Knowledge Base

Big Data: Breaking Down Key Information and Putting It to Work

Just mention the word data today and most people will envision something akin to a spinning galaxy full of ones and zeroes that is beyond comprehension. But data doesn’t have to be that way. Big data isn’t this giant nebulous of information that only analytical geniuses can understand. Rather, big data is everywhere and when […]

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Is Transportation Management Your Core Competency?

When evaluating your needs for a Transportation Management System (TMS) it’s important to look beyond technology and consider who will manage planning and execution. How do you determine if outsourcing to a Managed Service Provider (MSP) will deliver greater value than developing an in-house team? Making the Decision: Evaluate your core competency— Is your expertise […]

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Become an Extension of Your Client’s Brand

As entities responsible for brokering appropriate carrier rates, ensuring accurate quantities of orders, and guaranteeing high quality of products, third-party logistics providers are extensions of companies’ brands. The functions 3PLs perform help shape their clients’ outwardly facing reputation. Here are the most effective ways to become an extension of your client’s brand. Cost Savings Carrier […]

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3PL Customer Service Specialization

Defining customer service can be difficult. Measuring it is even harder. Sometimes ambiguous, customer service is more than being courteous and helpful, it’s also about being knowledgeable. To solve complex problems, and to do so with speed, a 3PL must know a shipper’s needs inside and out. While intricacies of certain shippers and receivers will […]

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The March of Technology

How are you going to make money at the lower margins of 2016? Freight is down, trucks are plentiful, and fuel is down so much that you need to get a lot of new business just to keep your revenue even. Not an easy environment. And it’s going to get tougher. Margins have been coming […]

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Is It Time to Think About Logistics Outsourcing?

Changing consumer behaviors, increasing consumer expectations and rapid advancements in technology are converging to create the need for supply chains to be more global, transparent, agile and responsive. We are at a unique point in time with all of these dynamics in place simultaneously that the supply chain function is evolving in its breadth of […]

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The Potential of Change

With schools across the country rapidly increasing the use of technology in the classroom, recent graduates entering the logistics workforce expect similar atmospheres. Without even realizing it, these individuals have trained themselves in a variety of ways to further their career. They are comfortable spending hours a day behind the computer, checking their emails religiously, […]

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Optimizing Inbound for Improved E-Commerce Fulfillment

E-commerce is changing warehousing. Consumers want to purchase merchandise at any time, from anywhere—whether it is online, mobile, or in a store. As a result, efficient and reliable omni-channel fulfillment has become an imperative for retailers. To better align business models with the new paradigm, retailers and logistics providers are augmenting their distribution networks to […]

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Truckload Capacity: There is Always a Truck Going That Way

Hundreds of calls, page by page through the carrier listings. Ninety-nine percent of the replies are, "Sorry, we don’t hire out." But through all the searching, you always find one. That gem in the rough who runs the lane. They are booked out for the week, but now you have them in your pocket. Success! […]

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Preparation: The Key to Successful Business…and Procurement Projects

Shippers everywhere are enjoying the "summer of ’16." Carrier capacity is abundant, and rates, particularly in the truckload spot market, have fallen by double-digit percentages relative to last year. Contrast this with the "winter of ’14" when the Polar Vortex drove spot rates to all-time highs. Since that time, decreasing fuel costs, coupled with favorable […]

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Import Express LCL Service

In an industry where speed of information is constantly improving, it is ironic that the actual speed of the various modes used to move cargo (airplanes, trucks, ships, and trains) has improved very little. That makes even the smallest improvement to the speed of delivery an important consideration. Improvements in speed of delivery typically involve […]

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Keeping an Eye on Cost Management

The transportation and logistics industry is currently experiencing an acceleration of mergers and acquisitions, which is causing dramatic changes to the supply chain. Are you prepared to manage through this ever-changing environment while keeping a focus on managing cost? The 80/20 Rule of Logistics tells us that 80 percent of supply chain cost and efficiency […]

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It’s Chemistry: Globally Harmonized System Facilitates Trade

Prior to December 1, 2015, a chemical material handler could approach a tank of a hazardous substance and see as many as three different hazard symbols, depending on the product’s country of origin, transportation mode, and labeling agency. “Is the skull-and-crossbones image the symbol for acute toxicity?” he would think. “Or is it a carcinogenic […]

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CBP’s ACE Reporting Will Reduce Global Trade Risks

Even though the rollout of the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) has had a bevy of delays, quicker and easier data access will benefit government agencies and the trading industry. As the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) continues to roll out the ACE Single Window program throughout 2016, the goal remains the same: to eliminate […]

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Three Key Points to Communicate to Become Your Customers’ Dream Provider

Communication and transparency are key to being a good partner to your clients. If your logistics organization is in the process of responding to RFP questions from a plum potential customer, positioning your logistics organization as the ideal fit for that customer depends on clear communication of three defining factors of your business: specialization, size, […]

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Managing Warehousing Requirements During Peak Periods (Without Committing to Long-term Contracts)

Managing peak period shipment volume is a structural challenge in the U.S. economy. Those preoccupied with executing order fulfillment services spend much of the year thinking about and planning for it. The surge is a three- to four-month peak in first inbound, and then outbound shipments, with overlap. Shipments to retailers come first, followed by […]

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The “Direct-to-Consumer” Trend: Retail Shift Affects Logistics Operations

Lured by the promise of bigger sales, better access to consumers, and even their ultimate survival, wholesale brands are increasingly looking to circumvent traditional retailers and reach their customers directly—with “direct-to-consumer selling” or DTC. Recently, several prominent apparel and footwear brands have announced plans to expand their own retail stores in the U.S. and globally, […]

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Analyzing Freight & Logistics Operations

Disruption is the new normal in freight and logistics. Customers now demand greater speed and value, and want detailed information on the status of their shipments. Shoppers are increasingly mobile and connected, and shop across multiple channels. Manufacturers and retailers are rushing to re-introduce direct-to-door deliveries. The emerging Internet of Things allows companies to capture […]

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