We all know that choosing good logistics and transportation software for your business is crucial in every aspect. What not a lot of people know, however, is how to choose a good one. The fact that there are a lot of management systems to choose from may be overwhelming.
It is, however, also a good thing since it gives you multiple options to choose from. Whatever the case, the most important thing is to look for the best suitable features that will meet your business’ demands.
Features to Look For
There could be many features to look for while choosing your transportation management software. Here are some of the basic ones you don’t want to miss;
- Route Optimization
Among the many elements of supply chain and transportation, route optimization is one that you must get right. Using the system’s data, such as traffic, road speeds, modal limitations, maps, and fuel costs, you get to analyze and determine important factors such as cost-efficient routes, which saves time and money.
- Contract Management
Contract management is another one of the most important elements between the carriers. You want a system that will provide a good platform to track all the terms, conditions, and agreements.
- Freight Estimates and Payments
You want software that will allow you to calculate all the estimates, costs, and payments based on data such as cargo weight, shipping methods, distance, and more. It should also make it easy for your accountants to work on the invoices and payments, allocate funds and all costs, and reduce errors.
- Tracking and Tracing
This is probably one of the major reasons you are even looking to acquire a Transport management system. If you are in the supply chain business, you want to be able to track all the shipments in movement.
You, therefore, want the system to provide you with real-time exchange and distribution of data between you, carrier, customer, and distributor.
- Warehouse Management
You want real-time information on the warehouse regarding shipment dispatch time, packaging, loading and offloading times, and every other activity in the warehouse. With a transportation management system, you should be able to oversee all the movements across your manufacturing, warehousing, and distributing facilities.
- Risk Management
A good transport management system will enable you to audit different processes and analyze data, avoiding unnecessary risks.
- Analytics
Data analytics is a fundamental feature in any management software. As a business owner, you want to have access to all the information that will allow you to make credible and trusted decisions for your business.
Analytics gives you insights into what’s new in your industry, what you are doing wrong, what to change, what to adjust, what your customer wants more of and everything else you need to keep your business running.
- Product Visibility
Product visibility is another feature you want your transportation management system to have. With this, you can see the status of your shipment at all times, from start to finish. You may even be able to route your packages.
Choosing from the best CRMs for auto transport can transform operational efficiency. These CRMs streamline customer management, improve communication, and offer specialized tools tailored to the auto transport industry, ensuring seamless business processes and customer satisfaction.
