Social Media in the Logistics Sector

Posted on September 3, 2010, 11:22 am, by Emily, under Transportation Management.

Today’s IFW Newsletter featured an article that, as the author of a transportation management blog, I found intriguing: The impact of social media in the logistics sector. The author explains how in a field characterized by fast-paced communications and technology, in the past social contact was limited and depended on personal relationships that may have developed over many years. The many social media outlets that are available these days changes that:

With a few simple clicks of a mouse it is possible to reach out to thousands of people who will be able to offer advice and guidance so that, collectively, people can benefit from their experiences. 

LinkedIn is one source in particular that the article discusses. With nearly 1,700 groups devoted to logistics and supply chain topics, LinkedIn is one of the most popular forums for individuals to share knowledge, advice, opportunities, and industry developments.

According to the author,

This demonstrates just how wide-ranging and diverse a discipline it has become, and also shows that there is something for everyone depending on your interests or business focus.

The internet has allowed a phenomenon described as “the long tail of demand” which suggests that the huge availability of information on the net creates increasingly focused niches from which everyone can benefit, so whatever your specialism, you can either find it or find someone else who knows about it.

If you’re interested in getting involved in these online conversations generated by social media outlets, but not sure where to begin, I would suggest joining our LinkedIn group, GTM Best Practices, or interacting with us on Twitter!

Join Our LinkedIn Group!  Follow Us On Twitter!

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Creative Uses For Shipping Containers

Posted on August 30, 2010, 3:02 pm, by Emily, under Global trade management.

While surfing the web, I found this article on the Daily Green about shipping containers that have been converted into homes: Amazing Homes and Offices Built from Shipping Containers. It features lots of cool photos of shipping containers that have been revamped in very creative ways. Enjoy!

Photo source: http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/shipping-container-homes-460309

 

Photo source: http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/shipping-container-homes-460309

Please follow this link to view more photos: http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/shipping-container-homes-460309.

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Learn How Management Dynamics Can Improve All Facets of your Global Trade Operations

Posted on August 30, 2010, 2:01 pm, by Emily, under Global trade management.

While this blog is devoted to discussing transportation management best practices, Management Dynamics has other solutions that will help you streamline all facets of global trade:

  • Import Automation- automate, streamline and manage the entire import function within your organization, from pre-Customs through Customs clearance and even post-entry activities.
  • Export Compliance – automate the international sales order management process including restricted party screening (RPS), export license determination and tracking, shipping document generation and government reporting.
  • Trade Agreement Management – automate the management, utilization, and qualification processes necessary for global businesses to participate in preferential trade agreements.
  • Supply Chain Visibility – connects importers and exporters with their overseas suppliers, logistics providers, brokers and carriers to communicate critical purchase order, shipment and inventory information and to support collaborative logistics processes.
  • Transportation Management – allows importers, exporters and logistics providers to manage the spiraling costs associated with shipping by sea and airfreight.
  • Trade Research Tools – classify products, screen for restricted parties, research regulatory controls and determine documents instantly with our web-based information services.

Please check out this brief video to learn more:

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On-Demand Webinar: What Makes a Winning 3PL Relationship?

Posted on August 17, 2010, 4:14 pm, by Emily, under Transportation Management.

Here is a webinar that may be of interest: 3PL Update: What makes a winning 3PL relationship? A panel of experts from Georgia Institute of Technology, Capgemini Consulting, and the Supply Chain Management Review will discuss the results of their 14th Annual Third Party Logistics survey, and will provide insight on the following key points:

  • How to structure the 3PL relationship for continuing success.
  • The key components that must be in place for a successful relationship between the customer and provider, transportation, and manufacturing;
  • How to set performance metrics that lead to desired outcomes.
  • The role that technology can play in enhancing your 3PL relationship.

This webinar is available on-demand. Please visit Logistics Management for more information, or to view the webinar.

