As we move into the second month of 2014, business analysts for just about every industry are making predictions on which trends will be prevalent this year.
The logistics and warehousing industries have their own expected trends, but we at On Time Logistics wanted to instead talk about some expected trends that we see affecting you, our customer. Each industry is different but from our research, here are some business trends that seem to be common across the board.
Technology
It’s not surprise that technology is becoming not only more prevalent, but more pervasive throughout business operations. Mobile access to warehouse information, personalized apps for smart phones and many other technological advances are used for running a business from anywhere on the globe. It’s no longer necessary for most businesses to have all their employees in one location and this saves time, money and resources.
We see this trend strengthening in the coming year and technological enhancements becoming both more affordable and more vital for even the smallest of businesses.
Creating new network partners
With the modern technological advancements come more opportunities to partner and network with other companies, contractors and other partners. We see this trend continuing and companies working less in proverbial silos. Instead of companies feeling driven to provide every function internally, they will move more and more towards “doing what they do best and outsourcing the rest.”
At On Time Logistics, we are on both sides of this growing business trend. Our couriers are all independent contractors, which allows us to provide excellent service for a more affordable price. We are also a partner with many companies by providing them with quality courier, logistics and warehousing services.
Nontraditional career paths
The traditional career path seems to be on its way out for a growing number of workers. With the economy in recent years, more people are choosing to work several part-time jobs, becoming entrepreneurs or moving back and forth between standard employment and self-employment. We see this trend continuing even as the economy improves as people find more opportunities to create the “portfolio career” instead of being in a single position.
Relationship building
The age of social media is just a part of a growing trend that will become even more prevalent in 2014 and that is building relationships with one’s customers. It’s not about the single customer service experience, not just about the point of sale. Social media, customer service policies and even a growing sense of transparency within a company are all a part of developing a relationship with the customer. This relationship means more trust, more sales and more satisfaction for all involved.
We see this idea of building relationships with the customer to continue and more and new ways will develop to make this possible. At On Time Logistics, we work like a family and treat our customers like family. We build relationships with each customer to create the best experience. We believe in using modern technology, but also in good old-fashioned public service.
What trends are you seeing in your industry for 2014? If there’s a way we can help you be successful, contact us today.