You might be thinking, “Do I really need a transportation management system? I don’t feel like our process is necessarily broken. Is it really worth it? Is my company truly ready for one?” Yet, what if you could strategically reduce your overall logistics spend while transforming your team from being reactive and task-oriented to proactive and customer-oriented? What kind of impact would that have on your company’s bottom line? 

That’s exactly what I’m here to help you answer. Here are five signs that I always see when a business is ready to take the next step and invest in a transportation management system. 

Let’s dive in.

SIGN 1: Your Business Meets Any of These Qualifications

There can be some not-so-subtle signs that a business is ready to invest in a transportation management system. If your business

• has a freight spend of $1M or more,
• utilizes a mix of transportation modes,
• has multiple locations that utilize their own mix of broker and asset providers,
• procures a majority of freight via the spot market, or
• manages most of your data via Excel spreadsheets;

then consider yourself qualified!  There can also be some more subtle signs…

SIGN 2: A LACK OF EFFICIENCY

A lack of efficiency in your business directly results from a decentralized and very manual approach. Programs like Outlook and Excel were just never intended to handle a freight spend of $1 million or more. If your freight spend is $1 million or more, you’re probably working with a couple of hundred orders a month, with who knows how many stakeholders to help micromanage quotes, tenders, tracking, and tracing of shipments.

If you’re questioning whether your company has a lack of efficiency, ask yourself:

• How much time is being wasted across your organization with overwhelming manual processes?
• Does this process save you any money when it comes to freight spend?
• Do you know if you are utilizing the right carriers?
• Would contract pricing cost you less than the spot market in the long run? 

The bottom line is this is a reactive strategy focused on individuals’ tasks. To optimize your team and freight, you need a major shift towards being more proactive and customer-focused.

This is where Trinity’s transportation management system (TMS) can help you. All our Managed Transportation features a cloud-based TMS platform that creates a centralized freight command center, replacing your redundant manual processes with automation.

Our TMS helps you manage the entire life cycle of an order and we can even integrate with your order management system to truly optimize your workflow. This means no more phone calls, typing out shipment details, or wondering where your freight is or when it’s going to deliver. Technology is one of the critical aspects of our solutions here at Trinity and also a major catalyst to transforming your supply chain.

SIGN 3: SEEKING IMPROVED PERFORMANCE

Efficiency isn’t just about getting faster; it’s about getting better – creating better team performance, better carrier performance, and ultimately improving your bottom-line company performance.

Is there room for improvement in these areas for you? Are your current strategies effective? Can they be measured? You may have answers to these questions that vary from location to location. You’ll usually find some of your distribution centers are better at procuring freight than others.

While a siloed strategy may have made sense for you at one point, companies grow and change. Considering change is a constant, a more wholistic approach will typically yield a better overall cost and carrier performance for you. This is what we consider to be the process part of our solutions. Data is a key driver for the strategy on this one.

On the surface level, it will appear that you simply are spreading your freight too thin across too many carriers or brokers. At Trinity, our Team of Logistics Consultants can quickly diagnose if you are leveraging your overall volumes to the best of your ability. Through strategic sourcing and customer-specific pricing, you can yield six to ten percent savings, sometimes even more. It can also have a significant effect on improving on-time performance.

Best of all, with Trinity’s Managed Transportation, you’ll always be able to track these metrics. You’ll be able to know exactly how your teams compare to the market and are able to adapt quickly when things change. 

SIGN 4: LACKing VISIBILITY

It’s hard to overstate the importance of real-time visibility in today’s supply chain.

When a customer or sales rep asks for a delivery ETA or if the warehouse needs to know what trucks are scheduled to come in; that can all fall back on your outdated and manual processes. Things like picking up the phone, back and forth emails, creating and sharing spreadsheets, that’s just your day-to-day visibility. 

What about those overall performance metrics and being able to measure your team or your carriers? Unfortunately for many shippers, there can be too many roadblocks for effective communication and a lack of overall supply chain awareness. 

However, with the right strategy and technology, visibility can shift from a challenge to a strength. Having access to a transportation management system takes over a lot of the heavy lifting for you, acting as a virtual control tower for all logistics updates and communication.

With Trinity’s solutions, we included unlimited users who can access updates and data 24/7 via the cloud. We can even create push notifications where your team, your warehouse, and your customers can receive updates for their specific tasks automatically. For most shippers, real-time visibility has fully transitioned from an optional benefit to a business necessity – which is why Trinity brings all of this valuable information right to your fingertips. 

SIGN 5: needing BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE

Data has quickly become one of the world’s most valuable resources. In order to make effective decisions, proper data and analysis are needed, especially for logistics strategy or more enterprise-level decisions that reach far beyond the supply chain.

Now let’s say you do have access to good, tangible data. Even still, most likely your data is spread out among various laptops, email accounts, and carrier portals. Trying to compile complete and accurate information is difficult in itself this way, but the greater challenge is what can you do with this data?

