Bespoke Logistics & Warehousing Software

What is bespoke logistics and warehousing software?

Bespoke logistics and warehousing software is custom built technology designed specifically to help you manage and optimise the unique operations of your business. It’s developed from the ground up to fit the way you work exactly. You might be looking to streamline your inventory management, improve your route planning, automate order fulfilment or integrate your separate WFM system with other existing systems such as ERP, CRM or ecommerce platforms. Bespoke software development offers all that and much more. 

Driven by the hyper growth across the ecommerce industry, the logistics and warehousing sector is now the most dominant across parts of the Midlands and the East of England. Needless to say, competition is fierce and organisations within these industries must constantly find ways to differentiate themselves from their competitors, offer superior customer experiences and keep their own operations in check. 

Core components of logistics & warehousing software development

Bespoke software can and does add value to any industry, with the logistics and warehousing sectors being no exception. It allows you to address your specific operational challenges which might involve managing complex supply chains, optimising warehouse operations and integrating with multiple carriers and/or third party systems that form part of your service offering. Providing top notch customer service is also likely of significant importance to your business due to the sheer amount of competition out there - if your customers aren't happy, there are many alternatives they could use instead.

Let’s take a look at some of the key systems found in logistics and warehousing software development.

Warehouse management

Custom Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) are built to match your operations - no matter how complex or nuanced. You may just have a single warehouse or your might have multiple sites across the country. Bespoke solutions take into account your warehouse layout, internal workflows and existing systems to ensure the outcome accommodates them all.

A good WMS should help to optimise every aspect of your warehousing from inventory management to order fulfilment, ultimately increasing efficiency and accuracy across the board.

Inventory tracking and control

If your business is fast moving, your inventory data needs to match.. Bespoke inventory tracking systems offer live visibility of stock movement, helping to reduce errors and improve communication across your supply chain.

These systems are usually designed to help you keep control, maintain accuracy and ensure your customer's aren't receiving those dreaded out of stock emails after they've already placed their order.

Logistics management software

A bespoke Logistics Management System (LMS) can completely transform your delivery operations for the better. From coordinating drivers and tracking shipments to automatically planning the most efficient routes, these systems help ensure customers receive their orders quickly and accurately and, that your business saves time, fuel and a great deal of frustration in the process.

Custom order management systems

Custom order management systems are used to effectively handle the full ordering process starting with the order taking and processing to tracking orders through to fulfilment. These bespoke solutions ensure that orders are managed accurately which can significantly improve customer satisfaction and end to end operational efficiency.

Advanced features in bespoke logistics software

The beauty of bespoke software lies in its flexibility. Off-the-shelf systems usually take a “one size fits all” approach, which is all well and good until you realise your operations need something a bit more specific.

For example, a standard logistics system might only show “order processed” or “order delivered.” A bespoke solution for a custom furniture manufacturer, however, could include stages like “in production” “awaiting assembly” or “under quality check” giving both your customers and staff much clearer visibility on what stage an order is at, at any given time.

Here are a few other advanced features that can make a huge difference:

Route optimisation

We have touched on this above, but with rising fuel costs and pressure to meet tight delivery windows, poor route planning can quickly eat into your profit margins - particularly in such competitive industries. Bespoke logistics software can incorporate advanced route planning and optimisation algorithms that factor in traffic conditions, delivery time slots and vehicle capacity specific to the areas you cover to boost efficiencies across your business.

For example, if you have a courier business and are struggling with missed delivery times, you can use this feature to plan more efficient multidrop routes - reducing fuel consumption, ensuring customers receive their packages on time and ultimately keeping them happy.

Business Intelligence

Many logistics decisions are still made using guesswork and spreadsheets that can break with a single typo. By integrating Business Intelligence (BI) tools into your software, you gain access to live dashboards, analytics and reports that can help with quick decision making - very necessary for fast moving businesses in these sectors.

A transport manager, for instance, can identify delivery delays on specific routes and instantly reassign drivers to new routes.

Integration with supply chain processes

If your systems don't communicate with each other efficiently, this can lead to all manner of issues in the workplace which can ultimately lead to data errors and/or duplication, frustrated employees and a poor customer experience - all of which can impact your company's bottom line.

Bespoke logistics software can be developed to integrate with your existing supply chain platforms such as ERP systems, inventory management tools or third party carrier APIs.

If you're a distributor working with multiple suppliers for example, these integrations can automatically sync stock levels and pull shipping updates to provide to your end users, reducing manual input and keeping operations running smoothly from end to end.

Partnering with software development companies

Choosing the right software development partner can have a significant impact on the success of your company's operational processes. The right partner will take the time to understand your business inside and out so they can deliver solutions that really provide value. Choosing the wrong development partner on the other hand, can be problematic in that the end result may not meet your expected requirements, there may need to be additional work to bring the software to where it needs to be or it may need to be replaced altogether - a costly and unnecessary burden that you can probably do without...

