Logistics as a Service

Part 1: Technology

The Benefits of Outsourcing Your Logistics

The pandemic has been hard on many manufacturers and distributors in the midwest. Shutdowns, absences, limited truck capacity, and driver shortages have created a lot of uncertainty. We understand that you’re probably overwhelmed.

Have you considered outsourcing your logistics?

Listen, we understand that lots of businesses believe they should handle everything in house. But the time for being the Lone Ranger is long gone. Outsourcing your logistics to a team of experienced transportation professionals makes sense now more than ever. When you work with AM Transport Services, you gain the full power of our team to craft global strategy solutions.

Think about it. Consider your overhead and the cost of non-productive hours. When you outsource logistics, you can free up valuable employees to do more meaningful work for your organization. With the right logistics partner in place, you have the power to manage the KPIs most important to YOUR company.

Logistics as a Service with AM Transport consists of two unique and necessary components–innovative and customized technology and superior logistics consulting. Today, we’ll focus on technology.

Technology

You can’t manage what you can’t measure.

In order to manage your logistics operation, you have to create a formalized process everyone must follow. This is impossible without the right software, and savvy freight brokers recognized this two decades ago.

At AM Transport Services, we started using a transportation management system (TMS) 25 years ago. Over the years, we’ve upgraded and top-graded our systems to create an unmatched technology suite. Our unparalleled understanding of the necessary capabilities ensures the implementation and operation of a system that will increase efficiency and boost cost savings for your business.

A truly dynamic and flexible TMS will incorporate these four pillars: Software as a Service; DIY Robust Reporting; Open API; and Supply Chain Visibility.

Software as a Service (Saas) Any adaptable and scalable TMS must be cloud-based to be secure, flexible, and accessible.

• Security: Leaving your operations vulnerable to viruses, malware, and ransomware is bad business. Unfortunately, manufacturing companies and factories often employ less-than-stellar network security. Why invest a substantial amount of time and money in a TMS to leave it insecure? A SaaS-based system alleviates these concerns by storing sensitive information in remote cloud-based networks. These networks are backed up and use industry-leading uptime standards–99.999%.
• Flexibility: A cloud-based system automatically understands the amount of strain on the system and auto-scales as needed. Think about the alternative–when your personal computer begins to run slowly, you have to add memory or a larger hard drive. The cloud-based system expands and shrinks according to your needs in real-time!
• Accessibility: You can access SaaS systems on a PC, a mobile device, a home-based device, or a work-based device. All you need is an internet connection. This enhanced accessibility allows you to work whenever and wherever necessary.

DIY Robust Reporting

• Our transportation management system (TMS) helps you create powerful, “move-the-needle” reports when your capabilities are coupled with this easy-to-use system. Too often, you pay a TMS vendor to create these reports, and what should take minutes takes months in backlog; in the meantime, you lose time and money. Indispensable reports are created only after users have a solid grasp of the system with an in-depth understanding of which KPIs should be given the requisite attention. If YOUR users do not have the skills or capabilities to create reports independent of vendors, you are on the road to failure.

Open API

• Open APIs are characterized by their free ability to developers. Backed with access to open data and based on an open standard that developers abide by, an open API (often referred to as a public API) is a publicly available application programming interface that provides developers with programatic access to a proprietary software application or web service. When you choose a system with an open API, you automatically extend the shelf life of your TMS. While you cannot predict the future and therefore it’s impossible to know the integration capabilities of future partners, an open API is a pipeline that ensures such integrations are possible.

Supply Chain Visibility

• You’d be surprised by the number of ERP (enterprise resource planning) systems that claim to have a TMS component but are little more than a procurement tool. Managing your supply chain differs from sourcing a vendor. Your system must be agile enough to provide end-to-end visibility based on your requirements (here’s where flexibility comes in). You are better off with a robust tool offering additional functionality (you can turn off what you don’t need) than not having functions you need due to software limitations. For example, the ability to drill down into each shipment and quickly display important information is a must, whether it’s purchase order numbers or location of freight.

Our technology promise to you.

At AM Transport, we eat our own dog food. Our entire operation uses the same technology we provide our customers. You have a private and secure server, but it’s the same technology. Too many companies sell technology they haven’t mastered because they don’t use it in their own operations. That’s not how we do business. We use the technology, and that means we understand it, know it’s capabilities and limitations. We’ve built a vast network of contacts, users, and vendors. We never ask the question, “Can that be done?” because we already know the answer!