That’s where working with Trinity Logistics comes in hand. We help compile and present a key analysis in a way that is easy for you to understand and collaborate on action steps for your company’s continuous improvement. Our customers are able to successfully leverage their data to lower costs, improve performance, and drive their company forward. There are many types of helpful reports you can expect to see such as carrier scorecards, customer profitability reports, to network analysis, and distribution projects.

take your business From Surviving to Thriving

So, are the your company’s signs pointing in the direction of a transportation management system?

If it’s looking like it may be the right time for your company to invest in solid logistics technology, then it’s time for your next step – finding the right provider. I understand you have a lot of options, but I’d like to recommend checking out Trinity’s Managed Transportation solutions.

Our solutions are completely customizable, but each comes with a cloud-based TMS, offering a wide range of capabilities to take over as your entire logistics toolbox:

• Order entry
• Tracking & notifications
• Reporting
• Load planning
• Document management
• Claims management
• Freight auditing and payment
• System integration
• Rating, tendering, and routing guide

Now, don’t just take my word – here’s what Ben at cfm Distributors Inc. had to say about working with Trinity’s Managed Transportation solution:

The best part of checking out Trinity for your future transportation management system? Your consultation is completely FREE and you’ll walk away with the knowledge about how your business can operate more efficiently and strategically with Trinity Logistics’s support. What do you have to lose?

Not quite ready for a consultation but still interested in learning more about Trinity’s TMS? Register for a brief demo of our TMS.

The time has come to implement a transportation management system (TMS). You’ve prioritized TMS capabilities, analyzed vendors, and sat through several system demos. Finally, everyone has come to an agreement and selected a TMS provider. Now what? 

Next comes the implementation phase of the TMS, which frequently involves integration. For most companies, the integration component consists of integrating with external carrier partners to transmit load tenders, receive tracking messages, and retrieve invoices. But the “heavy lift” with integration usually involves the interaction between your company’s internal systems and the TMS software. 

By following these five steps I’ve outlined for a TMS integration below, you can make what normally is a heavy lift into light work!

1. Assemble the Project Team

This sounds simple, but sometimes, it can be the most challenging part of the process. It can be tricky to gather each Business Process Owner (BPO) into a room or on a call to get their input. 

Involving all key stakeholders from the get-go is essential. Each BPO can help assemble a complete picture of how the TMS software will support each business unit. It also ensures you identify any potential integration touchpoints between systems that may add value to your transportation process. These stakeholders typically will include the following groups:

Upper Management

The most successful TMS integrations include someone that serves as a project sponsor. They emphasize the importance of the project, ensure all engage in discussions, and serve as final decision-makers in prioritizing integration processes.

Logistics

If your organization has a formal logistics department, they must be in the kick-off meetings. If there’s no formal logistics department, then identify those team members that have the most working knowledge of your transportation processes.

Warehouse

Those in the warehouse can communicate any specifics about shipping the product. This may include how orders are communicated to them, what documents are needed to support the shipment, and which systems they interact with (such as a warehouse management system – WMS) to notate information like planned vs. actual shipment details.

Customer Service

When integrating your internal systems with the TMS, the customer service team is usually the best resource to describe their order entry process in your company’s order management system (OMS). Having a thorough understanding of this process ensures all relevant fields needed to create a shipment is captured. Additionally, any nuances surrounding the order entry process must be discussed regarding various order types (sales orders, purchase orders, transfers, etc.).

Accounting/Finance

A big chunk of time saved with a transportation management system is the audit and reconciliation of freight invoices. If the TMS integrates with your company’s OMS or account software, you can drastically reduce the time it takes to process an invoice. Your accounting team will need to share their input on topics like GL coding rules, tolerance limits for auto-approval of invoices, or the application of required vendor codes. All this will help guide the data requirements that support an AP integration of the TMS software.

IT/Development/TMS Support

Any integration discussions need to include your technical folks. These may consist of your internal resources but can include external vendors or third-party resources that support the processes. Most TMS providers should be able to provide an integration support team. This can consist of a solutions architect, a technical account manager, and a sales support resource. They are vital to understanding the full capabilities and limitations of the TMS software from both an end-user perspective and integration capability standpoint.

2. Map Out Current vs. Future State

Current State

Now, the real work towards a successful TMS integration begins. 

You’ll first want to map out your existing supply chain processes. These could be part of the “order-to-cash” cycle, the manufacturing cycle, or a replenishment cycle. Really, anywhere in your processes you transport things from point A to point B. The key processes for a TMS integration generally happen between an order being entered (which might go into an OMS) and the payment of a carrier’s freight invoice. 

From an integration standpoint, most of your time will be spent on this order entry process. Why? Because most of the data that will be transmitted to your TMS is from the shipment import process. 

On the surface it sounds easy. You just need pickup and delivery addresses, item details, target dates, and maybe a couple of other fields sent to the TMS to create a shipment…right? But it’s not always that simple. 

Every shipper has different nuances when entering this information into their OMS. Also, not all order types get entered in the same way. Some data may live in other tables or a completely different system altogether. Fields may be used differently from one order type to the next, and the data may not be accurate (such as stored items, weights, and dimensions). 

This in-depth process mapping discussion with your assembled project team will help bring these things to the surface. It will also help identify any other potential “touchpoints” that need to occur between systems to make your future transportation management processes more efficient.

