TMSS is the world's first sales and process management system for freight forwarders
TMSS is built on a robust foundation based on virtualization technology, with top-of-the-line security guaranteed by our Service Level Agreements.
Our security features include:
Freight forwarding is one of the largest verticals in the world, with a total global spending of 3.3 Trillion Dollars in 2010. Although a widely divergent field, varying from multi-billion dollar carriers to small logistics providers, freight forwarders do share distinguishable modes of work: complex logistics spanning countries, languages and currencies, supply-chains linking multiple third-party agents, and specialized documentation processing, to name a few.
However, until today, transportation companies did not have a sales process management freight dedicated systems specifically geared for their needs; a system that provides the functionalities of CRM, yet extends to freight, transportation and management, providing clear directions, vision and controls across the sales management and logistics process.
1. The system does solve a long standing problem in the industry;
2. The system has great functionalities and easy to be used;
3. Customers can greatly benefit by getting a direct upgrade of the system added values;
4. AMR Research will support the system, will cover this by the following possible actions;
a. Write Up’s through the AMR Research network;
TMSS ( Transportation Management Sales System) is an innovative, first of its kind product dedicated to the transportation, logistics and supply chain management industries and does cover a fully fledged CRM ( Customer Relationship Management) sales force automation, various elements of pricing which includes high level optimizations based on historical and forecasted data. The complete system has high level business rulings which provides detailed elements of service measurements as well as complete measurements of the various parties linked to the system. Optimization tool linked to the service module provides in real time best services utilized.
SaaS CRM solutions are a catalyst for how organizations change their use of front office software systems and put users in control of customer facing business systems for the first time. SaaS enablement of software utilization without extended implementation time frames, software modification without IT bottleneck, world class infrastructure without capital expenditures and 24 by 7 uptime without around the clock staffing are a few of the compelling advantages of SaaS. Other key benefits include the following:
· Low cost of entry and lower total cost of ownership (TCO) - elimination of capital expenditures and dramatic reduction in IT salaries
· Vested vendor interests - if the application utilization is not successful, the vendor loses the customer revenue opportunity
· Much lower risk - faster implementations and outsourced expertise dramatically lower risk
· A more powerful and secure IT infrastructure - few organizations can match the infrastructure and security investments made by SaaS vendors;
The system is directed to the freight forwarders, transport companies, logistics companies, courier companies, airlines, shipping lines, post offices and rail companies. The utilization of the system by sales people, customer services people, management which makes about 70% of the employees in a traditional transport and logistics organization.
The system does cover two main areas. The one is for new customers and the second one is for customer maintenance, however as an addition to the system comprehensive functionalities, there are seven different optimization engines whereby four of them are addressing pricing issues, one is addressing services, and two are addressing sales optimization innovations.
TMSS combines fully dedicated CRM for the industry (which is completely different from the traditional CRM and does cover all the needed functionalities to create real opportunities through several automation capabilities as well as covers maintenance of existing customers with the potential of maximizing opportunities throughout the multi-module environment (air, sea, road, courier, logistics, transport).
The two areas of coverage, the new business and the existing business has comprehensive amount of tools (some in an automated functionalities, capabilities) and they do cover full customers data, new and existing as well as profiling, opportunities, pipeline, sales leads, also automated (based in INCO terms), full marketing functionalities with internal full optimization engine (area of innovation).
Additionally as mentioned there are four areas of pricing optimization tools whereby one is addressed at internal pricing (in between branches globally), the other one is based on external pricing which is addressed to importers and to exporters. The third optimization engine is addressed at the bidding industry needs, and the forth one is addressed pricing comparison.
All these pricing optimization tools has comprehensive ‘achieved’ pricing which are based on INCO terms, volume, actual weight, density calculation, commodities and services benchmarking.
Next optimization engine is addressed at the service area and it does cover massive amount of events measurement, KPIs to the servicing vendors as well as to the employees as well as great amount of benchmarking which brings best service scenarios in real time.
The other two are related to the sales process and will be presented should the relevant company will be interested in pursuing negotiations.
Being SaaS application developed on .NET which certainly opens a massive door to 87% of the SMEs in the transport industry globally whereby there were no such products to accommodate their sales and business maintenance needs.
The system will not be replacing any of their existing systems. It would simply be positioned on top of their current operational and financial systems and they would have the options to either integrate TMSS through very simple web services to their operational and financial systems. They would also have the option to host their database at their premises or utilize our hosting services. My guess would be that 90% of them would recruit the TMSS system hosted by us.10 Ways an Integrated CRM Tool Can Improve the Freight Forwarding Sales and Operations Process
The Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and sales process for freight and logistics is considerably more complex in today’s dynamic global business environment than it has been in the past. For instance, she says, the buying decision has moved from the shipping dock and traffic department to C-level influencers. The entire CRM process as it relates to freight forwarding has evolved and requires more advanced IT tools to support this new paradigm.
