A delivery delay does not only affect the loading dock. It can quickly impact customer service, require additional involvement from transport operations teams, delay invoicing and force teams to reconstruct shipment-related information.
When data is scattered across emails, Excel files and multiple carrier portals, transport management becomes largely reactive.
A transport TMS helps companies regain control by centralising operations: shipment planning, delivery tracking, incident management, carrier management and performance analysis.
Why Do Companies Lose Control of Their Deliveries?
Loss of visibility often develops gradually: a collection confirmed outside the system, a carrier status that is not reported, missing proof of delivery or a dispute managed by email.
For transport and supply chain departments, this fragmentation represents a significant operational challenge.
What Is a Transport TMS?
A transport TMS, or Transportation Management System, is software used to manage operations related to the transportation of goods.
It can cover areas including:
- shipment planning;
- carrier selection;
- transport execution;
- delivery tracking;
- cost management;
- incident management;
- document tracking;
- performance measurement.
For shippers working with multiple service providers, a TMS centralises transport flow management and provides all stakeholders with a shared view of operations.
What Are the Key Features of a Transport TMS?
An effective TMS should help make the transport plan more reliable, integrate allocation rules, manage time-slot constraints and monitor execution.
It should also provide visibility over:
- collections;
- deliveries;
- exceptions;
- documents;
- proofs of delivery;
- incidents.
CLICK & TRACK: A Collaborative TMS for Shippers
CLICK & TRACK centralises transport flows and strengthens collaboration between shippers, warehouses, carriers and customer service teams.
The solution enables companies to manage loads, track deliveries and improve visibility across transport operations. It can also integrate with existing ERP and WMS systems through EDI interfaces.
How Can a Transport TMS Help Optimise Costs?
Transport optimisation is not simply about finding the lowest rate.
It also depends on vehicle fill rates, compliance with delivery time slots, order consolidation, the use of freight chartering and the ability to reduce decisions made under urgent conditions.
A transport TMS enables companies to compare planned transport operations with what was actually executed.
This allows businesses to identify costly flows, determine which carriers perform best and better understand variances.
How Does a TMS Improve Service Quality?
Service quality depends not only on the delivery itself, but also on the ability to quickly inform internal teams and customers.
With a TMS, teams can identify delays, incomplete deliveries, missing proofs of delivery and carrier-related exceptions more quickly.
Which KPIs Should You Track with a Transport TMS?
Key KPIs to monitor include:
- on-time delivery rate;
- compliance with delivery time slots;
- incident rate;
- proof-of-delivery availability;
- cost per shipment;
- vehicle fill rate;
- performance by carrier;
- exceptions by site;
- disputes by transport flow type.
How Can You Successfully Implement a TMS?
A TMS project should begin with an analysis of existing processes.
Integration with the company’s information systems is also essential, including ERP, WMS, carrier EDI, invoicing and reporting systems.
Finally, user adoption is a critical success factor.
What Is a Transport TMS Used For?
A transport TMS is used to plan, track, optimise and analyse transport operations.
How Does a TMS Reduce Transport Costs?
It helps companies allocate transport flows more effectively, consolidate shipments, improve vehicle fill rates, reduce urgent transport requirements and monitor carrier performance.
Does a TMS Improve Delivery Traceability?
Yes. A TMS centralises statuses, proofs of delivery, alerts and exceptions, giving teams a more reliable view of shipments.
How Should You Choose Transport TMS Software?
For a shipper, it is important to select a TMS that covers transport planning, delivery tracking, incident management, KPIs, carrier collaboration and integration with the company’s information systems.
What Is the Difference Between a Carrier TMS and a Shipper TMS?
A carrier TMS primarily addresses the needs associated with managing a carrier’s transport operations and fleet. A shipper TMS enables a company to manage transport flows entrusted to multiple carriers.
Take Back Control of Your Transport Operations with CLICK & TRACK
Looking to centralise your transport flows, improve delivery visibility and manage your carriers more effectively?
Sources :
- SAP – Qu’est-ce qu’un système de gestion du transport ?
https://www.sap.com/france/resources/what-is-a-transportation-management-system-tms - AntsRoute – Shipper TMS or Carrier TMS: Which One Should You Choose?
https://antsroute.com/en/solutions/tms-shipper-vs-carrier-delivery-management/ - Interlog Group – Freight Spend Management
https://www.interloggroup.com/services/freight-spend-management/ - ADEME – Logistique : l’ADEME présente les clés du succès de la transition écologique du secteur
https://www.ademe.fr/presse/communique-national/logistique-lademe-presente-les-cles-du-succes-de-la-transition-ecologique-du-secteur/