Today’s supply chains are complex and global. One of your shipments might be on a truck from the Port of New York to the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania, another is on rail heading from Chicago to the West Coast, and yet another is traveling by container ship from China to Los Angeles. Tracking and managing all of these — and likely many more — in various systems and different spreadsheets is inefficient and prone to error. That’s why a present-day logistics network needs a modern transportation management system, known as a TMS, in supply chain management.
Transportation management systems have been around for decades, so they are no longer a revolutionary new technology. Rather, they’re a must-have in a dynamic, ever-changing transportation landscape.
Implementing a TMS in the supply chain can be costly and time-consuming, so you want to ensure you’re not only picking the right solution but also getting the best bang for your buck. Let’s take a look at the common challenges in logistics software, why a modern TMS is essential, and how to maximize your ROI.
Businesses that want to stay on top of their freight accurately and in real time need to adopt a modern TMS in their supply chain management. With so many choices, is your TMS helping or hindering your operational growth and efficiency?
Tell-tale signs of an inefficient system include siloed processes, complex back-office implementation, and a lack of actionable data. A good test is to see whether the workforce is using the logistics software. If it 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.
If your logistics software has these limitations, it can damage operational efficiency. In addition, an inefficient tech stack leads to wasted spending on software that has few efficiency gains.
Lackluster logistics software doesn’t help anyone in the supply chain. But a TMS in supply chain is a surefire way to make innovation easy and seamless.
A TMS not only helps your business and stakeholders up and down the supply chain, but it is imperative in the modern world, where customers and consumers continue to raise their expectations for speedy logistics.
Consumer expectations for fast delivery keep getting faster. Most consumers prefer to wait just 24 hours for their order, and nearly a quarter want their delivery in just two hours. Retailers such as Walmart demand goods delivered on time and in full more than 90% of the time.
These requirements make it essential for shippers to have a modern and integrated TMS. It’s a non-negotiable in this increasingly demanding industry.
For the most modern, up-to-date, and easy-to-use logistics solutions, 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 use AI to transform operations, from the warehouse to the back office and beyond. Our onboarding is simple and configurable to your operations. We don't force you to fit into our system, and we are easy to work with, to fit your unique supply chain needs.
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:
We pride ourselves on being thought partners, delivering great service and intangibles that aren’t just about the technology. Our customer, Daily Harvest, said it best: "With Owlery, you don’t just get incredible technology; you get a trusted partnership with industry veterans and a valuable extension of your team."
Equipped with a fancy new tech stack, you will want to get the most out of it to benefit your supply chain and logistics operations. Here are three ways to maximize the return on investment with Owlery’s TMS in the supply chain:
Use your TMS in supply chain management to gain real-time visibility and tracking across your entire network. Remember the example at the beginning of this post about various modes of freight in different parts of the world? Owlery’s TMS has real-time visibility features that provide transparency across the supply chain, allowing you to view and manage those shipments in one platform.
With up-to-the-minute tracking and updates, you can quickly monitor a shipment. If something appears delayed or goes wrong, having real-time updates allows you and your team to respond quickly and remedy the situation.
Use Owlery’s comprehensive data analytics in the TMS to drive strategic decisions. Using data allows your team to spot patterns and possible pain points.
For example, if data analytics reveal that your shipments out of a particular port always end up delayed by a day or two, you can use that information to relay the issue or make changes. All told, data analytics help optimize logistics operations, saving time and reducing costs.
Use AI to automate manual processes for better efficiency and accuracy. This reduces the rate of human error, and frees up logistics teams to focus on important, create, and relationship-building tasks that can’t be automated.
By integrating Owlery TMS with existing systems, you can create a unified logistics management platform.
Complex global logistics operations necessitate a TMS in the supply chain that can stand the test of time. That’s exactly what Owlery is here to do, providing a trusted partnership and an all-in-one solution that allows you to manage your shipments and navigate the dynamic world of freight.
Shippers can maximize their supply chains and their ROI by using Owlery’s enhanced real-time visibility and tracking to monitor freight, data analytics to make decisions, and AI to automate manual processes.
Owlery offers services such as enterprise-grade TMS, order operations, logistics insights, and much more. Get started with Owlery today.