Future State

Once you’ve mapped out your current state, you can begin working on what you want your future state to look like. 

Your future state will guide the scope of work, answering the question, “What do we want our transportation process to look like once the TMS is integrated?” Generally, as you discuss your current state, the answer to this question naturally comes into focus. 

With all the notes and takeaways of your current state discussions, your TMS support team should provide most of the input of your anticipated future state. A key output should be a depiction via a process swimlane diagram. This will describe any interaction points between the TMS and your internal systems. The most common integration processes that we see when going through a TMS implementation are:

Shipment Import

Importing order details from your OMS into the TMS to create a shipment. This includes required fields, such as:

• ship-from/ship-to names,
•  pickup and delivery addresses, 
• item details, 
• expected ship and delivery dates, 
• and required accessorial services.

Load Return

The “load return” contains data associated with the load in the TMS that would be beneficial to capture, particularly from a customer service or customer invoicing standpoint. This includes:

• the selected carrier, 
• selected freight rate, 
• transit days, 
• tracking numbers, 
• and load status messages such as pickup or delivery dates/times. 

Shipped Data Import

After the carrier is loaded at the shipping facility, clients often request that the load be updated in the TMS with the resulting shipped date/time, shipped quantities, and loaded weight. This can be useful when generating detailed item reporting in the TMS. This data system of record (SOR) is usually in your WMS but can also live in your OMS.

AP Return

The “AP return” contains approved AP details as freight invoices are audited and approved for payment in your TMS. This includes values such as; 

• the invoice number, 
• invoice date, 
• vendor ID, 
• settlement total, 
• GL codes, 
• and other reference data. 

Clients often consume this data in their accounting software., Most companies use their OMS and accounting systems within the same application.

3. Compile Integration Requirements

It’s time to start getting into the nuts and bolts of the integration processes that your project team has identified. 

The first decision point is whether you will take an “all or nothing” or a phased approach to the TMS integration. The “all or nothing” approach means you’ve decided not to go live with the TMS until all integration processes are ready for deployment. Some companies may have no choice but to take an all or nothing approach. Perhaps they have a deadline to sunset an existing application, limited project support resources, or they feel that buy-in to the new process may be at risk if everything isn’t completed before going live.

I like to recommend that companies take a phased approach to TMS integration when possible. Typically, integrating a TMS takes up most of the time to the overall project. Taking a phased approach significantly reduces that timeline. With a phased approach, users spend a few weeks or months working in the TMS. With that time, they usually have a better idea of which integration processes should take priority in later phases. 

Regardless of which approach you decide to take, it’s important to ask the question, “Will this save us time and add value to our transportation process?” It seems obvious that a company wouldn’t move forward with a TMS integration project unless it adds value. Still, at Trinity, we’ve seen many instances where a company spends time and effort integrating systems only to say later, “We don’t rely on that process to manage our workflow” or “I forgot that we had this process in place.” A phased approach helps prevent that from happening.

Transmitting the Data

Once you’ve identified which integration processes will move forward, you’ll need to determine how the data will be transmitted between systems. The most common methods are via file transfer (using an SFTP or AS2 connection) or using an API. 

File transfer can include .xml, .csv, .json, or EDI X12 formats. Some companies even have their own custom-built formats as well. 

Transmitting data via an API may involve connecting to your TMS’s API to send or retrieve data. Your TMS provider could also be able to connect to your company’s own internal API. Regardless of which method you choose, I like to recommend following the path of least resistance. 

In other words, what existing processes do you already have in place that you can piggyback on to accomplish your stated end goal? For example, if you’re already receiving an EDI 850 (purchase order) from your suppliers, you may also be able to use this same file to send shipment details to your TMS. 

Your BPOs, TMS solution architect, and internal technical resources should be able to decide the best approach.

The EDI vs. API Debate

If you were to Google “EDI vs. API” you may get mixed opinions on the value of each approach in a TMS integration. Some commentators may go so far to say that EDI (X12) is “dead” and APIs are the best option for transmitting data. Others will say that EDI has been around forever and it’s not going away anytime soon. 

The truth is that both approaches have value when integrating TMS software. Now, I don’t want to get too far into the weeds explaining the downsides and advantages of each method. There are plenty of resources online if you’re curious. But I do want to outline a few questions you can ask to help find the best approach for your business:

• What type of data transmission methods do we already have in place? Can we reuse any of these to integrate with the TMS?
• If we have any methods currently in place, how flexible are they? If we need more data down the road, can modifications be made easily?
• What is the volume of the data being transmitted? Will we need to send large volumes of data? Or can we send and receive a select handful of fields?
• What is our requirement on the timing of the data? Is it vital that it gets sent/received as quickly as possible, or can there be a delay of a few minutes (or even a few hours)?
• Does the TMS provider have a preferred method for sending and receiving data that allows us to go-live faster?

The answers to these questions will help guide which approach to take toward your TMS integration. 

4. Prep for Go-Live

Testing

Once the integration requirements and initial development work are done, it’s time to prepare to go live. 

A significant component of this preparation involves thorough testing of any integration processes. Any technical resources involved in the project will need input from the BPOs to help devise a good test plan. Answering some of the questions below will help your team develop a plan for testing.

