With all the talk of data analytics, real-time freight visibility, and artificial intelligence, you would think most companies have moved from manual methods to modern logistics software and transportation management systems. But perhaps not – a recent survey by Descartes found a staggering 37% of companies still use spreadsheets and emails to get visibility into their shipments. Around the same percentage are calling their carriers and brokers for status updates.
There’s clearly a better way, and that’s where TMS logistics software comes in. Transportation management systems have been around for decades, so they’re no longer a revolutionary new technology. Rather, they’re a must-have in a dynamic, ever-changing transportation landscape.
Businesses that want to stay on top of their shipments accurately and in real time need to adopt a modern TMS in their logistics operations.
Phone calls and spreadsheets have a time and place, but not when it comes to tracking a shipment that needs to arrive on time to a customer or client.
A TMS to manage your logistics can help, but some solutions still have limitations. Some might have siloed processes, where one system doesn’t talk to another. Another might have a complex back-office implementation, meaning it takes too long to get the logistics software up and running, let alone training employees on how to use it. Others still might not produce actionable data.
How do you identify whether your TMS is outdated? The biggest sign is a lack of action. If the logistics software is so complex that employees aren’t using it, or that the data doesn’t result in action, it’s likely not serving your organization.
Additionally, if the TMS in logistics isn’t scaling to various operations because it’s siloed, that’s another signal that it might be time to ditch that particular TMS logistics software.
Any of these flaws in your TMS can hinder operations and add unnecessary costs, through inefficiency and wasted tech spend.
If you’re going through the checklist and realizing, “Yep, my TMS is outdated,” or “I need a better, more comprehensive solution,” look to Owlery. We’re much more than simply a TMS provider. We’re on a mission to transform logistics management, and we live by the philosophy that no one ships alone. We help logistics teams work with carriers, warehouses, the back office, the finance team, and much more, so that the TMS in logistics serves everyone. Check out this video to see how it works.
We recognize that different teams may need different things on different days. Maybe it’s appointment scheduling on Tuesday, and spot quotes on Friday. Through our solutions that provide more than a TMS, we aim to offer several features all in one platform. Everything is designed to save costs, boost efficiency, enhance decision-making, improve customer satisfaction, and, perhaps most importantly, make life easier for hard-working logistics teams.
A few of our key features include:
Armed with a TMS in logistics, there are three ways you can start to transform your supply chain:
Remember when Domino’s Pizza first allowed you to track the status of your pie and delivery? Food delivery, of course, has come a long way since then, and so has supply chain tracking. With a modern TMS like Owlery’s, real-time visibility provides transparency across the supply chain and allows up-to-the-minute tracking and updates to manage logistics more effectively.
A modern and comprehensive TMS lets shippers draw from comprehensive data analytics to make strategic decisions. For example, data insights can help with route optimization, like spotting where there’s a traffic jam, a delivery constraint, or a weather system that could delay a truck carrying your shipment. Shippers, along with their brokers and carriers, can use those insights to decide if an alternative route might be best.
The best TMS in logistics automates manual processes, using AI to ensure accuracy and efficiency.
For example, Daily Harvest is a frozen food brand and client of Owlery. The team fully outsourced its freight, but it left them with limited visibility and tracking control. With only a week of planning, Daily Harvest’s logistics team onboarded to Owlery’s centralized platform, resulting in better load optimization and a 25% reduction in freight costs.
Between the Amazon effect, retailers’ on-time and in-full demands, and just the general pace of today’s supply chains, a spreadsheet and an outdated TMS logistics software are simply not enough to navigate the dynamic world of freight.
A modern, up-to-date, all-in-one TMS like Owlery can solve your supply chain challenges. Get started with Owlery today.
