What exactly is TMS?
TMS or a transportation management system, as the name suggests, is a logistics-based platform that makes use of tech implements to assist clients and their businesses in the movement of goods from one place to another. Simply put, it is a tech-based logistics platform that helps with consignment management.
Additionally, a transportation management system provides additional inputs as well. These include aspects such as making sure that a particular shipment or consignment is compliant with the requisite regulations. A good TMS provider also ensures that the right documentation is available with respect to a particular consignment.
What are the benefits to a TMS system?
There are multiple advantages to a TMS based system. Here are some of the main advantages to a TMS based system:
- Everything is electronic: One of the biggest advantages of TMS is that everything is electronic. Therefore, tracking and management becomes much easier, compared to the traditional management systems in place.
- Visibility on daily operations: Another big advantage of a TMS system is that it provides insights into daily operations, which can be of significant benefit to businesses.
- It ensures compliance: If you run a business, it becomes important to ensure that your consignments are compliant. This includes documentation compliance, trade compliance as well as information compliance. Manually handling compliance related tasks can not only be time consuming, but can also demand significant manpower and money, which can be better utilised elsewhere.
- Timely deliveries: By switching to a TMS system and knowing where your goods are, you can avoid unnecessary delays and ensure that you are on time, always.
- Optimizing transportation operations: Irrespective of whether your business chooses land, air or sea, TMS makes it easier for a business to track their goods, optimizing business operations.
There are other significant benefits to a transportation management system as well. For instance, lifecycle management of a product can often be daunting without a transportation management system. Similarly, without a TMS system, affordability can also be affected. If you are looking to ensure that the transportation planning and execution remains efficient, it is important to have a transportation management system.
Another important thing to keep in mind is that currently, with the advent of one day deliveries and short-span deliveries, the expectation of the average customer is also constantly evolving. People are less patient and willing to wait for what they want, and the only way to combat this rise in customer expectation is by managing transport logistics seamlessly. The actual movement of the consignment is a critical aspect of running a business which cannot be overstated or overlooked.
Can I use TMS? Who is it meant for?
Anyone who needs to manage transportation for their goods and consignment can use TMS. It is primarily used by businesses who need to manage the logistics of transportation on a regular basis. This includes manufacturers, e-commerce enterprises, retail companies and distributors. Irrespective of which industry the enterprise belongs to, it is always helpful to have a TMS system going to avoid delays and ensure easy transportation.
