A guest blog by 3Gtms
The freight industry has historically been one that simply throws muscle at problems until they break under the weight. That approach is only possible in an industry this size. It’s not very efficient, but there are enough available resources that it’s still somewhat viable. Recently however, the industry has begun to take notice of just how much more efficient processes can become if modern technology is utilized. Just because you have the muscle to tackle certain issues doesn’t mean it’s the best solution. What’s driving this change? The needs of the modern consumer creating a demand for efficiency, and new technologies that enable advanced data collection.
Making Data Useful
New technology is enabling the transportation and logistics industry with new levels of data previously never captured. With digitization pulling in feeds of accurate, real-time data across the full shipment lifecycle, what do we do with this data? It’s actionable data, but empowering the average user to act upon it takes a little bit of fine tuning.
Take 3Gtms’ latest release as an example. The tech-forward TMS provider just launched 3G-TM v17.2, which brings updates based heavily on their user experience. Users now have access to more detailed information via additional search, filtering, and context menus within the order and load management areas. These features were implemented to allow users to get data more quickly, allowing for better load management and optimization in a high-volume environment.
The Customer Experience Shapes Technology
The end-goal is to provide customers with the best experience possible. Leveraging data to optimize certain processes might seem like it only creates internal efficiencies, but it allows companies to provide their customers with faster, less-expensive deliveries, and more detailed information about their shipments. 3Gtms is doing this in part through continuous pool optimization, which allows users to plan shipments to a consolidation point, either by pre-determining a specific location or allowing the algorithm to dynamically determine the optimal consolidation facility. From there, routes are optimized based on a variety of factors, including the amount of inbound and outbound freight. This is just one example of how the most technologically progressive logistics companies are leveraging technology and data to provide customers with better experiences.
This is a common trend among the industry’s technology leaders. Building a modern technology infrastructure is among the top priorities for shippers, carriers, and 3PLs in 2018, as digitization, automation, and data availability continue to reshape the landscape. The industry is still at the start of a huge wave of revolutionary technology, and the capabilities these technologies provide are going to expand exponentially. Companies have to focus their strategies around building technological infrastructures that will be able to support these new innovations as they become available. The best way to future-proof your operation is to leverage partnerships with tech-forward providers like project44 and 3Gtms.