Any company that transports products and services to its customers needs solid transportation management practices in place to keep service levels high—even when there are changes taking place in other areas of the business.
Transportation management is the combination of practices that companies use to reduce freight costs and delivery times, and ensure customer satisfaction. Transportation management practices vary from company to company; however, some of the most successful companies tend to share several common practices.
If you’re considering pursuing a career in logistics, read on to learn a few effective tips for optimizing transportation management.
All Transportation Operations Should Incorporate a Great Software Program
One of the things you’ll learn in logistics training is that companies that use transportation management software tend to have a better handle on the many tasks involved in the freight business. Transportation management software provides employees with access to relevant information, such as:
- Profiles and contact information for customers, brokers, distributors and more
- Pick-up and Delivery schedules
- Freight tracking
- Company rates
- Up-to-date inventory reports
- Bills, invoices, shipping labels, and other important documents
Most transportation management software programs are affordable, user-friendly and very easy to set up. Incorporating one of these software programs can save users a lot of time and in turn this can help companies save money.
Communication is the Backbone of Successful Transportation Operations
In the transportation industry, open communication between the various teams and customers creates success within the business. Once you’ve started your transportation dispatching career, much of your job will be to serve as the communication link between departments, customers, drivers, and more.
If while on a delivery, a driver runs into an unexpected delay, it will be your job to calculate how much this will affect delivery time and to communicate this information to the customer. Transportation companies’ reputations rely heavily on getting freight to the right place at the right time and good communication can make all the difference in transportation management.
Successful Transportation Operations Need Teamwork
Once you earn your diploma and begin working in transportation operations, you’ll notice how important teamwork is when it comes to transportation management. Communication between employees, customers and departments is essential, but how effective will communication be if everyone’s not on the same page?
Fulfilling your role well within a transportation company involves having a good understanding of the company’s goals, and what you can do to help achieve them. You can contribute to improved transportation management by building solid relationships with your teammates—whether they work in the warehouse, the logistics office, or as drivers or dispatchers. The better understanding you have of a company’s goals—whether they are to increase sales, improve delivery times or reduce costs—the more you will be able to effectively coordinate with the rest of your team.
Are you interested in enrolling in a logistics training program? Visit CATI to learn more about our programs or to speak with an advisor.