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Up-Close Shots of Capsized Container Ship

Posted on August 13, 2010, 2:52 pm, by Emily, under TMS For Logistics Providers, Transportation Management.
MSNBC has posted some up-close photos on their Photoblog of the container ship that tipped over in the Indian Ocean this week. An unfortunate situation nonetheless, but still very interesting photos. Hopefully they’ll get that oil cleaned up soon!
 

Photo source: Indranil Mukherjee / AFP-Getty Images, MSNBC.com

 

Photo source: Indranil Mukherjee / AFP-Getty Images, MSNBC.com

 

Please visit the MSNBC.com for more photos and information on this story.

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A Solution That Could Save You Thousands

Posted on August 11, 2010, 11:55 am, by Emily, under TMS For Shippers, Transportation Management.

Companies who use a manual system to select freight carriers could be paying thousands more than they need to be, and not even realize it. Carriers’ delivery estimates and prices from published rating guides can sometimes be inaccurate. Representatives at the company may have certain carriers that they favor, but those may not necessarily be the least expensive. Not to mention it’s a very tedious task to review all of those carrier contracts.

DC Velocity has profiled a few companies that have implemented automated transportation management solutions to manage carrier contracts and optimize the selection process:

[Perry Ellis International] chose a solution developed by Management Dynamics Inc. (MDI), a global trade management software provider based in East Rutherford, N.J. According to a case study supplied by MDI, the software has enabled Ellis’s logistics team to do side-by-side comparisons of carrier rate and service options and to calculate in seconds the total “landed cost”—the bottom-line charges for door-to-door delivery of an international shipment. In addition, the system’s auditing feature identified and resolved about $220,000 in overcharges showing on the bills of lading, the apparel maker says.

With potential savings like this, one might wonder why more companies don’t turn to automated solutions. DC Velocity cites price as a potential issue. However, this can be overcome by using an SaaS (software as a service) model, which traditionally offers lower up-front pricing, and no hardware to install.

Another potential roadblock companies may face when considering the automated route is familiarity:

Many shippers use manual processes because they’re easy to understand and that’s what they were trained to use. But with millions of routings in the marketplace and with carrier options becoming increasingly complex, the “easy” way is often not the best way, Comrie says. “The excessive freight charges [in manual processes] can be very costly,” he says.

Read more about the benefits of an automated solution at DCVelocity: Software that can help you make smarter moves.

White Paper: Best Practices to Reduce International Freight Costs

Through automation, global logistics managers can implement key improvement strategies to help to better manage and reduce international freight spend. Download this white paper to discover how your company can meet, even exceed your aggressive budget commitments.

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Industry Events Calendar

Posted on August 11, 2010, 10:36 am, by Emily, under Global trade management.

I have added an Events Calendar page, where I will be posting upcoming industry conferences, seminars and webinars. If you are organizing an event you’d like me to include, just leave a comment on the page!

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Management Dynamics Releases New Version of Trade Planning Tool to Improve Design of Global Supply Chain

Posted on August 10, 2010, 7:28 am, by Emily, under Global trade management.

Trade Planner 3.0 scenario-based planning solution optimizes sourcing and distribution decisions based on total landed costs and trade regulation risk

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ, August 10, 2010 — Management Dynamics, a leading provider of Global Trade Management solutions, today announced the release of Trade Planner 3.0, a scenario-based planning tool that helps supply chain teams quickly and accurately evaluate alternative sourcing and distribution strategies to optimize total landed cost while assessing the impact of trade regulations.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, companies import nearly $2 trillion worth of products annually from over 150 countries, a number that is expected to triple by 2015. With the increasing pressure to cut costs, accommodate new trade regulations, and take advantage of new preferential trade agreements, businesses need planning tools to improve the design of their global supply chains.

“Companies today are moving beyond sourcing decisions based on the lowest product invoice and are evaluating multiple dimensions including transportation costs, duties and taxes, regulatory compliance, and other country risk factors,” said Janet Suleski, Research Director, Gartner. “Scenario-based planning solutions provide key players across sourcing, logistics and compliance with the ability to make faster, more accurate sourcing and distribution decisions.”