Choosing a software development partner

It goes without saying, not all software development companies offer the same services, to the same customers at the same standard. Your ideal partner should not only possess technical development expertise but also a deep understanding of the operations and challenges within your company specifically and the wider logistics and warehousing sectors.

When assessing potential software development companies, you can consider the following key criteria:

Previous industry experience - A company that has worked with logistics or warehousing clients before will already understand key challenges you're likely facing such as route optimisation, inventory control and supply chain management.

A proven track record - Look for case studies, client testimonials, and examples of successful projects. Past performance is often the best indicator of future reliability.

Technical competence – It is important to ensure that any prospective development team has expertise in modern technologies and stays current with innovations such as IoT, AI and cloud computing - all of which are commonly used in the logistics and warehousing industries and potentially, your business as well.

Communication style - Every project runs that little bit better when both sides communicate well. Whether you prefer regular check ins or just milestone updates, make sure your development partner matches your style.

Enhancing logistics operations through technology

Digitial software solutions give logistics businesses the speed, accuracy and agility they need to compete. Let’s take a look a some of the ways bespoke solutions could help your logistics operations:

Logistics Software Integration

Integrating new software with existing software is a key step in any digital transformation project and this applies to logistics solutions too. These integrations are crucial in ensuring that new systems work alongside your legacy platforms, ultimately solving problems rather than creating them! It can also be much more cost effective to facilitate integrations rather than purchasing a new system that has all of the required components included.

Here are some of the key systems logistics software can integrate with and the benefits they bring -

Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)

The warehousing and logistics industries are closely linked through the supply chain structure, so connecting logistics software with WMS platforms is only natural. These integrations can help you synchronise inventory levels in real time, automate stock movements and optimise your warehouse operations. It can also lead to faster order fulfilment and better tracking of goods throughout the storage and dispatch phases. A win for you, a win for your customers.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems

Another common type of software you can integrate with your logistics software are CRM systems. These integrations can allow you to match delivery information with customer records and order history which in turn, allows for a more personalised service, accurate delivery updates and all round better communication with your clients.

Ecommerce Platforms

Ecommerce systems and logistics software are another type of integration that can bring some real solid benefits to your business. This link means order data can automatically be pulled, shipment status updates can be automated and returns can be facilitated accurately and efficiently. This reduces the need for manual data entry from your staff, speeds up fulfilment and ultimately leads to happier customers and who doesn't want that?!

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems

ERP systems are used to manage various business processes across multiple departments - finance, procurement and inventory functions can all be found within this software and adding logistics into the mix provides an even more comprehensive overview of some of your most crucial business operations. Resourcing can be better planned, inventory updated when deliveries have taken place and jobs badged to specific finance codes.

This list is not exhaustive - there are many, many other types of software that can be integrated with logistics solutions that can also provide major benefits to your organisation.

Challenges and solutions in bespoke development

Bespoke software is used to help businesses overcome specific challenges and achieve specific outcomes. Whilst every organisation is unique in terms of these challenges and outcomes, in the logistics and warehousing industries, there are some challenges and objectives that are more common than others that you too, might recognise. Let's take a look at some of them and more importantly, how bespoke software can help to overcome these issues and achieve the desired outcomes.

The Challenge: Limited Warehouse Capacity

Solution: Bespoke warehouse management systems (WMS) can be developed to analyse storage layouts and optimise product placement using real time data as well as predictive algorithms.

Example: A retail distributor struggling with stock overflow during their peak seasons may implement a custom WMS that dynamically adjusts storage plans based on inbound deliveries and product turnover. The result being an increase in useable space without having to stump up the cost and resources to expand the facility.

The Challenge: Difficulty Integrating New Software with Legacy Systems

Solution: Bespoke APIs allow bespoke solutions to speak the same language as their legacy counterparts without the need for a costly system overhaul or alternative system.

Example: A transport company using legacy ERP software wants to adopt real time tracking for it's fleet. Instead of replacing the ERP, a bespoke integration layer could be developed to sync shipment data between the ERP and a new GPS tracking platform, enabling live updates from the fleet with zero disruption to existing internal workflows.

The Challenge: Manual and Repetitive Administrative Tasks

Solution: Automation tools can be incorporated into bespoke software solutions which can in turn, streamline and automate common, time consuming processes such as data entry, invoicing and inventory reconciliation.

Example: A logistics company managing high volumes of shipments each day could reduce their admin requirements by implementing a bespoke invoicing system. The solution could automatically generate and send invoices based on real time shipment data, cutting processing time and reducing the need for human intervention and the errors that come with it.

How can we help?

Here at Cool Code Company, our development team understand the complexities involved with the logistics and warehousing industries. From disjointed supply chains, to lack of operational oversight - we've seen it all. Our experienced developers work with our clients to gain a deep understanding of their business, pin point the issues and challenges that need to be overcome and develop intelligent, industry specific solutions that make it happen - we'd welcome the opportunity to do the same for you. Get in touch with our friendly team to discuss the problems you'd like to solve in your logistics or warehousing company and we'll work with you to find a way forward.