As supply chains look to increase agility, the need for real-time transportation visibility is increasing. Every supply chain manager needs to know where their shipments are and – even more importantly – when exactly they will arrive at their destinations.
Yet in an uncertain and evolving industry, some supply chain leaders are hesitant to adopt visibility technology. Here are three real-time visibility myths we commonly hear:
- This technology is too new – visibility providers don’t have enough experience to provide the value we need.
- It’s probably too expensive for the possible ROI.
- There’s no way visibility providers can connect to all of my carriers and subcontractors without significant time and costs.
While these myths might have been accurate when modern visibility technology was just emerging, real-time transportation visibility has made leaps and bounds over the last few years and global supply chains are seeing substantial value. Here’s what’s really happening in the market.
Adoption Rates for Transportation Visibility have Increased Rapidly (and Are Still Growing)
Myth: The technology is too new – visibility providers don’t have enough experience to provide the value we need.
The real-time transportation visibility market has only recently moved out of the emerging technology phase. Some supply chains are hesitant to implement a technology that they haven’t used in the past. While selecting and implementing new technology can seem uncertain, visibility adoption has grown quickly over the last few years.
In Garter’s Market Guide for Real-Time Transportation Visibility Platforms, they estimate that “by 2023, 50% of global leading enterprises will have invested in real-time transportation visibility solutions.”
With a technology that’s being adopted at such a fast rate, project44 has been able to build an enterprise grade solution to handle the scaling needs of global shippers. With more than $10 billion transportation spend under management, project44 has more than 300 customers around the world – such as Amazon, Coop, Electrolux, DHL, DSV, Coyote Logistics, and more.
In addition to six years of rapid growth in North America, project44 has more than 10 years of operations in Europe based on a foundation built by GateHouse Logistics, Europe’s leading visibility provider prior to an acquisition by p44.
With Real-Time Data and Supply Chain Automation, Visibility Offers Substantial ROI
Myth: It’s probably too expensive for the possible ROI.
Real-time visibility can deliver substantial value for supply chains by providing an unparalleled quality of data. With real-time tracking and predictive ETAs. shippers have the ability to create unseen efficiencies while also improving planning and exception management, ultimately reducing transportation costs.
On average, project44 customers can reduce their transportation spend by 2-5% through hard cost savings and increase their transportation team’s efficiency by 20%. This can result in significant savings and ROI by optimizing labor efficiency, reducing manual efforts, and avoiding late fees.
With Access to a Large Global Network and Automated Carrier Onboarding, Shippers Can Accelerate Time to Value
Myth: There’s no way visibility providers can connect to all of my carriers and subcontractors without significant time and costs.
Carrier networks are complex and intertwined. Shippers and LSPs have been trying to gain visibility into their carrier networks for years, but end up with outdated, incomplete data. Without complete visibility in real-time, shippers are missing the insight that allows them to deliver value for their organization and customers.
Because the carrier network is at the foundation of visibility, project44 has prioritized building the largest global network. Connected to more than 760 ELD/telematics devices and more than 4.33 million drivers across Europe and North America, project44 is able to achieve four times higher carrier compliance than other providers.
Even with access to an extensive existing network, you’ll need the ability to connect to your carriers quickly. Rapid carrier onboarding is the key to accelerating time to value. And this is why project44 has introduced a carrier onboarding guarantee. By following project44’s implementation program, p44 guarantees to have 90% of a shipper’s carriers in North America and Europe live in 30 days.
With connections to their entire carrier network, shippers can gain real-time tracking across modes to know where their shipments are and when they will arrive. Additionally, they can use advanced analytics to view performance data for carriers and lanes, allowing supply chains to identify the root cause of problems and find long-term solutions.
project44 is the only visibility provider offering this type of SLA because we have built the necessary carrier network, creating network effects that ensure our customers see results when they need them.
Still not convinced? Watch our webinar, Decoding Supply Chain Visibility, to learn more about real-time visibility and gaining the high-fidelity data needed to transform your transportation operations.