In today's globally interconnected and complex market, supply chain competition is sharp, ruthless, and resourceful. Customers expect their products to arrive quickly, and as more players fight for limited logistics resources, businesses need enhanced visibility and control over their freight shipments to stay competitive. This is where a Transportation Management System (TMS) can add value, but many companies have yet to implement such a solution. As reported by FreightWaves, “while about 50% of large shippers currently have adopted TMS, the numbers are much lower among small (10%) and medium-size (25%) shippers.” With adoption rates like these, it’s essential to have a strong foundation before launching your next transportation management system RFP.
What is a TMS?
A TMS is a cloud-based software solution that allows companies to achieve greater control and visibility over their supply chain. It provides advanced business intelligence for logistics, offering real-time tracking, automation, and customizable tools to streamline the transportation process. With this software, businesses can make swift, cost-saving, and inventive shipping decisions, resulting in improved efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Key features to consider as part of TMS selection
When selecting a freight management software solution, it is important to consider the key features that will best suit your supply chain needs. Here are some features to look for:
- Rapid rate quoting: The software should allow you to perform rate quoting quickly and integrate with your existing enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. By providing visibility for transportation cost optimization and improved service, you can make better-informed decisions and reduce costs.
- Real-time tracking and visibility: Transportation management software should enable you to track and trace shipments in real time across all modes of transportation. It should also offer automated tracking email notifications for priority shipments, giving unparalleled visibility into your supply chain.
- Customizable business dashboards: The freight management system should allow you to customize business dashboards that provide real-time updates. You should have the option to drill down to the details of individual shipments, allowing for better decision-making.
- Seamless integration with ERP systems: The software should seamlessly integrate with your shippers' ERP systems, allowing for easy access, storage, printing, and sending of shipping documentation. Easy API integration is even better.
- Automation for on-time delivery: Core components like transportation management must be automated to boost on-time delivery and ensure meaningful results beyond initial touchpoints through APIs. Utilizing machine learning and advanced algorithms, the system can optimize routing, scheduling, and other critical processes to ensure your freight arrives on time.
- Digital document management: A good shipping software system provides uniform data with standardized format and content. All shipping documents, such as BOLs and other core documents, are stored and easily available. This consistency aids order management, lets your team see the details of all your shipments, and promotes efficient freight auditing later down the line.
- Automated alerts and notifications: Using predefined triggers, a freight management system can alert you when something does not go according to plan, such as deviations from planned routes and late pick-ups, or when your shipment has been safely delivered.
Benefits of choosing IL2000's TMS solution
IL2000's transportation management solution offers several benefits that set it apart from traditional trucking management systems. Here are some advantages:
- Enhanced supply chain visibility and control: IL2000's software provides complete transparency and actionability across every step of your supply chain. It offers a clear bird’s eye view of all shipping processes, giving you the visibility and control you need to make informed decisions.
- Robust and fully customizable tools: Unlike preset software packages, IL2000's TMS is custom-built around how our client does business. We develop the solution as their supply chain evolves. By giving you robust and highly customizable tools to run a more cost-efficient and streamlined logistics operation, you can provide a better degree of customer service to your end users.
- Quick, easy shipping: Don’t let a poorly designed system slow your team down. Our solution moves as fast as your supply chain, offering a quick and easy shipping process from comparing rates across carriers to sorting by a range of criteria.
- Actionable data insights: Supply chain data, presented in a usable format in customized Business Intelligence dashboards and explained during quarterly business reviews, can guide your optimization efforts. Our comprehensive transportation management solution gathers this data and makes it readily available so you can make crucial business decisions when you need to.
- Reduced inefficiencies: Another benefit of supply chain visibility is that you can reduce any inefficiencies in your routes, so you can make more deliveries without compromising speed. This cuts transportation costs and improves your bottom line.
- Access to a team of supply chain consultants: IL2000's TMS has the added benefit of having a team of rapid-response supply chain consultants ready and available to provide valuable insights and guidance to optimize your supply chain operation. They’ll be troubleshooting in under 15 minutes.
- Improving customer satisfaction: Robust transportation management extends beyond the shipment to the end customer. The system’s customizability allows feature integration right into your CRM. From accurate delivery quotes to sending branded communications to your customers with tracking information so they can access real-time updates about their shipment’s journey, IL2000’s system has you covered.
- Unique pricing model: There isn’t one. Our software is not a purchase add-on; it’s the way we do business. We customize it as needed and offer it for free. This software is part of our unique solutions package, which we use to optimize your supply chain.
The robust features of IL2000’s TMS allow you to maximize the benefits of supply chain visibility, including improved operational efficiency. Choosing the right solution will help you stay ahead in today’s competitive logistics landscape.
Point of differentiation: IL2000's TMS vs traditional TMS
With IL2000's solution, you can rapidly perform rate quoting integrated with your existing ERP systems, easily create, book, and administer shipments online, and track and trace shipments in real-time across all modes of transportation. The TMS also allows for customizing business dashboards and seamless integration with shippers' ERP systems.
Additionally, IL2000's transportation management solution automates core components of transportation management, boosting on-time delivery and ensuring meaningful results through APIs. These features set IL2000's TMS apart and position it as a superior choice for businesses looking to enhance their supply chain visibility and control.
Contact IL2000 for a demo
To experience the benefits of IL2000's TMS solution firsthand, contact us today to schedule an online demo. Our team of supply chain strategy experts will guide you through the features and functionalities of our transportation management solution, demonstrating how it can transform your logistics operations and maximize your supply chain visibility.
Schedule your demo now by reaching out to IL2000.