TMC Blog

Last week, I talked about some possible ways in which social media might change how carrier performance is measured in the market for freight transportation. In this post, let’s extend these imaginings to the broader market.

As mentioned in my previous post, social media is transformative in terms of the connectivity, visibility, and communications reach that it brings to supply chains. Could pushing the freight envelope in this way increase the volatility of transactional pricing? Retailers that track and participate in social media communities are able to monitor price trends with great precision in real time. They can shave pennies off a price very quickly in response to competitors’ pricing strategies, for example. And being attuned to every buying nuance in the market, they can shape demand by constantly adjusting the prices of their products.  Read More...

Social media is changing the freight transportation industry on many fronts; communications is one example, as exemplified by this blog. But we’ve only just started the journey. Here are some thoughts on where the road might take us in the not-too-distant future.

First, let’s look at some of the features that make social media such a powerful change agent.  Read More...

Investing in a transportation management system (TMS) can be more complicated for large organizations that have to reconcile the needs of multiple business units in different geographies.  The business models and associated markets can vary widely as well, for example if the company has grown through acquisitions.

Enterprises that devote enough forethought and planning to the decision can resolve these differences and turn the process into a rich learning experience. Read More...

Mobile communications is not only revolutionizing the way freight delivery is managed; it is also fundamentally changing the way people interact with co-workers and the extended supply chain.

The ability to access general work systems like email while away from the office is trivial, but the line between work and home life is beginning to blur. This is problematic for workers who typically use specialized work systems. Co-workers assume that, if they have access to sufficient technology to ask a question, their transportation managers will have access to the tools needed to answer it. Read More...

It hardly seems possible that we’re quickly closing in on the end of 2012 and moving into 2013.   This year, our blog following has grown and we’ll top out at 50 total posts for the year.  As we exit 2012, let’s take a look at the posts that captured the most interest in this year. 

Below is a list of the top ten TMC blog posts published in 2012 in terms of page views.  Hot topics ranged from procurement to global issues to shipper and carrier relationships.  Read More...