Adjusting to the New Norm: Top 5 Ways to Manage Any Shipping Scenario

“If there’s one thing that’s certain in business, it’s uncertainty.” That saying can be applied to the supply chain, especially over the past few years with the unpredictability and disruptions on a global level. As things continue to change and evolve into “peak” shipping season in the U.S., Shippers and 3PLs who manage over-the-road (OTR) shipping continue to struggle to manage the disruptions which have become the new “norm”.

Adjusting to the New Norm: Top 5 Ways to Manage Any Shipping Scenario

According to a recent report in DC Velocity, “most freight forwarders, traders, and shippers expect more disruption in the 2022 third-quarter peak season than they felt last year.” The report says 51% of those surveyed were expecting 2022 peak season to be worse than 2021.

Some would argue that with the recent, ongoing disruptions “peak season” no longer exists and that the supply chain has been unpredictable for some time. Shippers and 3PLs in the OTR shipping space have been trying to manage these changes, however, they need to implement the following measures to effectively protect themselves and their bottom line:

1. Expanded carrier networks – Shippers and 3PLs need access to real-time, OTR carrier connectivity to respond quickly to rapidly changing market conditions. According to FreightWaves, “Shipper networks have been put to the test over the past two years and data has allowed for shippers to build resilient supply chains despite the curveballs they have been thrown.”

2. Multi-mode strategy – Having the ability to choose a shipping mode gives Shippers and 3PLs more options for moving their freight. With the uncertainty of the current shipping environment, a technology partner who can offer booking capabilities for shipping across multi-modes like LTL, Truckload, Local Carrier and Parcel, especially from one screen, is invaluable. In addition to more options for carriers, multi-mode shipping capabilities also offer significant cost savings, better freight rating, and can increase the timeliness of deliveries.
   
   
3. Business intelligence -- Data-rich technology solutions that integrate shipping, rating, and tracking functionality directly into your existing platform to share and transfer real-time data serve as a single source of truth to help navigate the changing supply chain. Leveraging valuable business intelligence helps you map out strategies to positively impact your shipping operations providing real-time visibility that gives you better data to extract and leverage in the supply chain process.
   
   
4. Enhanced visibility -- Technology solutions are the key to visibility in freight management because they integrate shipping, rating, and tracking functionality directly into companies’ existing platforms to share and transfer data. Analyzing that data is critical to ensuring a competitive edge to your business through actionable insight into your shipping operations. You gain information on invoices, carrier performance and cost, and other valuable data to help you make better business decisions.
   
   
5. Digital solution -- Implementing a technology solution that is constantly evolving can help you respond quickly to issues and satisfy increased B2B customer demands in OTR shipping. For tasks such as requesting rates or tracking shipments, automated technology can create operational efficiencies and eliminate manual methods that may lead to human error or demand hours of costly manpower.

Banyan Technology’s Guarantee for All OTR Shipping Modes

Banyan Technology has 3x more carrier connections than any other provider, including 10,000 assets and drivers in the Local Carrier OTR shipping mode. We are constantly evolving, launching new products in collaboration with our clients to increase visibility, enhance flexibility, and provide powerful business intelligence tools. Recent product developments include:

• Expanded Local Carrier Services: Access more than 10,000 local carrier drivers and assets in North America through Banyan’s expanded Local Carrier connections in LIVE Connect™ to schedule final mile, expedited, hot shot, next day or same day deliveries.
• Expanded Parcel Services: Rate, execute, and gain valuable reporting tools on parcel shipments through LIVE Connect.
• Business Intelligence Dashboard: Gain actionable insights into your shipping operations and carrier relationships with the new Carrier Performance and Carrier Cost Dashboards.
• Push Tracking and Visibility Suite: Gain the ability to track shipments in real time, efficiently manage your shipments, and easily identify missed pickups and deliveries.

To back up the cost savings and benefits of utilizing our LIVE Connect platform, we offer all clients the following guarantee:

“During the first year of our partnership, our clients will enjoy savings in excess of our monthly recurring charges if they fully utilize our platform as intended. If they do not, then they can opt out of our agreement after the first year.”

Contact Banyan Technology today to learn how you can take advantage of carrier connectivity and guaranteed savings from the leading modern technology solution for managing freight.