Ideally, Full Truckload (FTL) shipping should be pretty uncomplicated, with the goal of getting goods from the shipper to the customer in a cost effective, efficient, and timely manner. Unfortunately, this isn’t the reality.
The reality is, FTL shippers face common pain points everywhere, from time-consuming BCC email chains that slow down the shipping process to losing out on the lowest rates because of inefficient quoting. Fortunately, MyCarrier’s newly added FTL capabilities give power back to shippers, allowing them to save time and money with a simpler shipping process. Below, we discuss three common FTL pain points and how the MyCarrierTMS platform can help shippers power past them.
1. Human Error
For all companies, human error and its associated negative impact on productivity and cost significantly impact their bottom line. In the world of shipping, most mid-to-large sized companies deal with plenty of shipping paperwork, including bill of ladings, proof of deliveries, load confirmation rate agreements, etc. With all these essential documents, the risk of errors and incorrect information are high. While putting guidelines into place can help reduce errors, it’s impossible to eliminate them completely.
This is where automation comes in. With MyCarrier, the quoting, dispatching, and reporting processes are automated. Upon dispatch, an electronic Bill of Lading (eBOL) is immediately generated and sent to the carrier. This eliminates not only the time-consuming task of filling out paperwork by hand, but also the human error involved with document creation and loss.
MyCarrier’s FTL automation efficiently eliminates common errors - leading to better day to day operations, enhanced efficiencies, a higher degree of visibility, better reporting, on-time deliveries, and most importantly, sizable cost savings.
2. Rising Costs
Typically, FTL shippers must communicate with several providers each week (and sometimes each day) to find their desired rates. Often, this involves time-consuming BCC email chains and visiting several provider websites to find the lowest quote. This manual process can lead to paying higher rates and losing out on potential savings.
With MyCarrier, shippers can connect directly with ALL their asset or non-asset providers in once place. This allows them to quickly compare competitive dynamic and pre-negotiated rates across all their providers on one single, secure website, offering access to the best price - every time.
On top of this, the data provided from each shipment allows shippers to gather valuable information and keep track of previous rates. This allows them to see price discrepancies and keep tabs on provider relationships, leading to better cost planning.
3. Unhappy Customers
Ultimately, the goal of a shipper is to make sure customers get their goods in an efficient and timely manner. Ensuring a prompt and safe delivery is the primary factor of success in the shipping business. Unfortunately, there are everyday events that prevent this.
One of these obstacles is a manual dispatch process. The time it takes to quote, communicate with capacity providers and create and share critical documents, can substantially slow down the shipping process.
MyCarrier’s automated tendering capabilities enable shippers to book in just seconds. With the MyCarrier Address book, shippers are able to upload customer contacts and addresses. Once all the contacts are added, shippers simply select them from the quote screen and MyCarrier will pre-fill the rest.
The digital shipping data (including essential digital documents) are shared with the capacity provider AND the customer earlier. With automated tendering, chosen providers are selected, and essential information is immediately shared, allowing carriers to pick up and deliver the shipments faster.
Other benefits of MyCarrier’s automation technology include the ability to quickly collaborate and share documents internally. The efficient in-system data sharing allows multiple departments, including customer service, accounting, and C-suite to easily view and collaborate shipment data. With this increased visibility, shippers can ensure that all departments AND all customers are on the same page.
Ultimately, automation leads to proactive customer communications and most importantly, on-time deliveries. To learn more about MyCarrier’s FTL shipping capabilities, fill out the form below.
