Selecting the right transport management system is key to the success of any short-haul bulk commodity trucking business. Carefully chosen, it will adapt to your business requirements as your business grows. It will accommodate changes in your operations as you explore and exploit fresh opportunities, such as diversifying the commodities you handle. It will support your teams in day-to-day efficiency improvements, and it will provide the information you need to make confident business decisions.
Any new system you consider adopting will only deliver such benefits to your business if you define your goals and requirements clearly at the outset. For sure, the solution providers will help guide you in creating the tightest possible specification but you need to have a solid understanding of your own business requirements to optimize the value of such external input.
There are three essential considerations every trucking company should consider: Flexibility, Stability, and Service. Regardless of the size of your business the likelihood is you expect it to grow. You're planning for continued success, to acquire new contracts, to enhance your profitability, and to ensure rigorous cost control. You'll be looking for a system that can support such requirements not just now, but long into the future. For these reasons you should assess any potential new system against parameters of flexibility, stability, and service. They're more than considerations; they are the pillars of success
1. flexibility
The software market can be a difficult one to navigate. One of the main challenges is that many logistics technology providers focus their solutions on a specific commodity. This is not an issue if it corresponds with the services you offer but if you work with diverse commodities, you can find yourself having to juggle multiple systems. Not only does this approach lead to inefficiencies and increased costs, but it also makes it difficult to monitor your fleet's performance.
Robust, flexible logistics software scales with your business, regardless of the materials you haul. Look for a cloud-based system that covers a wide variety of commodities. This flexibility reduces the time spent implementing additional commodities, keeping your bottom line unaffected and poised for success.
2. stability
Solution provider startups often present attractive pricing. Their objective here is to gain market share. But they are startups. Their solutions are evolving, which means they are often subject to growing pains, frequent version updates, and a host of unforeseen problems ranging from complex user interfaces to inadequate integration capabilities. While everyone appreciates the value of tech startups in the overall technology market-place do you really want to be one of the guinea-pigs helping them refine their offerings? Be aware also that even well-established providers can lose focus on customer needs, prioritizing their own growth over your business goals, and jeopardizing your experience with their fleet management technology.
The stability of your transport management system directly impacts your day-to-day operations. For this reason look for established and experienced providers with a proven track record. Explore how they have helped other companies with a similar profile to your own. You should ask for proof of the stability of their platform, with uptime of 99.995% over sustained periods. The ideal, and it is available, is downtime that's measured in minutes and seconds, and not hours, days, or even weeks.
3. service
Many companies claim to provide exceptional customer service, but be wary of taking such claims at face value. Ask about levels of support and probe what they really mean in terms of response times and easily accessible help when needed.
Take the next step in optimizing your short-haul bulk commodity trucking. Discover how AMCS Bulk Hauling can revolutionize your business. Contact us today for a personalized demo.
Take the next step in optimizing your short-haul bulk commodity trucking. Discover how AMCS Bulk Hauling can revolutionize your business. Contact us today for a personalized demo.