Why Poor Freight Visibility Leads to Poor Collaboration and Higher Shipping Spend

With the continued advancements in shipping logistics and services, the rise of freight visibility is among the most critical points management must consider. A clear insight into the logistical processes and end-to-end logistics is vital as shipment visibility significantly impacts essential transportation operations. Implementing actionable insights, finding the suitable carrier per load, identifying and correcting anomalies, using hub injection, and applying shipping metrics such as zone skipping become easier to manage and implement. Poor access to a logistics visibility platform and sub-par utilization of tools and data can result in poor collaborations, sub-par freight network optimization, and high costs and expenses.

Poor Freight Visibility Results in Inefficiencies

The bottom-line is that poor freight visibility in the modern supply chain network creates a ripple effect of knock-on issues that hamper delivery times, increase costs, and take more time to process, leaving shippers in a reactive state. Even the most minor issue at one single point in the supply network can cause massive delays and repercussions down the line. Small inefficiencies quickly snowball into significant disruptions that can cost time, money, and resources. Shippers constantly struggle against less than accurate logistics issues without reliable shipment visibility and freight logistics insight. Slow response times, higher error rates, missed loads, damaged goods, and more are just the tip of the iceberg. The less clear the internal and external visibility and transparency, the more likely devastating inefficiencies and disruptions will happen. The only way to address these issues related to supply chain technology and logistics and avoid the fallout is by improving visibility, such as forensic level freight auditing, within the freight shipping and transportation industry.

Limited Visibility Into Movement Contributes to Problems With Collaboration and Scheduling

Freight logistics is a delicate balance that requires fine-tuned planning, collaboration, and scheduling. Without good visibility, it becomes next to impossible to do so efficiently. The reliability of global supply chains directly impacts businesses big and small across all industries.

According to DCSA, "Timely arrival of goods is vital to maintaining supply levels for every industry. Unexpected delays are most acutely felt in industries that ship vulnerable goods such as pharmaceuticals or perishable items. But for any business that relies on just-in-time inventory management, special events or promotional activity, unexpected delays can harm their bottom line and ability to compete, not to mention their relationships with customers." Utilizing a fully onboarded logistics visibility platform and implementing data-backed strategies makes it easier for shipping experts to access a single source of truth for freight visibility and manage schedules and shipping timetables.

Inaccuracies Become Problems of Invoicing, Increasing Risk of Overpayment

Like any business, shipping and transportation companies want higher profits than their expenses. One of the most significant benefits good freight visibility offers is the insight into routine and mundane processes that can quickly add up to a higher risk of overpayment. Every invoice, customer payment, freight bill, and communication could present an opportunity for errors and mistakes. Even issues of only a few dollars can quickly add up when they have been repeated hundreds of times a week for weeks on end. Having less than stellar shipment visibility and limited logistics intelligence only increases the chances of mistakes and issues going unreported and unaddressed.

Limited Shipment Visibility Also Adds to Trouble Managing Carrier Contracts and Meeting Volume Commitments

Visibility and transparency within the supply chain increase issues with carrier and shipper collaborations and agreements for short- and long-term freight contracts and arrangements. Container transportation services, improved with customized insights and visibility end to end, make it possible for carriers, shippers, forwarders, retailers, team members, and other supply chain players to meet volume fluctuations.

It ultimately came down to a lack of freight visibility, poor overall network collaborations, and outdated processes and procedures. Profits decrease, loads arrive late, customers are unsatisfied, and companies suffer from higher shipping expenses because shipment insight and visibility never receive appropriate attention.

Gain Visibility Into All Freight Management Needs With Intelligent Audit

Freight management and shipping logistics are complicated processes, even in the best of times. Precise and reliable shipment visibility is critical with continuous pressure in domestic and global supply chains. The disruptions seen within the global supply chain in the COVID-19 pandemic could have been much less severe. Issues of container availability, capacity crunches, volume shortages, and shipping delays would likely have not been as devastating. Shutdowns, logistical bottlenecks, supply and demand issues, and lack of supply chain mobility coil all have greatly diminished if the industry had only prepared with digital tools and updated logistics visibility platforms. Thus, shippers will need actionable insights to know when zone skipping, hub injection, or other fulfillment models might be best. They'll also need to know which carriers are best-suited to individual trade lanes and what service levels are right for each shipment. It's a tall order, but it is possible with reliable data behind your operation. Intelligent Audit is the solution. Contact Intelligent Audit today to learn more and see how improved freight visibility can help reduce costs and improve overall profitability for your company.