See No Issues, Solve No Issues
Hello! I'm Karen Sage, and welcome to Shipwell's latest newsletter. In this edition, you'll find our take on some of the most relevant topics within supply chain logistics today, thoughtful feedback and commentary from our community, plus tips, ideas, and strategies on navigating the choppy waters many shippers find themselves in.
We're currently facing a complex shipping environment full of unpredictability. Ongoing impacts from the pandemic, labor shortages, congestion at ports, rail delays, volatile fuel costs, and other factors have created almost perfect storm conditions for shippers. Supply chains are under immense strain as consumer demand whipsaws, shipping capacity tightens, and delays mount. Shippers must navigate constant fluctuations in transportation rates, equipment availability, routing options, and shipment ETAs. Meanwhile, consumer shopping patterns continue to shift as e-commerce evolves and expectations for speedy fulfillment intensify.
New challenges seem to arise weekly, whether it's a COVID surge, trucker strike, or infrastructure failure. This turbulence requires shippers to have lightning-fast reflexes and quickly adapt strategies and operations. Companies need to be nimble, proactive, and technologically equipped to respond decisively amid non-stop change.
In essence, today's shipping climate is extremely dynamic and unpredictable. Shippers are being tested like never before as uncertainty becomes the norm. That's why we'll be exploring crucial topics this month that can empower businesses to survive and thrive despite ongoing volatility.
In this newsletter, we will cover important topics such as rail visibility, settlement automation, and pricing intelligence. Our focus is to provide you with practical insights that you can implement immediately to make your operations more efficient and guide your business through uncertain times. By discussing rail visibility, settlement automation, and pricing intelligence, we aim to equip you with the knowledge necessary for cost management, resilience, and efficiency during turbulent times. These topics represent emerging best practices that can help shippers maintain continuity despite external volatility. Our goal is to highlight relevant strategies and technologies that will empower your business to react decisively to any challenges.
Additionally, we will discuss ways to maintain perspective when the unexpected occurs. Supply chain work can be demanding, but I firmly believe that injecting levity and camaraderie into our community promotes innovative thinking and creates a rewarding work culture. I'm excited to share this knowledge and inspiration with you. Thank you for subscribing - let's dive in!
Warm regards,
Karen Sage?—?CMO, Shipwell
This Month’s Topics
See no issues. Solve no issues.
How much cash is your freight settlement process burning?
In today's fiercely competitive business landscape, operational efficiency is the “not-so-secret” secret to success. Streamlined operations not only give you a competitive edge but also cut costs and enhance customer service. Whether you're in manufacturing, finance, or customer service, everyone knows that efficiency is your ally.
Yet, when it comes to the freight management industry, one crucial aspect often goes unnoticed — the settlement process. Despite being a linchpin for business success, this process has been plagued by inefficiencies and errors for so long that most don’t even realize how much money they’re losing in the process.
And that gets expensive.
But just as AI and machine learning have brought about massive improvements in production efficiency for manufacturers and made it easier for finance teams to identify and respond to risks, logistics teams can also benefit from these new capabilities to plug those hidden leaks in the settlement process.?
From flexible data extraction that makes it possible to extract key data from digital freight invoices to automated comparison that will automatically search and compare digitized invoice data to match them with shipping orders or transactions, and more, these powerful new capabilities are set to revolutionize how you manage your freight spend, reduce operational costs, and ensure accurate payments — all from an easy-to-use centralized platform.
What does that mean for you?
It’s time to stop letting manual processes burn a hole in your freight budget. Click the link to learn more about how technology is bringing freight settlement into the future, and say goodbye to errors and inefficiencies for good.
Looking to establish a seamless supply chain??
These TMS integrations are the key to making it possible
As anyone in the industry can tell you, the efficiency of your supply chain can make or break your business. A seamless supply chain not only ensures products reach customers on time but also optimizes costs and resources. To achieve this level of efficiency, companies are increasingly turning to technology. One critical tool in this arsenal is Transportation Management Systems (TMS). However, the true potential of a TMS can only be realized when it is seamlessly integrated with other enterprise software.?
These integrations involve connecting your transportation management system with other essential enterprise software, such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems. And it’s only through them that it’s possible to create a unified ecosystem where data can flow seamlessly between different systems, enabling better decision-making and streamlined processes.
So what kind of integrations should you ensure your TMS offers?
Click below to find out.
The supply chain is always evolving…
...and so should your TMS.
The TMS evolution is essential in the ever-shifting transportation and logistics industry.
In this day and age, the only certainty is change. Shipping prices rise and fall, consumer demands can shift in an instant, the regulatory landscape is in a constant state of flux, and emerging technologies are always poised to change everything we thought we knew. In an environment like this, it's absolutely crucial for your TMS to stay one step ahead if they want to keep up.
