Shipment tracking monitoring systems: the complete guide (2024)

Ordertrackingis an asset for youreCommerce. It allows you, at a glance, to keep track of theshipmentof your products and toquickly manageany problems, and build customerloyalty. Let’s see what it is exactly!

• Shipment tracking: how it works
• Tracking strategies for shipments
• Improving shipment tracking systems
• Improving shipment tracking systems:
  • GLS tracking
  • DHL tracking
  • UPS tracking
  • TNT tracking
• How to make tracking a marketing tool

Shipment tracking: how it works

Tracking is a synonym formonitoringorlocating.It refers toshipped parcels, so you cancontrol the shipmentas a seller andcommunicate to the customers the movementsof their order, enhancing their shopping experience.

Knowing where the product is, that has already been paid for, and when it arrives is a nice relief for your customers!

Not having any news about your order until it arrives is not very reassuring, not to mention that, on an organizational level, this could create difficulties for the order delivery and incommunications between the e-Commerce and the carrier. Also, the buyer not knowing when the products will arrive may not be available when the courier comes. This phenomenon leads to products being keptin storageand arranging anew deliveryby the e-Commerce or buyer.

Basically, tracking is aservicethatenhances the customer experienceand also allows you to be there in case problems to be solved arise. This can let you build customer loyalty. Even if there are hiccups, you will be ready to solve them right away, proving you’re a great salesperson, in fact the best!

If you rely on external companies to manage your shipment, it’s also a good way for them to operate transparently, giving you proof of their excellent service and strengthening your partnership.

Shipmenttrackingcan become yourcompetitive advantage.

To track the parcel the shipment isassigned a unique number— thetracking number— and a series ofnotificationsregarding the flow of goods is sent.

Multiple orders (each with its order number) can have the same tracking number, in the case of a shipment with multiple parcels for the same customer. On the other hand, thee-Commerce ownercan monitor thestatus of the various orders through a control panel. Through specific apps or companies that provide services for e-Commerce, you canmanage all couriers from the same dashboard, with a considerable saving of time, energy, and mistakes. WithQapla’, you have the chance to monitor international multi-courier shipments for example.

Thefinal customers, instead, will receivedifferent types of notifications, such as e-mail or SMS. They can also monitor the shipment status byentering the tracking number in the dedicated areaof the courier site. The tracking number may be sentby the seller or by the courier, depending on the chosen strategy.If you are the one communicatingwith the final customer, you will havemany touchpoints, which can be customized and thus becomean excellent chance to promote your online business!Last but not least, among these touchpoints is the creation of abranded tracking pagethat your buyers can visit whenever they want and that, in addition toshipping information, will also containpromotions, suggestions for future purchases, and content of interest.

Here are someexamples of the shipping statusesyou can find in the control panel or the message box:

• Shipped— the goods have left the hub and begin their journey to the recipient.
• In transit— the package is traveling from one checkpoint to another.
• Out for delivery— the package will be delivered on the same day.
• Delay— the package is delayed. In addition to this message, it is usually specified the reason and if the delay is due to unknown reasons.
• Wrong address— the parcel was not delivered due to a wrong address. It’s one of those events for which contacting the courier promptly is a good idea to avoid bad reviews.
• Consignee not present— despite the tracking, the buyer could not be available at the delivery time. Contacting him to arrange a new delivery could make you one of his favorite sellers! (thus avoiding the goods returning to your warehouse).
• Delivered— the product is in the hands or at the buyer’s door, who can unwrap the packaging and begin the new phase of customer experience.

This technology ispartly automated and partly based on the work of the different operators. Using special devices, the shipping staff will scan the number on the parcels, so the system will be automatically updated and make the information visible. The shipping company and the seller will make use of the control panel, while the final customer will receive notifications and monitor the tracking page.Thecommunication with the buyercan beautomated through a specific softwarethat allows you tocustomize the messagesand synchronize everything without further work on your part.

Tracking strategies for shipments

To really get the situation under control, trackingstarts even before the shipment, when the operator takes over the goods. The products are assigned each analphanumeric code, so that during the handling and processing of the order, you cankeep track of their location. This is all about warehouse management software, the Warehouse Management Systems (WMS).

Therefore, two types of tracking information can be distinguished,internal(before shipping) andexternaltracking (once the shipment has been created).

