TMS: TIME TO DITCH THE SPREADSHEETS
user and an 18% LTL transportation cost reduction for a building materials manufacturer. ShipperGuide TMS grew out of Loadsmart’s expertise in transportation procurement and execution. “We started with an enterprise-grade procurement solution, and that evolved to support multi-modal planning and execution,” Battistella says. “More recently, we added our freight audit and pay solution. “With our deep knowledge of transportation execution through our logistics services division, we expanded that procurement solution to a full- function TMS,” he adds. Shippers often emphasize operational efficiency as the main driver for adopting a TMS, but other benefits include transportation cost savings. “You will never justify the return on investment for a TMS if you focus only on operations efficiency,” Battistella says. “The cornerstone for every shipper using a TMS is transportation cost savings.” One key step in adopting a TMS is the change management process. Employees’ jobs may change as they shift from repetitive, transactional duties to strategic functions, supported by automated planning and execution tools. For one ShipperGuide customer, about 70% of loads move through the system automatically without human intervention. “When you deploy a TMS, ensure your operators and planners are aligned with you,” Battistella recommends. “If you have a distributed operation, it takes a lot of training at the individual locations, so make sure your TMS vendor has the ability to support that.” Select a TMS that’s configurable and scalable to your particular industry segment. For instance, a manufacturer’s needs differ from those of a consumer- packaged goods (CPG) company. Companies with regular origins and destinations, such as CPG, focus on efficiency and service performance, including automated tendering, time-sensitive deliveries, and load consolidation.
“From automating routine tasks to simulating complex planning scenarios, AI will transform how shippers operate and plan. At Loadsmart, we see real impact with generative AI models embedded in our TMS to drive smarter, faster decisions.” GIOVANNI BATTISTELLA Vice President, ShipperGuide TMS
countdown reports showing when ocean shipping is still viable before costs jump 10 to 20 times with air freight. With the right planning, companies can build a much more efficient supply chain,” Beall says. Because Honeybee TMS is integrated with the freight audit and pay system, users get a running update of shipments, invoices, and payments and tools that validate invoices for duplicate detection and support cost accounting through the general ledger. “It’s proven to be helpful for our TMS users to know what their accrual liabilities are for the following month for activity that occurred in the prior month,” Beall notes. Loadsmart: Next Generation TMS Loadsmart’s ShipperGuide TMS targets mid-market shippers with $10 to $100 million in freight spend. It offers procurement, planning, execution, freight audit and pay solutions, supporting several transportation modes, including truckload, LTL, intermodal, drayage, and partial volume LTL. “ShipperGuide TMS differentiates itself with user-friendly interfaces, best- in-class procurement capabilities, quick onboarding, and AI-driven decision- making tools,” says Giovanni Battistella, vice president, ShipperGuide TMS. The platform emphasizes efficiency and cost savings, with case studies showing a 20% cost reduction in operations for a food and beverage countdown reports
Honeybee TMS integrates with various carriers and supports global operations, handling different currencies and units. The system also includes a business intelligence suite for data analysis and predictive analytics, enhancing efficiency and cost management. AI is used for dynamic routing and predictive analytics, and its performance is continuously refined. The Price Is Right The CTSI-Global rate engine uses millions of calculations based on freight pay data and routing guides to find the best mix of carriers, routing, and rates. The technology is built to anticipate the cost—based on a rate table—and find the best pricing, then compare available pricing in the open market. “The rate engine can look outside the box to determine what the market may be, such as a surplus of trucks in a particular area, so the market rate is lower than your negotiated rate,” Beall says. Predictive analytics provide insights into how reliable a carrier is in a given lane and forecast expected delays. “We know at the time of booking if a port of entry has a six-day delay, for instance, so we offer options at that time to select other carriers,” Beall says. The visibility platform provides insights into cutoff dates for shipment time based on the final delivery window. The system offers the deadline to book an ocean carrier and when that shipment has to convert to air freight to be on time. “The Honeybee TMS provides daily
44 Inbound Logistics • May 2025
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