What’s in the Future for the Logistics Industry?

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Without a doubt,technology has significantly turned the world into an online village.With just one click of a button,it is possible to shop for anything online and have it delivered to your doorstep.

毫无疑问，科技在很大程度上已把世界变成了线上地球村。鼠标一点，便能在网上买到任何东西，并且有人送货上门。

2 While goods still need to be moved the same distance to reach a consumer,the logistics industry can benefti from adopting new-age logistics technology.From late to missed deliveries and even damaged goods on transit,numerous problems in the logistics industry continue to affect the delivery of goods negatively.

2 虽然货物送达顾客的距离没有变，但新时代物流科技的应用对物流行业大有裨益。交付延迟、无人收货甚至货物于途中受损等诸多物流问题，一直影响着货物交付。

3 With technology,it is possible to streamline the delivery of goods.Technology adaptation in logistics can guarantee faster delivery processes,better handling of goods on transit,and reduced cost of operations for logistics companies.

3 有了科技，货运就能简单高效。物流科技有助于加快货运流程，提升运输品质，并降低物流公司经营成本。

Challenges facing the logistic industry that can be solved with technology

科技能解决的物流问题

Planning logistics.Whether local or international,shipping can be timeconsuming and comes with an increased risk of damage to goods.Many challenges affect the logistics industries.By analyzing these challenges,it is possible to determine which processes are worth automating.物流规划。不论国内还是国际货运，运输耗时长，货物破损风险增大。物流行业面临着许多挑战。分析这些挑战，就能确定哪些流程需要自动化。

A shift in customer desires

客户消费欲望的变化

Every day,the demand for goods and services changes with top companies willing to pay top dollar for these numbers.Shifting customer desires influenced by reliable products recommendations affect the types of products on demand and the number of orders on these goods.Having this information can help companies reduce waste and dead stock.These changes can take place quickly,making it almost impossible to predict change in patterns.

Analytical technology can make it easier for a company to analyze trends and possible changes even before they happen.

产品和服务的需求每天都在变化，大公司愿意花大价钱获取相关数据。可靠的产品推荐改变客户的消费欲望，而消费欲望的变化影响所需产品的类型以及订单数量。掌握这些信息，企业就能减少浪费和滞销。消费者需求变化迅速，几乎无法预料消费模式的变化。

分析技术可使企业更加轻松地分析趋势和潜在变化，甚至是做出预判。

Timely deliveries

及时派送

One of the most significant problems for logistics companies is ensuring they meet customer delivery expectations.Natural factors,as well as management issues,influence how fast goods get to a consumer.Timelines are essential,especially for time-sensitive goods like perishable products.Technology can make it easier to speed up delivery queueing,thus ensuring timely deliveries for all orders based on time of ordering.

确保满足客户的派送预期，是物流公司最重要的问题之一。自然因素和管理方面的问题，都会影响货物送达客户的速度。配送进程很关键，对时效性强的商品，如易腐烂的产品更是如此。科技有助于缩短等待配送时长，从而确保所有订单根据下单时间及时派送。

Security

安全

While on transit,the safety of goods and products has always been a great source of concern for the logistics industry.However,security issues in warehousing can also have a negative impact on delivery.Loss or damage of goods leads to lost sales or higher refund rates.With adaptations of logistics technology,goods tracking while on transit and in the warehouse can significantly enhance security and reduce revenue loss.

货物和产品在运输过程中的安全性，向来是物流行业关注的重要问题，但仓库储存安全问题也会影响派送。货物丢失或破损会导致销售损失或退款增加。应用物流科技，追踪运输和仓库储存中的货物信息，可以显著提升安全性，减少收益损失。

Poor infrastructure

基础设施落后

While it is easy for logistics companies to invest in bigger shipping containers,ensuring the goods get to the recipient in good shape is still a tall order,especially in developing nations where suitable infrastructure is not always available.

购置大型货运集装箱对物流公司来说不难，但要确保货物完好无损地送达客户仍存在困难，特别是在配套基础设施尚有欠缺的发展中国家。

Future trends in the logistics industry

As the logistics industry continues to grapple with the issues above,the only way to overcome them is by focusing on adapting to trends set to shape the industry in the future.Adaptation of technology is the only way to address the issues affecting the industry by automating most of the processes for better service delivery.

Some of the trends expected to take place in the logistics industry include:

物流行业的发展趋势

以上这些问题持续阻碍着物流行业的发展，注重顺应行业潮流是突破困境的唯一选择。应用科技，实现大部分物流程序的自动化，以优化配送服务，是解决物流问题的唯一出路。

物流行业未来的一些发展趋势包括：

Increased adoption of transportation management system (TMS)

运输管理系统（TMS）广泛应用

While transport management systems are not new in the logistics industry,they are used mainly by big logistics companies because of the high cost of setting up.However,with the wider availability of cloud-based management solutions,TMS and SaaS applications are slowly becoming more common even in small- and medium-size logistics companies.This way,they even the playing field so that small companies can compete for a larger market share.

运输管理系统在物流行业不算新鲜事物，但由于安装成本昂贵，主要应用于大型物流公司。然而，随着云平台管理方案的推广，即便是中小型物流公司也逐渐广泛使用TMS和SaaS（软件即服务）。如此一来，竞争环境变得公平，小公司也能争夺更大的市场份额。

Availability of autonomous vehicles and drones

自动驾驶汽车和无人机投入使用

Tens of logistics companies hope to be the first to use technologically advanced delivery systems.

Autonomous vehicle and drone technology will streamline the delivery process while minimizing human contact with products.The use of self-driven vehicles is expected to help in cutting fuel costs while reducing labor.

众多物流公司希望率先使用高科技配送系统。

自动驾驶汽车和无人机技术将精简配送程序，最大程度减少人力介入。无人驾驶汽车有望减少燃料成本，同时减少劳动力。

Growth in the adaptation of Internet of Things (IoT)

物联网应用增多

The Internet of Things can make warehouse management and stock management more manageable.With the Internet of Things,it is easier for a company to know when they are running low on stock and the best time to replenish.

IoT can also be used to track goods on transit without necessarily having to be there during the loading process.It also makes it possible to know when the goods reach the consumer in real-time.

物联网能让仓库管理和库存管理更加便利。有了物联网，物流公司更易知道库存何时不足以及补充货源的最佳时机。

物联网也可以用于追踪配送中的货物，无须亲临装载现场。货物送达客户的时间也可以实时掌握。

Tracking using E-logging gadgets

使用电子记录装置进行追踪

While drone technology may change how goods are delivered,not everything can be delivered using a drone.Therefore,there will still be a need for truck delivery vehicles.The use of E-logging gadgets can improve accuracy of shipping time while improving security by logging the delivery routes.

虽然无人机技术可以改变货物配送方式，但不是所有货物都能通过无人机配送。所以，仍有必要用卡车派送。使用电子记录装置，货运时间记录更精准，而且通过追踪货运路线，安全更有保障。

Conclusion

结语

Advancements in technology will undoubtedly change how logistics companies operate while giving room for better competition,even for smaller companies.While it may affect the human component of the business,the improved accuracy,faster delivery and better handling of goods will be an added benefit to the consumer and the industry.■

科技的进步必将改变物流公司的运营方式，创造更良好的竞争环境，即使小公司也将受益。虽然人工岗位可能受到挤压，但更加精准、快速、优质的货运，将给消费者和行业带来额外益处。 □