Having adigitized tracking system is essentialfor any company that providessecondary transportation services. This allowseffective monitoringof shipments both in-house and for all those who enjoy the service. In turn, the sellers who use this service will benefit from the chance toupdate their customers in real time. This will be incredibly reassuring for all the buyers waiting for their orders, and it will also significantly improve the opinion they have of the seller and their delivery experience.

As a matter of fact, even though they usually buy online, the buyers still feel distrustful of stores and companies they don’t know well. Asound tracking system can help customers increase trustin your company even before they receive the goods.

Detailed tracking also allows you to providebetter customer care. Through thecodes assignedto the goods andautomatic synchronization, everyone involved will know where the parcel is and possiblytake the necessary measures to resolve any issues.

Themost commonly used systems to make the transmission of information uniform are the following:

• Bar codes (UPC, EAN)— these are a sequence of numbers associated with a series of vertical bars. There are coding standards that establish the type of product based on theGTIN (Global Trade Item Number)identifier. In addition to this number, there may be theSIN (Shipment Identification Number)or theSSCC (Serial Shipping Container Code)identifiers.
• RFID— these are identification systems that transmit data through radio waves. These labels are automatically activated when theRF scanneris directed towards them.

Integrating the coding of goods from the beginning of the processcan also improve the activities of storage, picking, and everything related to the movement of goods. This allows for maximum automation and synchronization of every step,from warehouse to delivery.

Once you’ve found the best way to identify the goods,all the information must be synchronized through software. Basically, you have tocoordinate the flow of information and the flow of goods,so this software must be able to collect, process, and return structured data.

It must, therefore:

• Collect and store information on the transit of goods.
• Structure this data so that it is usable.
• Create effective checkpoints between devices and operators involved along the supply chain.

The main systems used are:

• ERP system, which integrates information from multiple sources and sectors of the company (sales, management, production, etc.)
• WMS(Warehouse Management System), which optimizes flows within the warehouse and coordinates with the ERP system.
• TMS(Transport Management System),which traces courier routes. It is very important to manage e-Commerce shipments and what is provided by the external tracking system that is much appreciated by the customer (and seller). It can be integrated with the WMS in order to optimize the labeling process and information exchange between systems. Transportation management systems can be used by all companies that need to ship, move, and receive goods regularly, such as manufacturers, distributors, e-Commerce and retail owners, and obviously companies that offer logistics services of any kind (3PL, 4PL, LSP).

Through thetracking number, you and your customer can monitor the movements of the parcel. However, there are various options to make this possible.

The seller can track packages from the courier’s control panel, but it’s pretty complex with multiple couriers! Anyway, there aresoftware designed to enable you tomonitor all shipments from a single dashboard, for example with Qapla’!

As far as thefinal customersare concerned, you can provide them with thetracking numberand a link to the specific section of the website or thetracking page. In this way, they will monitor the status of the order by themselves. Strategically, you can think of relying onmarketing automation toolsthat allow you tosend customized emailsto keep the buyer updated on the movements of the package, also taking the opportunity toshow related items or promotions.Thanks to this kind of tools, you can alsocreate abranded tracking page, providing yourself the opportunity toconstantly monitor the products in transit.

That’s interesting, isn’t it?

Tracking systems of the different couriers:

Let’s examine how the various couriers manage tracking.

How to make tracking a marketing tool

Don’t let your customers get anxious while waiting for their order!

Often thenotification emails about the shipment status are checked several timesby buyers looking for some more information. That is why you shouldn’t delegate this aspect to the couriers. Instead,maketracking an opportunity to grow your business.

Couriers have no interest in promoting your business, so messages are often anonymous and do not even show your logo.No matter what happensto the goods you’ve shipped, for the customer itwill be your responsibility(this is also a legal aspect, see Dirett. Consumatori Jun. 2014)!

So why not alsotake creditand use this kindof communication to inform the customers betterand send them promotions and tailored communications?

About Qapla’…

Managing the shipments of an eCommerce platform requires precision and a certain amount of time. Qapla’ is the right tool to always have your orders under control, manage them from a single platform, and save a significant amount of time.

It also allows you to increase the number of conversions, thanks to the possibility of sending transactional emails and tracking the shipment in a totally customized way, according to your brand’s needs.

Discover even more benefits of the platform with acustomized demo.

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