shipping labels
The shipping labels which appear on every consignment are there for the most obvious of reasons and that is to ensure they get to the right place on time. That’s simple enough, but in years gone by, those shipping labels were the only means of identification and routing. Now with the coming of much more refined technology systems, the theory is that whilst shipping labels are still required there are also the sophisticated computerized systems in place.
Bar coding has made a difference so that a package with its shipping labels can be logged in at a delivery warehouse, and then tracked, even by the client. The end result is the same and it still means a delivery van is required to take the package on the last leg of the journey, with the shipping labels having the most important information – the address. Without that the whole electronic system can be less than useful. In addition to the bar coding there is GPS positioning and all this can be tracked on the home computer. It is an interesting exercise, but the routing is not always the most obvious and unlike the passenger aircraft the cargo planes take different routes. The shipping labels may well say Kuala Lumpur but the package could have gone via Leipzig and Hong Kong before arriving in the Malaysian capital. The ironic aspect of these fast delivery systems is that the package is sometimes left in a customs warehouse for a few days before the local courier is allowed to collect and then with the addressed shipping labels attached, makes delivery.
In the United States there is a very sophisticated system in place, with shipping labels vital to ensure the packages are delivered correctly. The fact is though that the USA is a huge territorial area, so it may mean different systems in place unless the package is sent by the national mail service. So shipping labels are still used by the most prudent operators and packaging companies, with technology running in harness.
The shipping labels are provided by the packaging company although the courier companies will also have their own versions. These bespoke shipping labels are unique to the courier company and come with a bar coding already on the plastic envelope. But despite all the high tech additions to the business, if the delivery system is suspect then no amount of technology will help.
It may come down to someone simply looking at the address on the shipping labels to establish where the package has to go. In rural areas particularly the references can be suspect and the local van person may be the only one who knows where to go, on the basis of the shipping labels information. Shipping labels by them selves may not be ideal, but neither is a total reliance on information technology. We hope that shipping labels along with their basic information are here for many more years to come – and of course, who would drive the van?