With Management Dynamics’ Trade Planner solution, users can quickly and easily compare the costs of sourcing and distributing one or multiple products from multiple locations to identify the optimal decision. Trade Planner allows users to import product descriptions, classify products and store classifications by country in a product repository. Trade Planner is fully integrated with Management Dynamics’ Global Trade Content and supports classification by the Harmonized Schedules and Export Control Numbers for over 122 countries, and identifies all applicable embargoes, prohibitions, license requirements, and other product specific barriers to importing and exporting.

“Businesses are increasingly global in scope and need new planning tools to continually monitor total landed cost, model the cost reduction opportunities of shifting a supply base, evaluate new preferential trade agreements and assess the impact of new trade regulations,” said Nathan Pieri, SVP Marketing & Product Management, Management Dynamics, Inc. “Today, some of the world’s largest companies in retail, food service, electronics, and apparel, are utilizing Trade Planner 3.0 across the enterprise to collaborate and make better sourcing and distribution strategies by considering both cost and associated risks.”

Trade Planner 3.0 is an on-demand application that can be quickly and cost-effectively deployed – typically in a few days.

For Additional information:
Make better-informed sourcing and distribution decisions. Maintain import and export compliance with on-demand access to the most comprehensive source of global trade content in the industry. Learn more at ManagementDynamics.com/TradePlanner.

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Supply Chain Risk Management, the Next Step in Logistics Services

Posted on July 9, 2010, 8:47 am, by Emily, under Global trade management.

In today’s era of heightened security, national governments are imposing more sanctions and adding more names to “watch lists” to avoid the risks linked to terrorism and prohibited commerce. Penalties for trading with a restricted party can include fines or even loss of export privileges. Logistics providers can gain a competitive advantage by helping customers avoid this risk with an automated restricted party screening (RPS) tool.

Enhancing your logistics service with an RPS solution will help you achieve several key benefits. You’ll be able to position your offering as a one-stop shop for international shipping needs; you’ll be able to provide a value-added service with visibility to shipping as well as legal and procurement; and your product offering will be differentiated with a trade compliance solution that will reduce risk in your customer’s supply chain.

To learn how you can implement the best-in-class screening strategies that leading companies use to prevent fines, delays, and loss of export privileges, receive our new white paper, 6 Best Practices to Improve Compliance with a Restricted Party Screening Solution. This white paper addresses the following questions organizations face when considering their screening options:

  • Why do companies need to screen their vendors, suppliers, and trading partners against restricted parties lists?
  • What are the 4 largest challenges from keeping your company in compliance?
  • How do most companies manage this process today?
  • What are the cross-industry best practices for managing this screening?
  • What attributes should companies consider when enhancing their restricted parties screening process?
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Carrier Attempts to Boost Revenue by Achieving 95% On-Time Arrivals

Posted on June 21, 2010, 1:40 pm, by Emily, under TMS For Logistics Providers, Transportation Management.

Danish carrier Maersk has announced a new strategy they’ll be attempting this year, in order to boost revenue: 95% on-time arrivals. The company estimates that this could boost their revenue by as much as $250 million. According to an article in American Shipper, this is mainly because:

“At present, many customers use several carrier lines to spread out their transport risks. But a survey of 30 of Maersk Line’s largest customers found that if Maersk Line could deliver their cargo on time with 95 percent consistency, the additional volumes they would consider shipping with Maersk Line would be equivalent to a 17 percent boost in revenue.”

This initiative will save Maersk’s customers money as well. The article further states that a 95% on-time delivery rate equals $150 in savings per container to one customer that ships high-value cars from Asia to the US.

Maersk will also be implementing a bottle-neck prevention software tool on its Asia/Europe services. This type of software solution can be very useful for logistics providers, allowing them to provide comprehensive and timely data on purchase orders and shipments across all modes and trade lanes, enabling customers to analyze and improve their supply chain efficiency.

To learn more about Maersk’s new initiatives, please read the full American Shipper article here: Maersk: On-time focus could boost revenue 17%

Now if we could only get commercial airlines to follow suit…

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