| If you plan on starting a manufacturing business or | | | | Carrier selection commences with identifying and |
| currently own a manufacturing business that needs | | | | evaluating specific carrier companies. |
| new shipping solutions, a critical part of maximizing | | | | Logistics-software evaluates these companies |
| your bottom line will be arriving at shipping solutions | | | | according to the price and delivery efficiency of their |
| that offer the best delivery result at the lowest cost. | | | | shipping options. Commonly realized shipping options |
| To arrive at such solutions, shipping companies have | | | | include LTL shipping solutions, TL shipping solutions |
| three basic options: they can hire an in house logistics | | | | and a combination of TL and LTL shipping solutions. |
| team; they can outsource their logistics to third party | | | | Carrier selection also results in integrated shipping |
| logistics (3PL) providers; or they can implement | | | | solutions between water, air and land carriers to |
| logistics software. For small to midsized companies, | | | | offer the best shipping price and delivery time. |
| the cost of hiring in house professionals is often | | | | Transportation Route Design |
| prohibitive, leading them to outsource their logistics. | | | | As a part of the carrier selection process, logistics |
| But before you outsource logistics, its important to | | | | software allows companies to identify transportation |
| know that most 3PL providers adhere to rigid | | | | routes that decrease shipping cost and improve |
| shipping heuristics, making them a poor choice for | | | | delivery time. The transportation route design |
| companies that want innovative shipping solutions. | | | | process entails three basic steps: discovering the |
| Logistics software, on the other hand, allows | | | | fastest routes, discovering carriers that match |
| companies to realize innovative shipping solutions on | | | | shipping volume and negotiating rates with carriers |
| their own. By accessing a user-friendly interface, | | | | and confirming shipping capacity. |
| companies can conduct freight optimization without | | | | Route Execution and Management |
| possessing logistics expertise. When you implement | | | | After your company has chosen carriers based on |
| logistics software, the software acts as a logistics | | | | shipping route analysis and carrier offerings, |
| expert and guides you through the phases of the | | | | logistics-software allows you to perform route |
| freight optimization process, which we describe | | | | execution and management. During the route |
| below. | | | | execution and management process, logistics |
| Channel Selection and Development | | | | software offers two essential benefits: it allows you |
| Channel selection and development begins with | | | | to function as a shipping captain, monitoring your |
| identifying shipping channels that have strong | | | | overall shipping network performance; and it allows |
| matching potential to your companies shipping needs | | | | you to perform customer service and conduct billing |
| according to various criteria, including: freight volume, | | | | and reporting. If you currently outsource your freight |
| shape of freight and freight destination. After | | | | optimization needs to a 3PL provider, consider |
| performing channel selection, logistics software aids | | | | implementing logistics software today. Research |
| shippers in identifying and enlisting carrier companies | | | | shows that companies can reduce their annual |
| that carry a high volume within a company's ideal | | | | shipping costs by 10 percent after the first year of |
| shipping channels. | | | | implementing logistics software. |
| Carrier Selection | | | | |