“There is a number of IT solutions available that can be applied horizontally across a variety of industries to automate the sales process and manage it through CRM,” “Most are adequate solutions. However, for logistics providers, the optimal solution is an integrated ERP system that applies this discipline vertically. This is especially important for the freight forwarding industry, where CRM is an integral part of the supply chain solution as it relates to running the entire company – from sales prospecting, to quotes, operations, finance and an optimized logistics process.”
10 areas of supply chain functionality that can ensure an effective CRM process:
·Identify a Single Solution for Management Visibility
In many cases there are fragmented communications solutions that may serve one business segment more than another, and require multiple data entry. Supply chain visibility can be better accomplished by a single solution that integrates information from both sales and operations. With integrated information, sales reps can enter critical data that is used to facilitate increased sales and customer service by monitoring project status and meeting customer deadlines. Operations management is then able to utilize the same, uniform information for reporting and oversight without requiring additional data entry. Offering management visibility is a by-product of the sales effort, but invaluable to ongoing operations.
·Establish Effective Freight-specific Marketing Tools
Key to improving CRM and increasing sales is continually building the sales funnel through effective marketing to both existing customers and prospects. A proper freight CRM process can target marketing efforts based on attributes that only freight-specific CRM can deliver: shipment activity, lane segments, trade profiles, deliverables, etc.
·Institute Data Efficiencies
Sales and marketing is the first contact with the customer/prospect. Prospects turn into quoting opportunities, shipments and revenue. If a customer record is entered into a CRM tool, then into a separate freight system, and then a financial system, there is no integrated efficiency developed beyond the original point of origin. IT solutions with an integrated CRM process enables sales, operations, and finance to work from the same records, increasing companywide operating efficiencies.
·Ensure Data Quality through a Single System
Data quality is even more of an issue for companies than efficiency. Changing customer organization details, contacts, and procedures is an administrative nightmare with multiple data systems within a company. A single data system with a common point of customer input ensures the entire team – from sales through operations to finance – has access to the same updated information to ensure a seamless flow of quality information.
·Improve the Customer Experience
the sales process begins with your company contact sitting down across the desk from a prospect customer asking for business and committing to SOPs. Communicating these SOPs to operations and adhering to them is difficult. An integrated CRM solution extends beyond sales, allowing a customer profile to be established that includes operations. A properly integrated CRM solution does not require sales to send memos, but rather enables the system to automatically inform operations of the dos and don’ts of managing that account.
·Create Sales Management Visibility
Sales and CRM effectiveness is ultimately measured with numbers. Management needs visibility of sales efforts to evaluate operating performance and strategy. Asking what issues are affecting sales is an important element in establishing management visibility of the operating process. Is there a common theme that can lead to opportunities if addressed? How many calls are being made; what is the call cycle for major accounts; how does the sales funnel look for the next week, month, quarter, and year? These are all metrics that can be harvested from any good CRM process, but an integrated CRM procedure enables these items to be segmented by quotation, customer, SOP, trade lane, tonnage, destination point and delivery date, creating accurate reporting information throughout the entire sales and marketing system.
·Establish Quoting and Communications Guidelines
accurate quoting is the second, and often the most important step, in obtaining business for your company. This can be as simple as a one-time ad hoc shipment or as complex as a request for a detailed proposed rate study. Everything your sales department has done up until that point must be accessible to sales and operations for quoting. An integrated IT-based CRM program ensures a more efficient and effective quoting and communications process by permitting real-time cross-functional accessibility to client data by the various business segments involved in the sales and operational processes.
·Ensure Transparent Data Repository
A properly utilized CRM process offers transparency to the customer relationship within a logistics operation. Ultimately relationships are between the customer and the logistics company, not individuals. An integrated CRM process provides for a smooth transition in the event of staffing changes or employee turnover.
·Improve Financial Visibility
your sales department needs a single point of access for client intelligence, quoting visibility, and financial visibility. A single, integrated CRM system will provide this, while ensuring security and giving access only to the information required in order completing specific tasks necessary within the supply chain process.
·Institute an Effective Sales Process
The obvious and most important value question asked about CRM should be: “Does our CRM process help sales reps work more efficiently and increase customer interface, or does it detract from time spent pursuing prospects to enter additional information needed by sales management and operations?” An effective CRM effort generates comprehensive, relevant reports and permits the sales process to increase the time spent with customer interaction. An integrated CRM system seamlessly benefits sales management and operations on the backend without redundant entry by sales. It enables sales to manage customers, develop call cycles, and become more efficient as a company. An inadequate CRM tool will be met with resistance. A good CRM process self-perpetuates with sales and customers. As the sales department sees their efforts integrating into the calendar, eliminating manual call reporting, and offering their customers better results through customer service, they realize it maximizes their earning potential…just don’t tell them it is a management tool.
“Following these essential guidelines in establishing the right single-source CRM solution enables the sales team to be more efficient and sell more, while providing the entire sales team with virtually seamless visibility throughout the CRM process. In doing so, it provides operational management with a clear view of what is happening throughout the entire freight logistics process and helps improve your company’s supply chain efficiency and ROI,”