• What is the approximate volume of records we need to test before we feel the TMS integration is working as expected?
• What are the different order types that we need to test? Are there any nuances specific to our business that we need to account for? 
• Who needs to provide the final sign-off to confirm that everything is working as it should?
• Based on what we uncovered in our current and future state discussions, are we accounting for every possible scenario?

Process testing can be a balancing act. You don’t want to get too bogged down with testing that it delays the implementation of the TMS software, but you also want to make sure that go-live doesn’t end up being a disaster. Maintaining an engaged project team and openly communicating with all resources can help you figure out where that “sweet spot” lies.

Hypercare Plan

In addition to a test plan, you’ll also need a plan for hypercare. “Hypercare” refers to the period after the go-live where project team members must maintain heightened attention towards the process. These are some of the things you’ll need to consider in the hypercare phase of the TMS integration.

• The methods of contact should something go wrong. Who needs to be contacted for a particular issue? 
• What will the communication process entail if an issue arises or if changes need to be made?
• How will issues, requests, or bugs will be triaged?
• What is the process for collecting feedback from BPOs and end-users?

Internal and External Communications

Planning for communication with your internal stakeholders and external partners for the go-live is essential. 

Any internal users affected will need to understand how their day-to-day workflows may be impacted. Have a resource that’s ready should anyone not be receptive to the change or have a lack of understanding. This person can help by providing further training or support to ensure a successful adoption of the TMS. 

Your decision to implement TMS software should also be communicated to your external partners. This can include your vendors, carriers, and customers. They should understand any expectations you have prior to final implementation of the TMS, particularly if it impacts the collection of data needed to support any integration touchpoints. Ensure they know your expected TMS go-live date and provide any training as needed to support a smooth rollout.

5. Time to Flip the Switch!

Congratulations! You’ve finally reached the exciting part – flipping the ON switch to your new transportation management system. With your new TMS fully integrated, get ready to see your transportation processes become more efficient and streamlined. Expect improved visibility, better data insights, and enhanced coordination across your supply chain. This implementation means less manual work, fewer errors, and more time to focus on strategic tasks. 

Welcome to a new era of logistics management, where everything runs smoother, faster, and smarter. Your logistics operations just got a whole lot more exciting! 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chris McAvoy

Director of Managed Services

With 22 years of experience at Trinity Logistics, Chris McAvoy has grown from a Logistics Specialist to his current role as Director of Managed Transportation. Along the way, he’s honed his expertise in various positions, including National Accounts Manager, Pricing Manager, and Solutions Architect.

Chris holds several certifications including Certified Transportations Broker (CTB), Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP), and Project Management Professional (PMP).

In his role, he leads system integration projects, onboards new Managed Transportation clients, and drives supply chain improvement initiatives. Chris thrives on working closely with customers, uncovering innovative solutions to elevate their logistics operations.

Do you dream of breaking up with your current logistics management processes? You’re not the only one!

Managing logistics effectively is crucial for businesses of all sizes. Yet, sometimes, the process can feel more like a complex puzzle than a seamless operation.

Many growing companies face headaches with logistics management, and for good reason. The systems they rely on often may not be up to the task. Thus, they find that their logistics are holding the business back, creating obstacles rather than opportunities.

Let’s uncover the exact challenges many businesses face and learn how to transform them into a smooth and efficient operation you’ll love.

Why Many Companies Struggle with Logistics Management

Logistics Management Challenge #1: Inefficient Tools and Systems

Far too many businesses rely on outdated and inefficient tools like spreadsheets and email for their logistics. Let’s face it: spreadsheets are like flip phones – great in the early days but wildly outdated now. While spreadsheets and email might work for smaller operations, they can be ineffective for companies spending $1 million or more on freight. Performing tasks like tracking and optimizing shipments manually have become more than just a headache; they’ve become a timewaster.

Logistics Management Challenge #2: Inefficient Processes

When your day-to-day operations involve hundreds of orders, manual processes can cause chaos. Juggling carriers, shipments, and invoices can cause delays, missed opportunities, and demand way too much time. Time that could instead be spent on strategic tasks to drive the business forward.

Logistics Management Challenge #3: Lack of Visibility

Have you ever tried driving at night without headlights? (By the way, we DO NOT recommend ever doing this!) You can’t see anything. There’s no way to predict what may be coming toward you. Making informed decisions or addressing potential issues can be nearly impossible. That’s what it’s like not having any visibility into your supply chain. Unfortunately, this is a common problem for many businesses.

Logistics Management Challenge #4: Absence of Performance Metrics

Trying to improve performance without metrics is more guessing than it is strategizing. This makes measuring the success of your logistics difficult! How do you know if your carriers are reliable? Or whether your shipping costs are hurting or helping your revenue? Without precise data, it’s almost futile to identify the areas you can improve upon.

Logistics Management Challenge #5: Limited Support and Guidance

Managing logistics without the support you need can feel like running an uphill marathon. It can wear you down quickly! Perhaps you manage it solo, have a small logistics team, or lack expertise. Even those who invest in logistics technology can find they’re missing the guidance they need to succeed. Whatever the case, you may be desperate for some help!

