Logistics plays a crucial role in the evolution of different sectors like transport as well as infrastructure. The use of logistics services by various industries has transformed drastically. Previously, it needed an immense workforce and resources. But in this tech-driven era, human resources and efforts have been reduced with the help of digitization.
Why Build a Logistics App for Your Business?
With the innovation of logistics mobile apps, it is easy to streamline the entire logistics business. Mobile apps facilitate various logistics departments, such as fleet management, warehouse management, delivery management, etc.
According to Allied Market Research reports, the worldwide logistics market valuation was $7,641.20 billion in 2017 and is projected to touch $12,975.64 billion by 2027.
Thus, being a business owner, you can take the help of a logistics app development company to create a logistics app.
How to develop a Logistics App for Enterprise?
This blog will discuss critical aspects and steps to develop a logistics app for your enterprise. So, let’s dive in to learn more about it.
1) Choose the Type of Logistic App
The logistics industry incorporates many departments. Thus, logistics applications differ by purpose, users, and the functionality it delivers. Therefore, you have to determine which app type you are going to create and choose one from the following:
- Fleet Management Mobile Apps
- Logistics On-Demand Mobile Apps
- Warehouse Mobile Apps
After deciding what type of logistic mobile app you want to create, it is time to look for mobile app developers.
2) Find Reliable Logistic Mobile App Developers
Finding dedicated logistic mobile app developers is challenging. There are diverse mobile app development companies in the market. You must look for experienced app developers with good communication skills. The app’s success depends on the coordination between the logistics app developers as well as you.
Where to search for the best logistics mobile app developers:
- Review websites like Clutch and GoodFirms.
- Professional social media websites such as LinkedIn.
After selecting the best mobile developers, you must contact their business development executives through the website’s contact form.
3) Sign the NDA and Discuss Your Business Concept
It is the most crucial step in making a logistics app for your business. Once your request is acknowledged, a sales executive will schedule a meeting over the call or via Skype to get more information about your project. However, you should not provide them with the details of your logistic app idea until they become your technology partners.
Therefore, signing an NDA (Non-disclosure agreement) with your chosen tech partner is essential before disclosing the app details. And then, discuss your app idea, features, technology stack, mobile platforms, and the target audience.
4) Get an Approximate App Budget
Once the discussion phase is over, you need to ask for an approximate budget for your logistics app development. However, it will not be your app’s final cost because numerous technical requirements and changes need to be determined, such as tech stack, team composition, features, hourly rates of developers, etc.
5) Discovery Stage
In the discovery phase, your preferred mobile app development company will ask questions involving the application’s business logic, features, target audience, and how they communicate with the app to build a project specification. A project specification defines project objectives, all probable methods your users will use the app, lists of technologies, and the app’s architecture.
During the discovery phase, a trusted app development firm will build a prototype of your app. It has intuitive designs of multiple screens that visualize the primary app’s design components. Once the discovery stage ends, the team will provide you with the logistics app’s prototype, project specifications, and the final cost.
6) Integrate the Logistics App With Cutting-edge Features
Discuss with your logistics app developers to integrate advanced features into your app. You can add these state-of-the-art logistics app functionalities such as:
- Inbuilt messaging
- Digital documents folder
- Digital gallery with freight pictures
- Third-party payment gateways
- Barcode scanner
7) Create and Release Your Logistic App
Before creating the feature-packed logistics app, the development team will build the app’s MVP (minimum variable product). It only incorporates crucial features.
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Develop an app MVP
With the help of the project specification, the team develops an MVP roadmap. It contains all MVP user stories as well as their execution.
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Begin the Development Stage
The development team will begin implementing user stories as per the development strategy. The team will send you the report at the end of every iteration.
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Launch the App’s MVP on Various Marketplaces
After finishing the MVP of your logistics app, the transport app development agency will run the final demo and launch the app to Google Play and Apple Store for the people to download. You will get complete access to your application, the database, the app’s code, and other projects concerning documents.
Benefits of Logistics Mobile App:
Below are some of the advantages that you can take from a logistics mobile app:
1) Reduces Paperwork
Logistics mobile applications present immediate access to an enterprise’s freight documents database, reducing unnecessary paperwork and service orders.
2) Lowers Product Delivery Time and Costs
With the help of a fleet management mobile app, you can easily schedule a freight delivery, track fuel costs and decrease empty miles.
3) Streamlines Dispatches and Routes
The mobile app for warehouse management having an inbuilt database and barcode scanning functionality enhances freight dispatching, whereas the delivery scheduling option allows you to select the best routes quite early.
4) Gives More Control Over Vehicle Tracking
You can use mobile technologies to handle dispatched inventory in real-time and improve transparency across all departments, thereby reducing empty miles as well as boosting profits.
Integrating a GPS tracker into a driver’s logistics app allows you to gain more synchronized shipments and correctly anticipate the vehicle’s dispatch time. Business leaders can consult a renowned logistics app development services provider to discuss their on-demand logistics app idea.
The Bottom Line:
Supervising a logistics business is a difficult task. By developing a logistics app, companies can streamline operations and have more authority over their business. The logistics app can enhance functionality across all departments, from the warehouse to vehicle maintenance.
To build an exceptional mobile app for your logistics company, you should hire mobile app developers with relevant industry experience as well as impressive portfolios.