How to Use Grasshopper to Optimize Your Heavy Goods Shipping

The logistics sector in recent years has faced great challenges and momentum in meeting rising demands and supply chain crises. This means there has also been a growing number of tech platforms who claim to provide carriers with end-to-end solutions for optimizing their operations with faster, more efficient deliveries. However, this has yet to be proven true for the heavy goods delivery industry, which requires much more complex management capabilities than powering the likes of grocery store deliveries. 

Grasshopper Labs is an industry-leading platform that automates complicated logistics and supply chain processes, including final-mile delivery of big and bulky goods that require assembly or installation, such as furniture. Powered by hundreds of thousands shipments and multiple patents, Grasshopper is the only platform that provides an end-to-end solution for automating traditionally manual supply chain processes, by combining warehouse management systems (WMS) and transportation management systems (TMS) into a single, all-in-one application. Its AI technology helps merchants and logistics companies realize improved efficiencies for their customers, enabling full control over all stages of fulfillment and increased visibility between steps, empowering a smooth shipping experience. In this blog, we’ll explain how Grasshopper can help streamline your heavy goods delivery fulfillment. 

Instant + Transparent Shipping Calculator 

There are 10 different service levels integrated on Grasshopper that you can offer to your customers for heavy goods shipping. Whether it be white glove or threshold, all the way to B2B or curbside delivery, each service level’s delivery rates are integrated into our automatic shipping calculator. After booking an order and entering the order information regarding weight, distance, or any additional service fees such as repair or assembly, Grasshopper calculator provides instant quotes that outlines each fee and rate charge that goes into the delivery, giving complete transparency into your delivery costs, including estimated fuel surcharges. Say goodbye to using google sheets to manually calculate each product’s shipping cost, and save time with our automatic calculator. 

GIMS (Global Inventory Management System) 

GIMS is a full package inventory management module that is seamlessly integrated into Grasshopper’s delivery system platform. It allows you to manage inventory across multiple locations, with advanced reports, barcode scanning, and usage forecasting that helps shippers to manage their inventory across an entire operation. In addition, with the Grasshopper Warehouse App, you and your team can streamline your entire warehouse management system via mobile device with complete transparency. From scheduling your inbound/outbound freight, managing capacity allocation, to automating the unloading/picking processes, let GIMS help your team be on the same page with the latest update and smart technology. 

Customized Notifications

Grasshopper’s powerful API system was designed to enable complete optimization of your control settings while running your operations. At times it can feel as if there are millions of things going through your inbox to keep track of your deliveries. From delays on the road, rescheduled booking, customer update, or anything important/unimportant that you’d like to filter out in your notifications, you can customize any updates in your account settings through Grasshopper’s single platform. Leave the email traffic, and just log onto Grasshopper. 

Route Optimization

OrchesTruck is Grasshopper’s routing optimization module that helps our customers to optimize their fleet allocation with speed, efficiency and transparency. With hundreds of thousands of deliveries already completed on our Grasshopper platform, we have learned many important lessons that can be summarized into one sentence – not all routes are created equally and in particular when it comes to deliveries of heavy goods. Supported by our Grasshopper Driver App, OrchesTruck enables you to co-mingle multiple different accounts needs under one fulfillment, calculate the most efficient route based on real-time traffic data and even combine or separate your routes to get the most out of each delivery trip. You can filter out your manifest planner and access complete visibility into each order, trip, along with customer information. Whether it be different service levels, pickup or deliveries, DOT regulations, or any other customized needs to optimize your routing, you can do it all with OrchesTruck powering your deliveries. 

Business Reporting

In order to ensure your business growth, it’s essential to measure your company’s metrics and KPI to assess your strengths and weaknesses. Grasshopper offers 25+ business reporting abilities to track your operational performance under its single platform – from sales & deliveries, freight management overview, or even creating customized reports to analyze an item inspection report or invoicing documents – it’s all available within a few clicks. You can adjust the calendar setting to assess between different timelines, and gain insight into every aspect of your logistics to forecast results and drive improvements. Export the reports into a csv file and share with your teammates to discuss at meetings and ensure that your team is on the same page for meeting business goals. Let Grasshopper manage your logistics and help make better business decisions so you can increase sales, make customers happy and grow your company’s network. 

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About Grasshopper

Grasshopper Labs was founded with a single mission in place: to embed technology into the traditional industry’s supply chain + logistics processes and help customers discover the efficiencies a cutting-edge technology can provide in their business. Grasshopper empowers hundreds of delivery terminals, retailers and delivery networks that service thousands of customers every day. Its technology provides businesses with end-to-end ERP solutions designed to help operate your logistics and business growth cost-effectively with real-time visibility through an entire operating system.