Why software for load carrier management must also be particularly intuitive

Logistics software plays a central role in the operational processes of many companies. For thousands of people, it is therefore the daily tool for managing our supply chains. But despite their importance for daily operations, the complexity and ease of use of many of these systems represent a major problem. Over the years, the large systems have been expanded many times and new functions have been added. Unfortunately, usability has suffered in many cases and the user interfaces are often confusing, even cryptic.

Such complex software burdens employees rather than provide support. Studies show that an overwhelming majority of employees are dissatisfied with the usability of their business software. A recent Deloitte investigation underlines the importance of simplifying business systems. Users no longer want complex features; they prefer simple “one-click” or “one-swipe” actions that increase efficiency while reducing workload. Companies are already faced with the challenge of finding skilled workers who are ready to deal with outdated and inert systems. Not to mention short-term deployments during peak phases. In a job market characterized by options and opportunities, many potential employees prefer to work for companies whose tools are modern, accessible, and easy to use.

UX design meets reusable management

In the logistics sector, inadequate digitization and outdated analog exchange processes exacerbate daily challenges. The high personnel costs associated with these inefficient processes and the recurring purchase of reusable properties due to shrinkage tie up capital and resources unnecessarily.

This is where good UX design comes in to make it as easy as possible for employees to generate good data and make decisions based on it:

• Digitalization of analog processes: By using software that has been specially developed for intuitive operation, complex and time-consuming exchange processes can be processed efficiently. An effective UX design plays a decisive role here, as it ensures usability and helps users to perform their tasks efficiently without previous technical knowledge. This is particularly important when there are different types of load carriers in play and a clear, simple user interface is required to avoid errors and keep track of things.

• Reducing staffing requirements: Efficient UX designs enable users to be productive faster and with less training. As a result, employees are immediately empowered to carry out all administrative and organizational tasks independently. Since managing reusable objects in particular is sometimes very time-consuming, processes involving exchange reconciliation or tracking of load carriers should require as little effort as possible. Intuitive features such as drag-and-drop interactions or predefined automatisms reduce training time and dependency on IT support.

• Increasing transparency for load carriers: Transparent, clearly presented information enables early intervention in the event of grievances. In addition, UX design supports improved decision-making through deeper data analyses on asset usage efficiency. This minimizes shrinkage and reduces the frequency with which reusable objects have to be bought unnecessarily. At the same time, this makes it easier to understand where shrinkage occurs, which speeds up the introduction of countermeasures

• Optimizing capital commitment: An effective UX design is crucial for optimizing capital commitment in logistical processes. It provides clear and interactive visualizations through dashboards and graphs that give decision makers a comprehensive overview of the state of load carriers. Such visualizations help to understand capital flows and show where capital is unnecessarily tied up, for example due to excess inventory or long turnaround times. This enables more strategic planning regarding the purchase, maintenance and use of load carriers, which helps to minimize capital commitment.

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Another often overlooked advantage of good UX design is its positive influence on employee motivation. Employees who quickly find their way around thanks to intuitive and easy-to-understand software are more motivated to dedicate themselves to more demanding tasks that are more relevant to corporate development than the reconciliation of exchange accounts. This not only leads to higher job satisfaction but also to more effective use of their working time for truly important challenges. Moreover, they share their positive experiences, which attract talented new employees.

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How intuitive is Logistikbude's software?

In our software, we have consistently applied UX design principles to directly address the specific requirements and challenges of the logistics industry. These are some of the key features we've implemented:

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1. Intuitive dashboards for real-time data monitoring: Our dashboards not only present the most important information clearly and concisely but are also equipped with visualization tools such as map integrations and filters. These enable our customers to manage their pallets, mesh boxes, and more transparently and efficiently.

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2. Mobile application: Our mobile app is specifically designed to work optimally even on smaller screens and on all common industrial scanners. It offers quick access to essential functions such as entering reusable objects and confirming an exchange process, which significantly simplifies everyday work and makes it more efficient. The typical app design guarantees intuitive operation. All functions that are irrelevant to the employee are, of course, hidden here.

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‍3. Helping people to help themselves: To reduce dependency on the availability of our support team, we've included an extensive help page with a chat function and easy-to-understand tutorials that explain to users how to effectively use the various features of our software. In addition, there is an extensive FAQ section that answers all common questions that might arise during use.

4. Automation: Our software makes it easy to create and correct exchange processes through automated functions. This saves time and increasingly reduces personnel costs. Using an intuitive menu display, information boxes, icons and pictograms, the usability of our software is very close to that of a typical website.

By implementing these and other UX design principles, we ensure that our software is not just a tool, but an integral part of our clients' daily work. It not only makes routine tasks, such as changing pallets, but also significantly contributes to increasing overall productivity and does exactly what good software should do: make work easier. We also measure this by having users regularly rate the individual functions — directly in the software, of course.

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‍Would you like to know more about our applications?

Logistikbude not only offers its customers an intuitive and ready-to-use software solution for managing all reusable assets. We are also happy to contribute our many years of experience in the packaging world at Fraunhofer IML to a non-binding exchange, a digital coffee, or at events. Get in touch at any time without obligation via the contact form. We look forward to getting to know you!

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