When you need to track a shipment across multiple carriers and channels, how do you ensure complete visibility at every checkpoint? Supply chain professionals face increasing pressure to monitor freight movements in real-time and respond quickly to disruptions. Without proper freight visibility, you risk delays, miscommunication, and dissatisfied customers.
In this blog post, we'll explore how freight visibility has evolved from basic phone confirmations to real-time GPS tracking, and why this matters for your supply chain operations.
You are now able to view supply chain fulfillment and freight activities more closely than previous generations. This visibility of freight movement has enabled supply chains to be more agile and responsive than ever before.
Flow of Information
Historical freight tracking methods included:
- Telephone and facsimile requests for pick-ups and deliveries
- Limited delivery notifications
- Minimal fleet vehicle tracking
Freight movement was essentially a waiting game with little information available. With the advent of the internet, small package carriers began sending electronic confirmations of delivery. This capability has evolved from humble beginnings in the early 1990s to more developed freight visibility advances.
Although less-than-truckload and truckload carriers have been slower to adapt to providing ongoing freight visibility information, they are continuously working to meet customer needs. As supply chain information has moved from secluded silos to integrated openness, it is only fitting that freight movement tracking follow suit. You now understand that information flow isn't as linear as previously indicated. Gone are the days where someone places an order and waits for it to show up, hoping that it will arrive someday.
Gone are the days when someone ordered goods over the phone or through a catalog and waited 4-6 weeks for delivery. Consumer and commercial customers have increasingly demanded rapid fulfillment times and immediate access to shipping information from both suppliers and transportation organizations. With an increased flow of information now available, not only can you view when the freight is delivered, but you can also view the various locations and checkpoints through which the cargo has moved.
These channels are not to be confused with an omnichannel approach to supply chain overall visibility, although having the visibility of freight effectively contributes to the overall success of both the internal and external functions of a supply chain.
Omnichannel Visibility and Freight Movements
Omnichannel visibility is a more recent trend in supply chain logistics. Omnichannel visibility provides all users the capability to view goods with minimal logins on various platforms. The information can be stored centrally, granting senders, receivers, and transporters access to the information in real-time. This has led to the need to view freight movements throughout the various channels to ensure that stock levels are accurately reflected, ensuring suppliers, retailers, and customers have significant information to make decisions.
When all users are on board with how, when, and why the supply chain functions as it does, then those users are said to be committed to an integrated supply chain. Integrated supply chains require a sharing of information between one or more parties where WMS and TMS software systems prove to be extremely valuable. To learn more about how integrated logistics orchestration works, download Modern 4PL for Dummies.
These software systems can be integrated throughout various organizations, facilitating the flow of information both upstream and downstream. The advantages include:
- Receiving notifications of pending shipments or advanced shipping notices
- Delay information
- Product availability updates
- Fleet selection options
GPS Data
With the introduction of software technology like WMS and TMS platforms alongside RFID and other various scanning tools, companies discovered that they are able to track and locate inventory more efficiently, as well as make decisions on how to schedule outbound and inbound freight transport. a0
How do you know exactly where your freight is at any given moment?a0Companies now regularly inquire about the location of their freight outside of the typical warehouse stops. As GPS technology has become readily available and in the palm of our hands (smartphones), implementing a freight visibility platform isn't an extensively difficult task. You are now able to view freight movements in real-time using global position technology that pinpoints exact location and arrival times. This is especially true in the last-mile delivery of goods. Freight visibility has undoubtedly evolved from an in-house-only functionality to widespread availability for all stakeholders, knocking down the walls of information silos—as demonstrated in our customer success stories.
From order confirmation to final delivery, you are now privy to the once guarded information that retailers, manufacturers, and shippers housed. As technology evolves, it is critical that supply chains continue to do the same.
Final Thoughts
The evolution of freight visibility has transformed supply chain operations from a waiting game into a real-time, data-driven process. You now have access to GPS tracking, omnichannel visibility, and integrated software systems that provide unprecedented insight into your freight movements. By leveraging these technologies, you can respond more quickly to disruptions, meet customer expectations for transparency, and optimize your logistics operations.
As freight visibility continues to advance, staying ahead of technological developments will be essential for maintaining competitive advantage in your supply chain.