Optimizing Logistics

To call the new digital business environment “overwhelming” for the typical shipper or logistics provider would be a major understatement. Just as the pressures of e-commerce, omni-channel, and reverse logistics began to heat up, external issues like the international trade wars, labor shortage, and COVID-19 exacted their own burdens on the world’s closely-intertwined supply chains.

As a result of these and other challenges, running a streamlined, profitable business operation became that much more difficult. For example, with e-commerce returns rates averaging about 30% (versus 8.89% for brick and mortar), the reverse logistics process has become almost as important as the forward logistics process. Add in the need for high levels of supply chain visibility—something both partners and customers are asking for—and it’s easy to see why manual processes and disparate technology just don’t cut it anymore. The customer is king, and the pressures of the “Amazon Effect” have quickly cascaded into the B2B world, where wholesalers, distributors, branded manufacturers, and retailers alike are being challenged by the customer’s demand for the “perfect order,” or the end delivery of an on-time, in-full, undamaged order at the lowest possible cost.

Making the Case dives into the challenges that brands and logistics service providers face, and explains why an order-centric transportation management system (TMS) is best positioned for overcoming them. The report also features a case story, as well as how to make the case for this transportation management solution to various stakeholders.