Logistics (procurement) has changed in the last couple of years as we all know. The volatility in capacity and pricing is also affecting how companies buy freight. Prices are no longer being kept stable without any change for a year or even two years. This has resulted in the following:
• Shippers need to run more sourcing events on a regular basis
• Tenders need to be reviewed on a periodical basis
• Sourcing events are no longer only globally or regionally organised but also locally or country-based
• Rates need to be updated on an ongoing basis
Tenders used to be events that would give you stable rates for a long period to come. For air, road, ocean and parcel. Not anymore. Rates have frequent updates and many struggle to manage these updates without a cloud-based tool. That is why we developed Rate Management, an easy to use platform to manage updates and changes in freight rates.
Many companies still work with Excel only in tendering when using software or e-sourcing saves 50% of time and delivers clear savings, comfort and easily a ROI of 20x. Using technology for logistics procurement is a no-brainer.
Our holistic approach to freight procurement
A holistic approach to logistics procurement, what is that? Our holistic approach to freight procurement is based on 4 pillars:
• Flexibility in sourcing: run any type of event anytime: fast and efficient
• Use our rate management module to update or have carriers update their rates
• Be able to run spot bid events for air, ocean and road shipments
• Always have additional support and knowledge at your disposal to have us run the tender for you so you don’t have to. Lack of resources in logistics is a real issue for many companies.
Final thoughts
A lot of people still fight their way through endless excel analysis, put up with outdated procurement software platforms that are not suitable for logistics yet cause only pain and frustration, as well as for carriers and forwarders. All the while when fresh, smart and easy-to-use affordable cloud-based sourcing platforms are available. Keep an open mind for new technology and look around, you may make your life easier and more efficient.
Are you at the top of your game in what you do in logistics? Or are you making it work with Stacking workarounds on top of the additional manual work? Using older tools while new are available, using generic tools where you could use dedicated tools, using excel and e-mail where you can use a platform or a tool, having colleagues do the puzzle and cut and paste work while outsourced staff or tools could do the work.
In logistics, there are many examples where people could work smarter, be more efficient, save more time and money and come up with friendlier solutions for partners and carriers. Start now! Check out tools for automation and digitisation and you will see the reward for your efforts!
What we do like no other?
We connect our Freight Procurement platform with a carrier marketplace and connect the marketplace with a CRM for carriers. No platform has this integrated vision where shippers and carriers can truly work interactively together on tenders and freight business opportunities.
Shippers: Sign up on TendrX and start creating your own carrier network.
Carriers: Sing up on TendrX and create new partnerships with shippers and find more business.
Both TendrX, the fastest growing carrier database and Freightender, a leading freight procurement platform, have become powerhouses in #logistics #technology. Between the two companies, there are 5 applications that serve Shippers, Carriers and forwarders.
