Freight Carriers and Carriers Are Actively Seeking New Technologies to Remain Competitive
Written by thalib on March 30th, 2011Freight Carriers and Carriers Are Actively Seeking New Technologies to Remain Competitive
by Brad Hollister
We virtually all know that freight shippers are challenging. Manufacturers and Warehousing companies expect their shipments picked up and delivered at the exact time and precise location without exceptions. Supply Chain Managers expect shipments to be transported with out damage, while complying with security regulations and customer mandates. They need reporting capabilities, online access to data, and superior customer service.
In addition, Supply Chain Executives should be able to locate their freight shipments along every step of the supply chain, and permit Warehouse dispatchers to track and make changes freight shipments whilst in transit. Making their customers happy requires intense attention paid to the smallest details and manufacturers, distributors, and warehouses demand the same from their freight carriers and third party logistics providers.
Freight Shippers have increasingly turned to technology to be able to meet along with exceed, the expectations of their demanding clients. The efficiencies introduced through technological integration creates an interesting dilemma: should providers spend time and resources to develop internal technologies to handle everything from cube optimization to supply chain visibility, or do they partner with niche technology organizations to provide such services?
Many supply chain technology businesses have emerged which continually develop cutting edge technologies. In reality some third party logistics firms (3pl’s) as well as carriers have made recent acquisitions of technology organizations and in reality have developed their own subsidiaries offering technology services. These technology supply chain leaders view their custom technologies as a competitive danger to their freight technology companies inside the industry.
But many logistics and transportation providers are opting to garner IT expertise from third-party technology vendors. These providers outsource technology development for the same reasons their shipper customers outsource supply chain functions — to focus on core capabilities, along with cut down on internal resources needed to develop, maintain, and also upgrade technology capabilities.
Many logistics brokerage firms are reporting a large expansion of such service provider partnerships. These transportation brokers and freight carriers have increasingly been implementing a central database which integrates all customer shipment information with freight carriers and cargo service providers, logistics firms globally. This level of efficiency (only introduced through technology) improves data top quality management as well as provides increased shipper procedure management in the course of every step in the supply chain. Undoubtedly these transportation companies owe their success in supply chain efficiency to their ability to link internal pc system and provide visibility to all of their shipping clients almost all in a secure manner.
Most freight carriers and logistics logistics firms believe that such innovative in transportation technologies is not able to be created inside of a company by even the most technologically qualified team, without the assist of outside transportation technology firms specializing in each particular niche. These transportation technology vendors provide third party logistics firms 3PLs and freight carriers with warehouse management and inventory control systems as well as automated technologies which communicate with one another to pick inventory more quickly and accurately in addition to a wide variety of other niche functions. These same freight technologies and other similar supply chain technologies not only help to improve efficiencies for big manufacturers and also fortune 500 companies, but also for little freight carriers as well as truckers to supply better dispatching, load planning, as well as routes to optimize fuel costs as an example.
It really is challenging to argue that increasing shippers requirements have elevated the requirements for efficiencies in logistics services from third party logistics firms too as freight carriers and also owner operator truck drivers. The reason that third party logistics firms and freight carriers have so much interest in these cutting edge technologies is simple. Manufacturers and Supply Chain Professionals are demanding much more services for example reporting, tracking, along with significantly much more in the course of the freight freight procedure inside the supply chain and far better freight access from the freight marketplace. Supply Chain technology vendors are a logical fit for most shippers due to the fact these types of technologies businesses supply the ability to outsource most of the work in developing, training, and also maintaining such essential systems. These kinds of providers may also modify existing technologies offerings to make sure a ideal, custom fit an ensure that maximum efficiency is achieved in every supply chain.
Brad Hollister is an Knowledgeable Supply Chain Executive with Freight Access (Freight Access.com). as well as Director of Business Development for Freight Access, Inc. Hollister carries a interest for Business Development thru innovation, process improvement, as well as implementation of the most recent technologies. Feel free to contact him with any inquiries, opportunities, or recommendations (http://www.bradhollister.com) or (312) 450-3020. BradHollister.com.
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Tags: Actively, Carriers, Competitive, Freight, Remain, Seeking, Technologies