Managed transportation services have widely become an integral function of modern supply-chain. As reported by Steve Baker of Forbes, the outsourcing of managed transportation services to other entities has different terminology depending on location. For example, managed transportation or transportation management might be the ideal terms to use in the US. Meanwhile, Europe will refer to the effective outsourcing of transportation management as “fourth-party logistics services (4PL).”
Outsourcing transportation management has the added benefit of taking advantage of external resources and physical assets.
In addition, outsourcing transportation management has the added benefit of taking advantage of external resources and physical assets. However, the aspects of managing transportation are much more profound when looking at the topic from a software standpoint. To understand the rise of the 3PL for managed transportation services, shippers need to understand how managed transportation services became a global power, why 3PLs in managed services work well together, and how 3PLs enable better management of transportation.
Why Managed Transportation Services Grew to Permeate the Global Supply Chain
Take a moment to define managed transportation. According to Chris Cunnane of Logistics Viewpoints, “in a managed transportation services arrangement, a shipper contracts with a third party to plan and execute their moves for them. In other words, instead of having internal planners plan and execute moves, those planners are employed by the MTS supplier, but work on the shipper’s behalf.”
As shippers face the need to ship more and keep costs under control, managed services through a 3PL is the easiest path forward.
Unlike traditionally maintaining independent transportation management programs in-house, outsourcing the process allows companies to reap a stronger return on investment. In a 2014 survey of supply chain professionals, 9% of respondents saved more than 12% on freight costs through managed transportation services. That number rose to 32% by 2016, and preliminary reports indicate the continued growth of savings. That’s the distinction and primary driving force. As shippers face the need to ship more and keep costs under control, managed services through a 3PL is the easiest path forward.
3PLs and Managed Services Go Well Together
Part of the rationale for the increased use of 3PLs for managed transportation services surrounds technology and capabilities. In a traditional logistics management approach, an individual shipper must contact carriers, request quotes, understand billing practices, validate invoice details, submit payments, share information from the carrier to this customer and so on.
Leveraging the technology of the 3PL to automate logistics management and effectively outsource the whole process of managing transportation is the gold mine.
While the process works great when the entire supply chain resided in a small town, it becomes grossly ineffective in the modern, e-commerce driven world. With more customers and volume than ever before, shippers need real-time visibility, advanced shipping notifications, increased responsiveness, and faster ways to handle logistics. Working with a 3PL for its basic premise of securing more capacity and lower rates is great. However, leveraging the technology of the 3PL to automate logistics management and effectively outsource the whole process of managing transportation is the gold mine.
Ways 3PLs Excel in Managed Service and Value
Using a 3PL for managed transportation services also allows third-party entities to effectively manage more freight, connect with more carriers, improve supply chain responsiveness, and work together without sacrificing the proprietary information of individual shippers. The various ways 3PLs excel in managed service and value is nothing short of remarkable. In fact, some of the largest managed service providers tend to rely on a unified transportation management system (TMS) that enables continuous growth and power. For those 3PLs that have lagged behind in offering a TMS, recent acquisitions around the industry indicate all larger 3PLs are now looking to deploy better, more reliable TMS capabilities to give all shippers an equal opportunity to leveraged managed services, such as the BlueGrace TMS combined with managed services.
Of course, the real value of managed services lies in the value-added services, such as auditing, accounting management, billing, compliance record keeping, load matching, big data analytics-driven insights, and more. It’s an endless pool of improvement, and 3PLs will continue to maximize service and value without adding to the costs of individual shippers.
Tap the Value of Managed Freight Transportation Through BlueGrace
BlueGrace is a 3PL that understands the value of managed transportation services. With a strong history of working hand-in-hand with shippers to create customized solutions, and using our BlueShip™ TMS to transform logistics management into a turnkey, automated process. As the value of using a 3PL for managed services increases, BlueGrace will see an influx of more shippers and carriers that are willing to look beyond the company walls and realize stark benefits of using a TMS. Find out more about how to take advantage of BlueGrace’s managed transportation services by calling 800.MY.SHIPPING or completing the form below.