Logistics Management Challenge #6: Overcomplicated or Costly Technology

Some logistics technology can make it feel like you’re solving a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded. They are too complicated to use. Others can be too expensive to justify investing in or don’t offer just what you need. If it feels like the technology is working against you instead of for you, if it’s frustrating your team, or is simply draining your wallet, then it may be time for a simpler solution.

Does This Sound Like Your Logistics Operations?

If any of these struggles resonate with you, then it’s time to rethink your approach to logistics management. Don’t worry—you’re not alone. Just check out these stats:

As you can see, many businesses are moving toward improving their operations. Why not join them? Don’t stay stuck and settle for frustration when you can fall in love with your logistics again! Trinity Logistics is here and ready to help you reignite that spark.

You Deserve Better. You Deserve Trinity Logistics.

Logistics management shouldn’t be a burden—it should be your secret weapon! It should be something your proud of! You deserve better than being held back by inefficiencies.

We’re here to help you thrive with our customizable Managed Transportation Solutions. We can help you turn logistics into a strategic advantage to propel your business forward.

Here’s why Trinity Logistics is the perfect match for your logistics operations!

Trinity’s Transportation Management System (TMS)

Trinity’s TMS offers a wide range of capabilities to take over as your entire toolbox.

• Order entry
• Tracking & notifications
• Reporting
• Load planning
• Document management
• Claims management
• Freight auditing and payment
• System integration
• Rating, tendering, and routing guide

Made-Just-For-You Solutions

From our experience, just like people, each company is unique, so we offer a customizable TMS solution. You can get precisely what you need, nothing less, nothing more.

Extra Operational Support

Go beyond account management and offload some (or all) of your day-to-day tasks to our Expert Team. We’re here to support you at every step.

Optimized Workload

Free up your team to focus on core business activities. In the meantime, enjoy optimized shipping routes, better carrier relationships, and savings.

Business Intelligence

Make smarter decisions with detailed reporting and data analysis. Our technology empowers you to measure performance, optimize operations, and reduce risks.

Enhanced Visibility

Track everything you need, all in one place.

Automation & Integration

Eliminate manual processes for seamless operations.

Whatever Else You Need

Whether you need help with freight optimization or transportation cost reduction or want quarterly business reviews, let us know, and we can tailor your plan to suit your business.

It’s the Perfect Time to Renew Your Logistics Love

Who said logistics management has to be a thorn in your side? With Trinity Logistics, we can help turn those logistical nightmares into a love story for the ages. We’ll help you take your operations from complicated to easy, boost visibility, and unlock your supply chain’s full potential.

Don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what Ben at cfm Distributors Inc. had to say about working with Trinity’s Managed Transportation solution:

Ready to fire up your logistics passion? Explore our Managed Transportation solutions and take the first step toward transforming your operations.

In a world so reliant on digital technology, we often expect (and hope) that our software will be stable. Yet even the most reliable technology platforms can falter. Take the recent digital disruption felt by businesses affected by the CrowdStrike global outage for example.

The recent global outage involving CrowdStrike, one of the world’s leading cybersecurity companies, was a stark reminder that no system is entirely immune to disruption. It’s a harsh reality, but one we need to face head-on. Here’s how the recent outage affected businesses and, most importantly, some essential tips to ensure your operations remain resilient. Read on to safeguard your company’s digital future.

Crowdstrike Global Outage Event

On July 19, 2024, CrowdStrike released an update for its Falcon Sensor software. The update caused a significant global IT outage, crashing millions of Windows computers and displaying what you might otherwise know as the “Blue Screen of Death.”

Around 8.5 million systems worldwide were affected. The outage interrupted businesses of all kinds, including airlines, healthcare, banks, and more. Here are a few examples of the disruption the outage caused.

Airlines

At LaGuardia Airport, the outage caused their baggage handling system to fail, causing significant delays and widespread operational disarray. Wait times were extensive, and many passengers missed their flights.

Delta Airlines was the largest airline affected by the outage. The company had to reset over 40,000 servers and manually cancel 5,000 flights, losing over 500 million dollars in revenue.

Healthcare

Hospitals like the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and Mass General Brigham faced system crashes that affected patient care and administrative functions. Electronic health records went offline, delaying medical procedures and patient admissions. The estimated financial impact on the healthcare sector alone was around $1.94 billion.

Banking

Financial institutions like JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America suffered considerable downtime. Transactions, online banking services, and customer support were affected. The inability to process anything led to customer dissatisfaction and financial losses. The estimated impact on the banking sector contributed heavily to the global economic damage totaling at least $10 billion.

Preventing Digital Disruption in Your Business

The CrowdStrike global outage underscored the importance of being prepared for the unexpected. While such events may be rare, businesses should understand that no service is exempt from disruption. But don’t panic. You can use the practices below to reduce any impact should an incident like the CrowdStrike outage ever happen. 

Have a Strong Incident Response Plan

A well-structured Incident Response Plan (IRP) is crucial for navigating outages. For many businesses, the CrowdStrike outage was a wake-up call about the importance of having a detailed IRP. Most organizations now have plans for cyber threats but remain unprepared for a service outage.

