Jim Endres is the senior regional account manager at Aptean, a provider of industry-specific software to help transportation companies, distributors, and manufacturers operate and grow their businesses. Endres has more than 20 years of experience in the transportation management system (TMS) software industry, with expertise in private fleet route optimization, planned versus actual route visibility, and proof of delivery.
Q: What are the biggest supply chain management challenges that your solutions address?
A: Aptean’s TMS solutions help our customers manage all of their transportation needs—from receiving raw material to shipping finished goods to final-mile distribution using a private fleet. Our solutions offer end-to-end transportation management, from rating and routing to tracking each customer’s specific transportation KPIs [key performance indicators], such as such as OTIF% [orders shipped on time/in full] or transportation cost as a percentage of revenue.
Q: How can shippers utilize TMS systems to better communicate with their customers?
A: Aptean solutions support all typical forms of customer communication, such as ASNs [advance shipment notices], but we also communicate status updates via text and email [and] give customers the ability to serve themselves via a tracking portal.
Q: Can you explain why planned versus actual route execution visibility is an important TMS capability?
A: When operating a private fleet, it’s critical to optimize your routes so you can reduce mileage and improve driver and vehicle utilization. It’s equally important to compare planned routes vs. actual route execution so you can manage exceptions in real time as well as analyze your company’s daily performance, thus building a culture of continuous improvement.
Q: How can a TMS aid companies in their freight audit and payment (FAP) processes?
A: To properly manage FAP, you need to ensure each shipment has the correct order and/or PO [purchase order] data (addresses, volumes, accessorials, instructions, etc.) so that your rates and/or spot quotes are accurate. Accurate data and rates “feed” a cleaner audit and payment process as well as a better analytic process.
Without clean data, companies will find themselves having to dispute freight bills much more often—a process that many companies don’t have the manpower, time, nor expertise to manage. In addition to the savings a company realizes when using a TMS, Aptean’s managed FAP typically returns 2.5% on a company’s total FUM (freight under management).
Q: Why is it an advantage to work with a vendor like Aptean that offers a full range of enterprise solutions as opposed to choosing discrete software applications?
A: Imagine a world where your IT doesn’t have to go to market to find the best-of-breed solutions needed to support their departmental customers. We call that world “One Aptean.” Aptean’s solutions (ERP, WMS, CRM, OEE, EAM, PLM, EDI, PAY, and TMS, to name a few) are fully integrated, which helps customers improve profitability, prepare for growth, and reduce risk, all while improving their customer experience.
Q: Why are today’s supply chain management software solutions considered a good business investment?
A: Simply put, a TMS will reduce cost by 10% to 30%. These solutions can improve operational efficiency, so you can do more with less. They also provide real-time shipment visibility to all key stakeholders and instant visibility to transport KPIs through business intelligence. And they allow for continuous improvement.
