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As global supply chains continue to embrace rapid digitization, shippers prioritize transportation management system (TMS) innovation like never before. After all, this groundbreaking technology—which provides visibility into the entire supply chain—opens the door to data-driven decision-making and unprecedented growth. It’s also a significant investment: given the time-related and financial costs, shippers expect to stick with …

Continuous TMS Innovation Helps Shippers Face Changing Obstacles and Priorities Read More »

Last year, news of the Kuebix shutdown surprised many in the transport industry. Trimble, which acquired Kuebix TMS in 2020, announced that the platform was set to shut down entirely by 2025.  Although Trimble has promised to continue providing support and maintenance for the next three years, shippers should start planning their transition from Kuebix …

Don’t Wait to Update: Start Your Transition From Kuebix Now Read More »

As businesses navigate an ever-changing global marketplace, supply chain management is becoming more complex and challenging than ever before. Freight spend is a significant cost driver for businesses in this high-pressure climate, and managing it effectively can mean the difference between measurable savings and lasting mistakes. Unfortunately, many companies still struggle with inefficient payment processes, …

5 Tips to Successfully Implement a Freight Audit Solution Read More »

For shippers across the globe, risk protection is a high-stakes goal that begins long before carriers load freight and shipments arrive at their end destinations. It requires a ready strategy and proactive preparations—starting with partner vetting and carrier contracts. Taking the time to screen carriers and build sophisticated contracts mitigates a range of downstream risks—from …

Partner with the Best: How to Build Risk Protection into Carrier Contracts Read More »

As today’s supply chain challenges continue to drive up costs, a growing number of shippers are outsourcing freight audit and payment (FAP) processes. Turning to a trusted logistics partner empowers shippers to automate manual FAP workflows, improve data accuracy, and simplify complicated tasks. The result? Cost savings, improved efficiency, and a soaring bottom line.  Generate …

4 Ways FAP Outsourcing Creates Value and Fast, Simple Invoicing Read More »

Amid increasingly unpredictable supply chain snarls, more and more shippers are prioritizing transportation key performance indicators (KPIs). These tried-and-true metrics—which provide both high-level and granular snapshots of company performance and budgeting—allow shippers to react quickly and confidently to supply chain setbacks. By carefully tracking costs, efficiency, and carrier reliability, shippers can ensure customer satisfaction and …

Top 7 KPIs for Optimizing Transportation Spend and Performance Read More »

In today’s ultra-competitive market, reverse logistics can make or break a business. Over the past decade, returns processes have evolved into a critical customer experience element and a key differentiator for firms. Spoiled by e-tailers offering free returns on every order, consumers and businesses now expect friction-free returns experiences—all at little to no extra cost. …

Leave It to the Experts: How a 3PL Can Help Shippers Manage Reverse Logistics Read More »

Nothing slows supply chains quite like cargo damage—prompting carrier back-and-forths, extending delivery times, and disappointing customer expectations. Accidents are inevitable, but shippers can regain control and limit losses by responding decisively to unexpected stumbling blocks. With quick action, methodical recordkeeping, and clear customer guidance, it’s possible to optimize claims management and get back on schedule. …

5 Steps to Minimize Cargo Damage Losses and Get Back on Track Read More »

Outsourced logistics management isn’t just for large firms—it can also be a valuable strategy for small and medium-sized shippers. Firms with limited internal resources often have the most to gain from leveraging a 3PL’s economies of scale and expert muscle. By plugging into a 3PL provider’s tech, carrier network, and talent pool, shippers of all …

Outsourced Logistics Management Gives Small and Medium Shippers a Competitive Edge Read More »

In-transit tracking isn’t optional for shippers hoping to compete in a digital market. Years into the e-commerce boom, delivery expectations are on the rise. Retailers must provide one-click shipping, hourly updates, and last-mile delivery, all while ensuring quality and compliance with global trade policies. Oh, and can that be sent overnight? Whatever results consumers expect, …

Simplify The Delivery Process With a TMS In-Transit Tracking Solution Read More »

From water cooler chit-chat to newspaper headlines, AI has taken a front-row seat in modern imaginations. What does this groundbreaking technology—often hailed as the future of medicine, the future of manufacturing, and more—have to do with the future of supply chains? No matter the size or region of a company’s shipping operations, AI has a …

The Future of Supply Chains: How AI Will Improve Efficiency Read More »

Shippers’ decisions are only as good as the supply chain data that informs them. But as supply chains become more complex, turning data into actionable insights is becoming increasingly difficult. From transportation modes and shipping routes to carrier rates and inventory levels, there’s a lot to keep track of.  With the right technology, it’s easier …

