Articles
Thought Leaders
How to Meet Global Shipment Compliance Challenges
Q: What role does technology play in meeting today’s challenges of global shipment compliance? A: Today’s complexities in managing export and import shipments are evident. When U.S. Customs announced the requirement of Sea AMS filing, which is also known as the 24-Hour Rule, it started a wave of technology enhancements throughout the globe requiring all […]
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Visibility is Key to Unlocking Supply Chain Savings by Connecting Inbound and Outbound Activities
Q: What are the benefits of managing inbound freight spend? A: By managing inbound freight spend, shippers can decouple transportation costs from suppliers’ product charges and gain visibility to the lanes, volumes and synergistic opportunities that exist within their outbound network. Leveraging a lead logistics provider (LLP) or transportation management system (TMS) expands visibility beyond […]
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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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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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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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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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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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Keys to Customer Retention in a Competitive Environment
Q: What do you attribute to be the most significant key factor with customer retention in today’s competitive marketplace? A: Value over price seems to be an old adage that still is true even in today’s market. A key contributor to this is having local sales effort, and knowing customer requirements. Being able to provide […]
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What You Need to Know About Nearshoring
Q: When a company begins a nearshoring initiative in Mexico, what is the best way to expand its supply chain to meet the future need without disrupting the service their customers have come to expect? A: When a company initiates a nearshoring program, it is critical to have a partnership with a transportation and logistics […]
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Balancing Inventory for a Better Customer Experience
Q: How is e-commerce impacting inventory management for retailers? A: Inventory is a costly investment for retailers. With the growth of e-commerce, retailers have identified a potential opportunity to reduce working capital by thinning inventory at brick-and-mortar stores—opting instead to maintain major portions of inventory at distribution centers upstream. By adopting this strategy, retailers are […]
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