Transportation Logistics Information Technology

Compu-Clearing Outsourcing Limited Descartes Systems Group Inc I2 Technologies Inc

J.D. Edwards & Company Made2Manage Systems, Inc. Robocom Systems International Inc.

Teklogix International Inc

Guide to Transportation Logistics Information Technology

Get your goods going in the right direction with the right logistics information system
By Wesley Ratko

Growing your business means getting your products to an ever-expanding customer base spread out over a greater geographic area, all in a shorter period of time. In our rapidly globalized economy, that can mean just about anywhere. Fortunately, as customer demand for a wider range of products grows, the transportation logistics tools to meet that demand continue to improve. Knowing which tools are available and deciding how to apply the right ones to your business can mean the difference between making the sale or missing your commitment to your customers.

Given all of the options available, the main concern should be finding a customizable cost-effective information technology and transportation package that will do the job. Spending more on bells and whistles you don't need can work against you in the long run.

For all of their variety, IT for logistics should enable the user to:

1. Optimize transportation logistics plans across multi-period daily schedules;

2. Determine the best routes through scheduling optimization and analysis;

3. Utilize web-hosted planning and organization to improve shipment planning, execution and settlement.

Action Steps

The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Hire an information technology and transportation expert IT for logistics management software solutions work best when customized to your business. Hiring a consultant to walk you through the basic steps of getting a transportation logistics information technology program off the ground will help ensure a smoother integration process.

I recommend:  Find specialists in transportation information technology software at the Freight Transportation Consultants Association website. Services range from supply chain transportation management to transportation logistics consulting.

Know what you want your information technology transportation software to do Before investing in all the bells and whistles of a comprehensive transportation logistics information technology software package, know how you intend to put it to use. When you come to a conclusion, investigate the offerings from providers of information technology in transportation.

I recommend:  MercuryGate offers "shipper solutions" that will save your business time and money. The transportation traffic logistics provider will let you use their product to be certain it's the solution you need--before you pay.

Make your vendors responsible for inventory replenishment Vendors can arrange to have their products available to their retail customers such as grocery stores and mass merchants. By monitoring sales, they can ship what's needed when it's needed.

I recommend:  Institute a Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) system or a Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR) system, which includes additional partners in the supply chain. VendorManagedInventory.com can provide basic information about setting up pilot programs with vendors familiar with Electronic Data Interchange.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• Information technology transportation software is only part of the operation. Consider seeking transportation facilities that emphasize applications of the Internet, intranets and extranets in their design, construction and use.