Organizations need well-defined and practiced IRPs. An effective IRP ensures faster recovery and coordinated actions during outages.

A proper incident response plan should have the following components:

• The organization’s incident response strategy and how it supports business objectives
• Roles and responsibilities involved in incident response
• Procedures for each phase of the incident response process
• Communication procedures within the incident response team, with the rest of the organization, and external stakeholders
• How to learn from previous incidents to improve the organization’s security posture

Without a solid IRP, chaos can arise when essential tools and services go down. Time is so critical in these kinds of situations. Companies that don’t respond to incidents fast often face increased downtime and direct revenue loss.

According to a SANS report, companies without a proper IRP take 54 percent longer to contain incidents that cause downtime. Additionally, a study from Ponemom Institute found that organizations without an effective IRP team experienced 54 percent more downtime compared to those with one.

Having an IRP in place is crucial, but the second most important aspect is testing it often! This ensures that the plan is effective, team members are familiar with their roles, and potential gaps are identified before an actual incident occurs.

Practicing the IRP should be done annually or after a major change to your process. Planning and organization are the only ways to mitigate significant disruption. It’s always best to be prepared for the worst!

Review Your Software Deployment Practices

Deploying new software can be a very complex process, especially when it is dependent on other applications or systems. The CrowdStrike global outage was caused directly by this issue, as it was dependent on the Windows operating system.

Here are some best practices for establishing an effective deployment process.

Develop a Patch Management Policy

Define a comprehensive policy that details the procedure for managing patches, specifying roles, responsibilities, and schedules.

Inventory Assets

Keep an updated inventory of all hardware and software assets that need patching.

Prioritize Patches

Assess and schedule patches based on the severity of vulnerabilities and the importance of the systems they impact.

Before deploying patches to production environments, test them in a controlled setting. This way, you can be sure they won’t cause any issues.

Automate Patch Deployment

Automated tools are excellent for streamlining the patch deployment process. This can reduce the risk of human error and ensure timely updates.

Monitor and Audit

Continuously track the patching process and audit patch deployments to ensure compliance and effectiveness.

Have a Rollback Plan

Have a rollback plan in place. This allows you to revert to a previous state should a patch cause problems.

Keep a Vendor Patch Schedules

Stay informed about each vendor’s patch release schedule to plan and prepare for upcoming updates.

Document Everything

Keep detailed records of all patching activities, including what was patched, when, and by whom.

Assess Your Vendor Relationships

Periodic assessment of third-party vendors is necessary to ensure resilience.  The CrowdStrike outage has prompted many organizations to reconsider their vendors. Businesses should assess vendor relationships to confirm they meet the organization’s risk tolerance and operational needs.

Scheduling annual assessments can help keep this task from being forgotten. Assessments should include one for vendor risk and a security questionnaire.

Vendor Risk Assessment

This assessment evaluates the potential risks that the vendor may introduce to your organization. This includes understanding the vendor’s operations, data handling practices, and risk profile.

Security Questionnaire

This should be comprehensive and help you understand the vendor’s security policies, practices, and standards. Topics may include encryption, incident response, access controls, and employee security training.

Consider Diversification

Companies may wish to review their diversification processes when relying on critical software to run their operations. As highlighted by the CrowdStrike outage, over-dependence on a single software solution can expose the business to significant risks. This can include operational disruptions due to software failures, security vulnerabilities, or vendor instability.

Software diversification helps you not be reliant on one system. This can provide contingency options and flexibility in the face of unexpected challenges. By incorporating several complementary software tools or services, companies can enhance resilience, maintain business continuity, and mitigate potential risks.

Building Digital Resilience in the Face of Uncertainty

While incidents like the CrowdStrike outage can be rare, their impact can be severe. The unpredictability of such events can be scary, but with these proactive practices, there’s little to fear. Remember, a resilient business is a prepared business. By taking these steps, you can protect your operations and buckle in for a smooth ride in the digital landscape.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Willy Rojas

Engineer II, Infrastructure

Willy has been with Trinity Logistics for eight years. He’s held several other IT positions while here, starting as a Service Desk Intern to Senior Service Desk, IT Systems Administrator II, and Infrastructure Engineer II. Willy finds cybersecurity fascinating because it’s often changing and giving him something new to learn. He also finds satisfaction in knowing that the work he does every day is important, from keeping confidential information secure to keeping business operations running smoothly.  

Dustin O’Bier

Manager, Infrastructure

Dustin has been working at Trinity for 21 years. Previous positions he’s held include Help Desk Specialist, System Administrator I, Senior System Administrator, and IT Systems Manager. Dustin enjoys the collaborative aspect of his role. He loves working alongside a team of people to solve complex problems. Dustin’s main focuses as Manager in Infrastructure cover three distinct aspects; the Core Infrastructure of the Regional Service Centers (RSCs), Security, and the company’s Cloud practice. He finds each focus brings a unique set of challenges, making his role dynamic and engaging.

