Overview of Transport Management Systems (TMS)
A transport management system, or TMS, is cloud-based software that will revolutionise how you manage your trucking business. But if you’re not entirely sure what a TMS does, you’re not alone. So, what is a TMS?
The folks at Oracle, who create transport management systems for US businesses, describe it as “a logistics platform that uses technology to help businesses plan, execute, and optimise the physical movement of goods, both incoming and outgoing… a TMS provides visibility into day-to-day transportation operations, trade compliance information and documentation, and ensuring the timely delivery of freight and goods.”
Clear as mud?
In English, a TMS is a transport management solution that replaces the pen and paper in your office. It tackles your quotations and scheduling and helps you identify the strengths and weaknesses in your operations.
Learn more about understanding transport management systems, or discover how to choose the best transport management system for your needs.
Benefits of a Transportation Management System
A trucking TMS makes managing transport operations a breeze, improving processes, increasing revenue, and providing better service to your customers. There are many benefits to using transport management software in your trucking business, so let’s break them down and show you precisely how a TMS might benefit your business.
Reduces freight expenses
One of the most significant advantages of a TMS is the reduction in freight costs. By using analytics and optimisation, the system uses data to offer valuable insights into your operations. The result? New ways to reduce costs and increase revenue that you may never have discovered otherwise.
Improves delivery speed
A TMS can help you operate more efficiently, offering more on-time deliveries and quicker fulfilment times. With better real-time visibility, you can make the most of each run and provide accurate scheduling to customers. Improve shipping speed with Transport Management System
Improves customer experience
It couldn’t be easier to improve customer experience with TMS. With the ability to monitor on-time performance, a TMS can track where shipments are and how far they are from their final destination. MyTrucking users, and their clients, can use the TMS’s online portal to track deliveries and be made aware of any potential delays. Customers can now access shipment and freight information whenever they need it, improving customer service.
Boost revenue and ROI
Other than getting rid of the paper diary, the number one reason businesses turn to a SaaS TMS is to boost ROI through effective transport management. By increasing visibility and efficiency, providing ideas for optimisation, reporting on analytics and streamlining invoicing, bidding, and payments, a TMS boosts revenue and ROI.
Track deliveries in real-time
A TMS gives you the ability to track drivers and shipments in real-time, all from your mobile device. With a complete picture of how long different drivers and trucks take to complete a route, you can fine-tune your logistics, creating more efficient schedules.
Features To Look For In A Transport Management System
A TMS offers many significant benefits to both truckers and their customers, but only when companies use due diligence to select a transport management solution that fits their needs. The best transportation management software for any business will save both time and money, but not all SaaS TMS are created equal.
Here are some of the top features to look out for when selecting the best TMS for your business.
Understand your current and future needs
The future of TMS technologies shows no sign of slowing, with new capabilities constantly being developed. With that in mind, the best transportation management software will hit the ground running, streamlining how you currently operate, with room to grow and adapt as your business needs change in the future.
Simplicity of the TMS software
MyTrucking was created by truckers for truckers and had one overriding requirement – “We are truck drivers; keep it simple”. Our transport management software has been designed to be innovative enough to completely revolutionise the way you do business but intuitive enough that anyone can use it – even those who don’t “do” technology.
Integrations with other systems
From invoicing to trailer tracking, a quality transport management system will be able to integrate with other tools and services that work together to meet your specific business needs. MyTrucking can be seamlessly integrated with Xero or MYOB, helping you get paid faster.
Ease of job management
When it comes to managing jobs, look for a TMS that can split, copy or replicate jobs with ease. At MyTrucking, load scheduling has never been easier, so you can switch vehicles, feeder trucks or even shuffle dates around at the click of a button.
Level of support provided
Getting to grips with a new trucking TMS can seem daunting, so it’s reassuring to have tech support on hand. Our support team are here to see you through every step of the process. As well as providing training and support, we offer tips and advice for overcoming challenges to transport system integration, all within your free 14-day trial.
Provision of client job history
With a transport management system, you’ll never again have to search through diaries and old invoices looking for a client’s job history. Listed in chronological order, MyTrucking keeps all purchase history filed under the relevant client. Access everything you need in one place.
Custom reporting options
Want to compare the distance each of your vehicles covered last month? Interested in the total livestock haulage compared to the previous year? A good TMS will provide you with access to all of this and more. Detailed reporting facilities are a powerful way to gain insight into your business.
Learn more about which trucking KPIs you should be tracking.
Innovation and customer service
Customer service is a priority for businesses in any industry, and in trucking, we do this by being good communicators. The best transportation management systems allow you to keep customers informed quickly and accurately. Look for options with a secure online portal where customers can log in to see real-time collection and delivery status.
In Summary…
A trucking TMS can transform the way any transport management company is run. By removing the paperwork that slows you down, daily operations become faster and more efficient to manage. You’ll also discover new ways to boost revenue, increase customer loyalty, and improve your bottom line.
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