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Advice for Transportation Departments on Gaining Corporate IT Buy-in for TMS Solutions

Q: What pushback should transportation leaders anticipate from IT when proposing a TMS implementation? A: Corporate IT departments are frequently ambivalent about cooperating; sometimes even actively working to undercut the proposed initiative because there’s a perception that any new enterprise software deployment adds significantly to IT’s workload during implementation, integration, and thereafter with respect to […]

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Is a 3PL Not the Best Fit for You?

Q: While some companies have chosen to rely on 3PLs to manage their logistics, Progressive Converting made the choice to keep its logistics in house. Why? MR: Progressive Converting (Pro-Con) is a service provider to the major paper companies. As such, controlling all aspects of the supply chain is critical in delivering value to our […]

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Shannon Vaillancourt
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The Answer to Logistics Problems is Always in the Data

Q: How can data solve logistics problems for shippers? A: The right data can create the intelligence required to know where to begin to solve many common problems. These can include freight costs that are too high, transit times that are too long or not charging enough for freight. Many shippers have good rates, but […]

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Stephen Wilson
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The Advantages of a Pop Up Supply Chain

Q: How can I keep up with volume surges with minimal disruption? A: If you find yourself looking at a significant volume surge that is temporary, it is a good time to think about a pop up supply chain. Surges like this can put strain on the current infrastructure you have built and disrupt daily […]

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Can Exception Management be Automated?

Q: Managing exceptions in freight settlement is, by definition, a manual process even when a shipper has a transportation management system (TMS) and freight payment/audit solution in place. Why can’t exception management be automated? A: The truth is, it can be, and to a surprisingly high degree. Significant exceptions such as large discrepancies in rates […]

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Dan Sellers
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Shopping for a Transportation Management System: Factors to Consider

Is your organization seeking to replace its current Transportation Management System (TMS) or obtain a TMS for the first time? Besides the obvious factors, such as overall cost, functionality that meets your requirements, and the ability to integrate with your current system and trading partners, below are five points to consider when shopping for a […]

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Doug Surrett
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Global Trade Network: A Strategic, Competitive Asset

Q: Why do companies have such a hard time embracing global trade management? A: The Amazon effect is wreaking havoc on supply chains globally. Consumers are buying online from everywhere in the world and expecting delivery in one to two days. International shipping presents real challenges for suppliers and shippers attempting to keep up with […]

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Frank McGuigan
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Consumer Demand Helping Drive 3PL Industry Growth

In recent years, shippers have encountered new standards of velocity, market choice, and cost for their products. Consumers are demanding better variety and greater availability at the lowest possible cost. These demands put increasing pressure on retailers, who in turn, pass that burden on to their suppliers—further increasing complexity and intensifying pressure on supply chains. […]

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Gaining Visibility Through Data

Q: Data impacts the way many organizations make decisions. Can a freight audit and payment system provide added visibility? A: If shippers don’t have valid insight, they can’t make valid decisions. Data analysis and benchmarking can provide this visibility, allowing shippers to identify outliers in performance and cost. Yet most companies don’t have the technology […]

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Leading Logistics Provider Closes More Business, Develops Stronger Customer Relationships

The Challenge With its growing international customer base, this global logistics and transportation service provider for the chemical and process industries recognized the need to automate its contract management and pricing process and to expand its global operations. However, the logistics team realized it would be very difficult to handle the increased number of contracts […]

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Ty Bordner
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Achieving Greater Visibility and Agility

Pressure for lower FOB prices while dealing with the upward movement of production is the biggest challenge for retailers today. And all of this comes at a time when companies are under intense pressure to meet the fast-evolving demands of every-channel retail, where consumers expect a more convenient shopping experience, as well as a superior […]

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Brad Hollister
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TMS Launches New Era: Control Tower Visibility

It wasn’t long ago that top executives around the world had to be convinced why they needed accounting software to run their companies. Today it is unthinkable of any company operating without accounting software to manage their company’s finances. The importance of technology in shipping is starting to reach this same critical point for most […]

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Diane Mitchell
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Most Mid-Market Supply Chains Are Under-Served

On average, mid-market supply chains ($50M to $150M) replace their supply chain providers every two to three years. The two overwhelming reasons why are because they don’t realize continuous return on investment (ROI) improvement and they lack strategic account support. Mid-market supply chain owners are caught in a conundrum: They’re too big for the small […]

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Enabling a Faster-to-Market Solution
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Enabling a Faster-to-Market Solution

Fast growth in ever-expanding global markets, and the need to serve its retail and online clients in Asian markets, drove home furnishings retailer Cath Kidston to approach SEKO for a solution.

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