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How to Optimize Demand Chain Management
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How to Optimize Demand Chain Management

In a perfect world, distribution centers (DCs) would disappear. Retailers and manufacturers would match incoming orders to customer demand so precisely that all products would stay in motion all the time. At most, an importer would operate a crossdock to process incoming goods for the outbound trip. This super-lean scenario poses major opportunities to reduce […]

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Ryan Kelly
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Three Returns Strategies for Improving Omni-channel Retail

Omni-channel retail involves much more than efficient order fulfillment. An easy returns policy is just as important—so much so that it can be the deciding factor for a purchase. That said, it’s one thing to enact a favorable returns policy, and quite another to execute it efficiently. Thanks to omni-channel expectations, shoppers want the ability […]

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J. P. Wiggins
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Tips for First-time TMS Buyers

Q: TMS solutions are traditionally complex to implement. Why is that? A: A transportation management system (TMS) has one of the strongest ROIs of any supply chain management software: an average of about 7.5 percent in freight savings, according to recent research by ARC Advisory Group. But they’re also notoriously thorny to implement because most […]

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Dave Albanese
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Stop the Free-Flowing Expenses of Demurrage and Detention

Q: What are the concealed costs of demurrage and detention? A: High demurrage and detention costs are rampant as ports are becoming increasingly congested and disruptive events such as labor disputes are occurring more frequently. Worse still, these fees accrue on a daily basis, so there’s little room for negotiating the final bill. "Hidden" free […]

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Diane Mitchell
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What Is Your Shipper-Logistics Provider Relationship Costing You?

Two to three years is the average logistics provider relationship. The leading reason a shipper becomes dissatisfied with its provider is the lack of strategic initiative. Strength in planning and execution simply does not provide enough value to maintain a relationship over the long term. Innovation—the application of better solutions that meet new requirements, unarticulated […]

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Brian Easton
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The Role of Relationships in Automated Brokerage

Q: Recently we have seen an emphasis on technological tools working towards an “Uber for trucking” model. Is this achievable in the brokerage industry? A: To answer this question, let’s first clarify the analogy itself—Uber for trucking. Nowadays, companies are setting out to entirely automate the brokerage process by better connecting the brokerage firms with […]

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Rick Erickson
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Optimizing Your Supply Chain

Q: How can today’s manufacturers deal with increasing regulations, demand volatility, and shifting global trade currents? A: While supply chain managers work diligently to design and oversee extended supply chains, one aspect that often falls through the "operational cracks" is supporting the corresponding financial supply chain. Orchestrating the end-to-end cash flow velocity and supporting transactions […]

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Danny Slaton
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Accurate Transit Times: The Backbone of Efficient Supply Chains

Q: CarrierConnect® has been a crucial SMC³ product for nearly 20 years, and the company has continued to make upgrades during that time. How have customers been reacting to recently added features in CarrierConnect XL 2.0? A: GlobalTranz was the first technology partner to integrate the new XL features, and they discovered true strategic value […]

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