Your TMS should continually incorporate new features to remain effective and competitive. This includes real-time data analytics, automation, and predictive capabilities to optimize routes, enhance visibility, improve efficiency, and reduce costs.
Here's what's new at Shipwell:
领英推荐
Shipwell's TMS evolution is helping businesses stay ahead of the curve in the ever-changing transportation and logistics industry.
Rail Visibility
For shippers using railroads either fully or partially for the transportation of their goods, Shipwell Rail Visibility offers unmatched visibility and control. It helps transportation teams streamline production, delight customers, and expand their rail-based operations. Whether integrating rail insights into a broader multimodal journey or specifically tracking railcars, Shipwell guarantees precise ETAs, high-quality data, and comprehensive rail information from all North American sources and terminals.
Settlement Automation
Shipwell Settlement is a cutting-edge cloud-based solution that automates the freight payment process, delivering instant ROI. This powerful tool not only saves shippers valuable time and money but also enhances carrier relationships. With Shipwell Settlement, you spend less time managing freight invoice approvals. You gain the ability to access all your bills in one place, rapidly detect discrepancies, and enjoy the confidence that comes with a single, trustworthy source for all your financial operations.
Pricing Intelligence
Whether you’re a shipper looking to stay informed about current market trends or a broker operating in the spot market, Shipwell Pricing Intelligence caters to your needs. Our solution not only provides real-time spot rates through your choice of subscription services but also enables benchmarking of contract rates against industry standards and your own historic rate performance. This empowers you to optimize your pricing strategies, stay competitive, and drive success in your transportation operations.
See you at SuiteWorld!
Have you heard? SuiteWorld is just around the corner — and we’ll be there! Whether you're a seasoned industry professional or looking for practical tips on how to unlock greater efficiency and savings for your business, the Shipwell team will be on-site at booth #638.
Need more reasons to be there?
Whether you're looking to attend in person or virtually, there's a seat for you at SuiteWorld 2023, so drop us a comment if you're attending or want to learn more about the event, and don't forget to secure some time at our booth and catch our live event during the conference for the chance to meet up in person!
We can't wait to see you there!
Community topic highlight
Why don’t drivers care about NTDAW anymore?
From nurses being given parades to food service staff receiving better tips, it’s easy for people to recognize the contributions of workers they can see. And showing appreciation is always a good thing! But there’s an entire hidden infrastructure of people working behind the scenes that keeps the economy running. And despite the fact that their line of work generally keeps them out of sight, there are 3.5 million of them working across America, and we all depend on them far more than most people realize.
And that’s the entire reason behind September’s annual National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.
Yet for many of those who get behind the wheel every day, this week that’s meant to be all about recognizing their contributions and showing support is viewed with skepticism and disappointment. For many, the week represents little more than lip service by their companies. Actions meant to show appreciation like cookouts, happy hours, dinner outings, and other events end up being diverted to office staff while the drivers themselves are stuck out on the road, or even more disappointingly, they're shown appreciation by being propped up as one of their company's many "happy drivers" as a way to promote their employer's image. So perhaps it’s not surprising to learn that around 58% of drivers report that they simply do not care about National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.
And it’s not just the lack of appreciation shown by their employers that has many drivers feeling disillusioned. New findings from DAT reveal that 34% of professional truck drivers polled feel disliked or hated, 17% feel mistrusted, and 46% feel the general public has apathetic or neutral feelings towards them. These are the workers responsible for transporting around 72% of the country’s goods and resources, equating to an annual value of over $700 billion. The workers who experts estimate could cripple the country if they were to stop working for just one week. And yet truckers don’t feel appreciated — even during the week that’s meant to show them how much they are.
So how can a business ensure that their drivers feel appreciated?
By taking action to address the issues they truly care about.?
From unpaid detention time and broker fraud to transparency and pay rates, read on to learn how to put technology to work in order to turn appreciation into action that matters.
Have a question? A topic you think worth discussing? Something you’d like us to focus on? Leave a comment and we may feature it right here in the next issue!
We’d love to hear from you!
As always, the discussion about the supply chain doesn't stop here. Every month, the conversation continues right here with new and exciting topics, and we know that a lot of you have interesting ideas and valuable insights that we can all benefit from, so if you're out there, don't be shy! Leave us a comment or send us a message about what you'd like to see us discuss next!
Let us know what's on your mind. Share your tips, articles, industry initiatives, or just any feedback you might have on the newsletter itself. Whether it's via the comments section or a direct message — your opinion matters! Of course, at the end of the day our goal is to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to supply chain issues and upheavals so let's keep it going and make that happen. Stay tuned for next month's newsletter!
Meme of the Month