Knowledge Is Power: How Shippers Can Leverage Supply Chain Data with BI Tools Read More »

The benefits of less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping—reduced shipping costs for shippers and optimized carrier routes—sound simple enough. But LTL contracts can become complicated.  To simplify the financial risk management process, let’s break down five factors that determine how much a shipper ultimately pays with an LTL contract. Our take? Good data and industry expertise can mean …

Lower Shipping Costs: 5 Factors for an LTL Contract’s Bottom Line Read More »

For years, firms viewed implementing TMS tools as an expensive and time-consuming headache. But pressures from supply chain disruptions and market volatility have compelled many firms to change course. Rather than a nice-to-have accessory, transportation management systems are now must-have technology for any shipper seeking to succeed in today’s market. Thankfully, increased adoption of TMS …

A Step-by-Step Guide to Successfully Implementing a TMS Read More »

Without visibility into the supply chain, shippers lack the much-needed data to determine what works well and how to address performance issues, making the benefits of a transportation management system (TMS) clear—from efficient carrier selections and invoicing to faster pivots and logistics workflows.  But implementing a TMS is a significant investment of financial and staffing …

How Much: A No-Nonsense Breakdown of Costs for TMS Implementation Read More »

For shippers everywhere, cargo claims can present a high-stakes headache. Beyond logistical challenges, shippers must contend with unfriendly odds: the vast majority of claims are denied.  In the face of intensifying global supply chain disruptions, customer and C-suite expectations continue to rise. To navigate today’s complex cargo claims process, shippers must adopt smarter, more proactive …

Here’s how to optimize the cargo claims process Read More »

Coordinating large freight orders is no simple task—for supply chain managers or internal finance, sales, and legal teams. But even small shipments can present challenges and prove extremely complex—requiring nimble management and cost-effective decision-making. Less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping is vital when shippers need to move small batches of freight. But without a process for selecting the …

3 Strategies for Optimizing LTL Rates and Carrier Selections Read More »

The past decade saw a revolution in the supply chain sector. Ambitious ESG and supply chain sustainability goals evolved from nice-to-haves to must-haves in the face of consumer pressure and tightening regulations. Firms have made significant investments in waste and carbon emission reductions, as well as supply chain visibility and traceability. And demand for greener …

5 High-ROI Ways to Advance Supply Chain Sustainability During a Recession Read More »

The best transportation management systems (TMSs) maximize the efficiency of a company’s holistic shipping operations, including shipment tracking automation, load optimization, route planning, and demand forecasting. But before companies can access these transformative benefits, they must decide whether to implement a proprietary TMS or relabelled TMS. Transportation management systems can come from many sources, each …

Why the Best Transportation Management Systems Are Proprietary Read More »

Amid worsening COVID-19 outbreaks in China, logistics teams worldwide scramble to navigate new supply chain snarls. The end of China’s zero-Covid policy has triggered a dramatic surge in COVID-19 cases, sending labor shortages and factory shutdowns soaring. In the country’s three most important manufacturing centers, 60% of textile businesses have halted production, sparking potentially global …

Five Strategies for Navigating China’s COVID-19 Supply Chain Crisis Read More »

Speed and care are the fundamental tenets of any successful shipping journey. But what happens when shipment damage threatens to derail schedules and consume transportation budgets? An efficient strategy can correct the shipment damage, but without it, shippers cause hits to their reputation and customer relationships—to say nothing of the additional monetary cost. Shipments face …

How to Identify and Adapt to Shipment Damage without Missing a Beat Read More »

Practical supply chain management aims to identify the root causes of disruptions and take action to implement plans that minimize adverse effects. Sounds straightforward and elementary. But many organizations miss the mark, creating a ripple effect throughout the supply chain. Over the past few years, it’s been painfully obvious how fragile the global supply chain …

5 No-nonsense Steps to Mitigate Risk in Supply Chain Management Read More »

As 2022 and peak season close, shippers can look forward to a fresh new set of supply chain challenges in the year ahead. While the pandemic is still a challenge—particularly in China—economic uncertainty, slowing demand, and ballooning inflation have upstaged the pandemic as 2023’s supply chain challenges.   But shippers have plenty to be optimistic about …

How Shippers Can Overcome 2023’s Supply Chain Challenges Read More »

Whether ocean, air, or land freight, every new or repeat shipment forces shippers to negotiate carrier prices or use spot shipping rates. The decision is extraordinarily complex, with vital profit implications. At a time when shipping budgets are tight, crucial savings with sound decisions about rates is what shippers truly need.   Volatile market conditions are …

Choices for Spot Shipping Rates and Contract Rates Made Easy Read More »