Transportation services are part of logistical solutions systems that ensure that there is a proper and timely deposit of goods and form the topmost base of the supply chain processes pyramid. With the advent of technology, businesses have gone online as well which tend to mostly have fewer complexities and less manpower can also handle it. But with timely and systematic growth of the business, shipments and data work to increase and that is when processes such as the transportation management system (TMS) come into play.
Generally, TMS is simply software that would help coordinate all the transportation systems of the business and is also helpful in overseeing freight management as well. It can be used by the actual business owners themselves or it can be used by third parties as well who will be in charge of implementing the systems of transport in a business.
The TMS aims at providing a holistic service ranging from costs, and supply chain management to customer relations issues using an advanced and state-of-the-art technology known as the API or EDI technology that stores data and tracks the delivery system very carefully. This software allows the user to get different functions independently through the system as required by the user and these features have interdependency with fleet management software as well.
The features of this software are highly unique which is devised to perform every tiny function in relation to transportation and fleet management systems for its business user. Initially, it is responsible to manage the orders systematically which could be accessed by both the sender and the receiver. The in-built dashboard in the software allows them to access the status of their goods at the same time and also check the routes which are undertaken. The Transport Management system’s most distinguishable feature is the rating engine which evaluates the goods, their basic prices, freight charges, taxes, and other important factors which would help calculate the optimum transportation rates based on these criteria.
These fleet management systems also plan the minuscule tasks such as the loading space available in the vehicles and their minimum and maximum weight loads. The system comes with advanced processes that evaluate such factors within a blink of an eye just by entering a few important details with respect to the freight order. Thereafter comes the process of actual transportation in which it handles the complex elements such as fleet and freight management system, schedules of the dock, and other constituents that would readily ease the process. The best feature is that all of these distinct functions could be accessed through a single platform without having to gain recourse to multiple systems and increase complexities and burden.
With the ‘track and trace’ technology, the movement of the goods could be traced in real-time. Telecommunication devices such as GPRS and GSM are linked to the vehicle which automatically located the whereabouts of the goods. The same could also be done through a barcode or an RFID tag which the customer may receive once the goods are in transit. The job is not completely over right there. The transport management software allows connecting back with the receiver, which could be a business or a customer to build better future relationships and elevate the nature of services provided at the moment. Reviewing the performance and getting back to amend it helps the businesses in the long haul.
With the increasing number of businesses every year, it gets very crucial that all companies strive to provide their customers with the best and aim to achieve those sustainability and more transparency. At the intermediate level, implementation of TMS systems not only keeps the business one step ahead with their technology but with the advanced analytics, it endeavours to make the most profit.
