Innovation is a rather over-used word but can be as much about finding different ways of doing things than simply something new. Jonathan Smith, CEO at APC Overnight outlines some of the ways things are changing in the delivery world and finds that hiding behind technology isn’t always the answer.
That said there’s one company the whole sector looks to when it comes to innovation and that’s Amazon. Matthew Robertson, co-CEO of NetDespatch, explains what the company’s recent Prime Day demonstrates about the importance of delivery.
Amazon is of course testing drones amongst many other things and is just one of a number of companies looking at the opportunity to improve efficiency with the use of robots. Simon Cooper, business solutions sales director at Dematic Northern Europe explores the influence they are having on logistics and retail enterprises, especially as part of the click to ship revolution.
The role of automation, especially in the warehouse environment, is something that all retailers should be at least considering thanks to its ability to cut down on labour costs and improve efficiencies but how do you get it right? In this piece Neil Adcock, consulting partner at Bis Henderson Consulting, reveals the seven critical steps to successful warehouse automation.
Old ways of working are changing fast and for agile retailers the change is good. Less agile retailers face a bigger challenge however. In this instance can drop shipping help to level the retail playing field, asks Ken Chrisman, division president of Sealed Air who advocates it as a great way to streamline operations and better compete.
And, in our final piece in this week of thought leadership guest columns, we have the views of John McGuire, managing director Elucid at Sanderson who explains how to maximise margin in the last mile.
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