In 2020 the global drive for interconnectedness will see a continuation from last year. Innovative sales strategies will sweep through the material handling business. Companies will have to adapt to the existing trends and adopt novel ones like live videos. If you do carry out all these innovations, you can expect your profits to rise in 2020.
Personalize the sales pitch
A trend that has been present on the market for years involves the personalization of the sales message. In fact, if you manage to convey, pun intended, a message different from your competitors, you can expect the chances of making a sale to rise by a fifth. Remember, potential customers and clients are approached by tens of sales representatives who deliver the same stock message; try to be different in this aspect.
Live videos
You’ve probably heard of chatbots that are becoming increasingly popular in B2B industries but in 2020 live videos are expected to rise in popularity. The advent of YouTube made people accept live videos as something normal so you should look to include streaming in your material handling marketing strategy.
The simple truth is that users no longer want to peruse through lengthy manuals or instructional materials, as they would watch a live video instead. A video puts a human face to your company and it is more genuine and credible that a paper book. On your part, you’ll have to put in extra effort in the production process but it will be worth it in the end.
Conveyors are the new standard
The more warehouses open across the country and the globe, the more conveyor belts will be installed. In fact, conveyors are used in nearly all segments of life, from the mining industry to transport ore from the mine, all the way to the local supermarket, helping the cashier scan groceries.
Of course, indoor conveyors differ from the ones located outside which must have durable conveyor belt rollers that are waterproof. When it comes to conveyors inside a warehouse, they should feature protective railing because they often work parallel with human workers.
AI-based data analysis
One of the biggest trends that you should really look to make the best out of is AI-based data analytics. Instead of manually analyzing data for current and prospective sales, switch to AI-powered software to speed things up. The biggest advantage, besides speed, of such an analysis, is the amount of data a computer can process. In addition, sales representatives will have more time for other tasks while the machines do all the work for them.
Invest in the workforce
The year 2020 will usher in some negative trends a well, which you’ll need to grapple with. We are mainly referring to the labor market that might not be able to answer your material handling business’s needs.
The best way to avoid this problem is to invest in the current workforce. Apart from monetary incentives and extra days off, you should simply listen to the needs of your workers. Since they are the ones spending their workday on the warehouse floor, they have the best insist on the innovations necessary to improve operations. That’s why we are saying that the employees are an investment because you will get your money back in the end.
Automation is still on the rise
The process of automation, in the modern sense of the word, started some three decades ago and it’s still going strong. The material handling industry saw the greatest benefit from automation since enabled same-day deliveries for shipping companies, for instance.
Furthermore, automation eliminates the weakest link in the material handling: the human worker. Humans make more errors than robots and they are more expensive in the long run. However, automation helps reduce the risk of injury so it is possible for a machine and man to cooperate.
These are the top 6 trends that will mark the material handling industry in 2020. Most of the trends are a continuation of processes that have been going on for decades like automation the proliferation of conveyor belts. The latter are expected to become more sophisticated in 2020 and the following years.
