C.H. Robinson is a third-party logistics provider and freight brokerage business. The company provides transportation services to customers both large and small. Recently C.H. Robinson announced an innovative transportation management system (TMS) to help its customers with booking, tracking, and reporting for their shipping needs.
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Shippers Need Better Technology
Small and midsize shippers do not usually have the necessary resources to improve efficiency in their shipping processes. This is typically because developing software and other technology at an internal level is too expensive. Many shippers turn to third-party logistics providers for help, especially when it comes to implementing new technology.
In recent years many companies have started to look at cloud-based TMS. C.H. Robinson identified that these small shippers were underserved and needed better ways to get products from one place to the next. Shippers needed a way to compare vendor pricing and make the booking and tracking process easier. That’s why C.H. Robinson decided to announce a new TMS that shows customers their vendor options.
Introducing Freightview
C.H. Robinson’s new TMS is called Freightview, and the company acquired it in 2014 as part of its move to buy the Kansas-based freight broker Freightquote. Freightview offers numerous browser-based solutions that are easy for customers to implement. Following are some of the system’s main features:
- Compare direct rates from several vendors
- Schedule pickup dates and times
- Print shipping labels
- Track shipments and look at shipment history
- Create a unified address book and product catalog
- Look at reports and analytics
- Gain API access for multiple users in multiple locations
As Freightview co-founder Jason Roberts said, “Many shippers are growing quickly, but managing freight is slowing them down. We built Freightview so small and midsized business can be more competitive in today’s marketplace.” Essentially, Freightview redefines the relationship between shippers and vendors. It allows shippers to gain control and see their cost savings.
Impact and Advantage of Freightview
Shippers no longer have to access multiple vendor websites and spend time sorting through the data to choose a vendor based on price. Freightview enables customers to compare the shipping costs of different vendors on one platform and book within. It provides an excellent solution to this problem and saves companies time.
Most shippers report that it only takes 24 to 48 hours to set up Freightview. This is because the TMS uses applications on a cloud-based system instead of an electronic data interchange. This makes connecting shippers with vendors much faster. In addition to choosing transportation services, Freightview tracks and reports data. This helps customers evaluate how they are doing and what areas need improvement.
There are many advantages to using Freightview, but the biggest one is gaining a competitive advantage when it comes to pricing, visibility, and time. This helps companies create better transportation strategies because customers maintain control of vendor relationships and freight networks. Another great thing about Freightview is that customers don’t have to implement new TMS systems as they grow because of the scalability Freightview offers.[/show_to]