Trinity Logistics, a leading third-party logistics provider (3PL), is thrilled to share that its Technology Team has been recognized as one of the Top 10 Technology Teams by OnConferences. This prestigious award honors organizations that have demonstrated exceptional innovation, technical expertise, and a commitment to delivering leading solutions. 

Trinity’s Technology Team plays a vital role in supporting the company’s operations and delivering exceptional service to its clients. The Team is responsible for developing and implementing cutting-edge technology solutions that enhance efficiency, improve customer service, and drive growth. 

“The Trinity Technology Team continues to deliver innovative solutions driving business outcomes and effectively supporting our Team Members,” said Russ Felker, Chief Technology Officer at Trinity Logistics. “From cybersecurity to integrations to data availability to custom development, they consistently provide exemplary service and support for Team Trinity and its partners.” 

OnConferences is a leading provider of educational conferences and networking opportunities for professionals across many industries. Its Top 10 Technology Teams award is determined through peer and community voting. Voters are instructed to select teams that they have seen make a significant impact on their own organization or within the broader industry, contribute to their professional community through thought leadership, drive innovation, and demonstrate exceptional leadership. 

Trinity’s Technology Team and their dedication to excellence, innovative practices, and leadership have set them apart as a top-performing team. The Team has made remarkable achievements like a full migration to the cloud in only eight months, multiple new customer and vendor integrations, improved and differentiated functionality within Trinity’s custom Transportation Management System (TMS), and increased data availability for Team Members and the company’s Agent partners. These accomplishments helped them stand out from the rest of the submissions, distinguishing them as an outstanding Team.   

Trinity Logistics is committed to investing in purposeful technology and great talent to ensure its respected culture and exceptional service stay at the forefront of its continued success. As the company continues to grow and evolve, this recognition serves as a testament to that ongoing promise. 

About Trinity Logistics

Trinity Logistics is a Burris Logistics Company, offering People-Centric Freight Solutions®. Our mission is to deliver creative logistics solutions through a mix of human ingenuity and innovative technology, enriching the lives of those we serve. 

For the past 45 years, we’ve been arranging freight for businesses of all sizes in truckload, less-than-truckload (LTL), warehousing, intermodal, drayage, expedited, international, and technology solutions.

We are currently recognized as a Top Freight Brokerage by Transport Topics, a Green Supply Chain Partner by Inbound Logistics, and a Top Company for Women to Work for in Transportation by the Women in Trucking Association.

About OnConferences

OnConferences is a leading organization that connects top professionals across various industries, promoting collaboration, innovation, and thought leadership. Through conferences, awards, and networking opportunities, OnConferences provides a platform for executives and organizations to exchange insights, fostering growth and development within their respective fields.  

Artificial Intelligence (AI). You see it mentioned all over the news headlines. You overhear your coworkers discussing it in the breakroom. Even your family members bring it up at get-togethers.

Much like when the internet first came to be, people are both amazed and uncertain about it. I often hear and see the same questions come up. What is the history of AI? When did it start? What exactly is AI? Is it just ChatGPT? What kinds of AI are there? Will AI take my job from me? Will AI take over the human race? (Definitely no to the last one!)

As someone who works in the technology field, I’d love to answer those exact questions for you and share some of my own thoughts on AI. 

What is Artificial Intelligence?

Let’s answer this question first. Artificial intelligence is the science of making machines think, process, and create like humans. It has become a term applied to applications that can perform tasks a human could do, like analyzing data or replying to customers online. 

The History of Artificial Intelligence 

You might be surprised to learn that AI has existed for a while. 

1950s

The Start of AI 

The first application of artificial intelligence was the Turing Test. In 1950, Alan Turing tested a machine’s ability to exhibit behavior equal to a human. The test was widely influential and believed to be the start of AI.  

In 1956, “Artificial Intelligence” was officially coined by John McCarthy, Marvin Minsky, Nathaniel Rochester, and Claude Shannon at the Dartmouth Conference. The conference is seen as the founding event of AI. 

1960s

Early Research and Optimism 

Early AI programs began to develop during this time. Computer scientists and researchers eagerly explored methods to create intelligent machines and programs.

Joseph Weizenbaum created ELIZA, a natural language processing program to explore communication between people and machines. Later, Terry Winograd created  SHRDLU, a program that understood language in a restricted environment. 

1970s

The AI Winter 

Early enthusiasm from the 1950s and 1960s fell due to limited computational power and unrealistic expectations. There was a significant decline in interest and funding for AI, so projects fell by the wayside. You’ll often see this time in history called the “AI Winter.”

1980s

Expert Systems Bring Renewed Interest 

Despite the slowdown, some projects continued, albeit with slow progress. Expert systems, designed to mimic human decision-making abilities, developed and were a turning point in AI. These systems proved that AI could be used and beneficial in businesses and industries. Many commercial fields, such as medicine and finance, began using expert systems. 

1990s

Machine Learning and Real-World Applications 

Here’s where AI started gaining momentum. During this time, we shifted from rule-based systems to Machine Learning. Machine Learning is just that – a machine or program that can learn from data. We see a lot of Machine Learning in today’s applications, like self-driving cars or facial recognition.

