Integrating import logistics into your information systems can greatly increase the accuracy and efficiency of your enterprise: tracking products through every step of the importation process can provide audit trails and alerts for trouble shipments; knowing the status of all orders that are in flight allows you to match shipments to sales orders; and, enforcing contracts and service level agreements is made easy with proper tracking.
Track Products
The process of importing overseas goods is complex, and tracking your orders through every step of that process can bring your organization a competitive advantage: knowing which goods have been detained for customs, are waiting to be unloaded, or are otherwise stopped will allow you concentrate on freeing up the goods needed most urgently and will maximize the return on the limited resources that can be thrown at such problems.
Know Status
Knowing the status of all orders in transit can provide your enterprise with a significant advantage by being able to allocate goods to customer orders prior to their arrival allowing your company to sell virtual inventory while it is still moving through the importation process.
Enforce Contracts
Automatic monitoring and notification of compliance with service level agreements can allow you to select shippers who deliver the most consistently freeing your staff from a complex task and saving you both time and money.
Conclusion
Tracking your products, knowing their status, and enforcing shipping contracts can provide a significant competitive advantage to your organization that cannot be ignored.