going to see becoming more popular is hyper-personalisation. This means customers will have far more control over their deliveries and their overall experience.
Customers will be able to have more control over when and where a product is delivered instead of the typical delivery windows we see today. Customers will also be able to create their own notifications that suit their needs.
As mentioned before, order tracking is such an important part of business and logistics that these trends and improvements will take the entire process and experience to a new level. Even in 2024, we still experience many issues with order tracking that many don’t believe should exist. Whether it be through AI or autonomous vehicles, the current methods of order tracking and deliveries will be a thing of the past in the next few years.