Machine Learning developed so well that in 1997, IBM’s Deep Blue became the first computer system to defeat world chess champion Gary Kasparov. This moment showcased AI’s potential for complex problem-solving and ability to think like a person. 

2000s

Big Data Offers AI Advancements

Up until now, AI was limited by the amount and quality of data it could train and test with Machine Learning. In the 2000s, big data came into play, giving AI access to massive amounts of data from various sources. Machine Learning had more information to train on, increasing its capability to learn complex patterns and make accurate predictions. 

Additionally, as advances made in data storage and processing technologies led to the development of more sophisticated Machine Learning algorithms, like Deep Learning. 

2010s

Breakthroughs With Deep Learning 

Deep Learning was a breakthrough in the current modernization of AI. It enabled machines to learn from large datasets and make predictions or decisions based on that. It’s made significant breakthroughs in various fields and can perform such tasks like classifying images.

In 2012,  AlexNet won, no dominated, the ImageNet Large Scale Visual Recognition Challenge. This significant event was the first widely recognized successful application of Deep Learning. 

In 2016 Google’s AlphaGo AI played a game of Go against world champion Lee Se-dol and won. Shocked, Se-dol said AlphaGo played a “nearly perfect game.” Creator DeepMind said the machine studied older games and spent a lot of time playing the game, over and over, each time learning from its mistakes and getting better. A notable moment in history, demonstrating the power of reinforcement learning with AI. 

2020s

Generative AI

Today’s largest and known impact is Generative AI, able to create new things based on previous data. There’s been a widespread adoption of Generative AI, including in writing, music, photography, even video. We’re also beginning to see AI across industries, from healthcare and finance to autonomous vehicles.

Common Forms of AI

Computer Vision

Computer Vision is a field of AI that enables machines to interpret and make decisions based on visual data. It involves acquiring, processing, analyzing, and understanding images and data to produce numerical or symbolic information. Common applications include facial recognition, object detection, medical image analysis, and autonomous vehicles. 

Honestly, Computer Vision is my favorite field of AI. I’ve had the opportunity to work on some extremely interesting use cases of Computer Vision. One was using augmented reality lenses (like virtual reality goggles) to train combat medics using Computer Vision. The Computer Vision with augmented reality added a level of realism to the virtual training, which used to be unattainable. While I would love to go into further detail about what the AI looked like, I signed a non-disclosure agreement. You’ll just have to take my word that it was really cool! 

Machine Learning (ML) 

Machine Learning is a subset of AI that allows computers to learn from and make predictions or decisions based on data. It encompasses a variety of techniques such as supervised learning, unsupervised learning, reinforcement learning, and semi-supervised learning. Common applications range from recommendation systems (like Netflix), fraud detection, predictive analytics, and personalization. 

Deep Learning 

Deep Learning is a subset of machine learning. It involves neural networks with many layers (deep neural networks) that can learn from large amounts of data. It enables machines to learn features and representations from raw data automatically. Key components include convolutional neural networks (CNNs), recurrent neural networks (RNNs), and generative adversarial networks (GANs).

Natural Language Processing (NLP) 

Natural Language Processing (NLP) is a branch of AI that focuses on the interaction between computers and humans through natural language. It enables machines to understand, interpret, generate, and respond to human language. Common applications include machine translation, sentiment analysis, chatbots, and speech recognition.

Generative AI / ChatGPT 

Generative AI refers to AI models that can generate new data like the data its trained on. This includes text, images, music, and more. ChatGPT, a specific (and well known) application of Generative AI, is a language model developed by OpenAI that can generate human-like text based on the input it receives. It uses Deep Learning techniques to produce coherent and contextually relevant responses, making it useful for applications like conversational agents, content creation, and more.

AI is Awesome BUT It Has Some Setbacks 

Don’t Worry, AI is Not Going to Take Away Your Job

Artificial intelligence has some great benefits, like processing and analyzing data in minutes, but it’s not perfect. It’s still not HUMAN, it’s not you, and that is exactly why it won’t replace you in your job. 

Take a lawyer for example. AI has been known to complete the bar exam in the 90^thpercentile. Awesome, right? But that doesn’t mean AI is going to perform better than an actual lawyer in a case. It just means the AI is better at answering the test because of its training with the text.

AI is very good and fast at anything with text, but it’s terrible at motor functions and mimicking a person in a non-scripted environment. Like with Generative AI – at some point I know you’ve seen or heard something created by it and have had the thought, “This is definitely AI.”

Ethical Components

As AI continues to be adopted and widely used, I believe it needs legislation around it. For example, do people need to state they are using AI for their work? Can they still claim it’s something created by them if AI created a part or even all of it? Who gets the credit – the person or the machine?

There’s also the concern with creators being miscredited or violations with copyright. There’s been plenty of cases or news headlines in which AI has learned from artists and essentially recycled their work in a slightly new form. Is that a form of stealing? 

AI Can Be Volatile

The development of AI is happening fast. Tomorrow, your current AI platform could be outdated. Things constantly change week to week. The features you might love now could be cut and replaced with something new. It can be hard for people and their own Technology Teams to keep up! And did I mention its hallucinations? Sometimes it likes to make up its own false information, so you should always doublecheck its results!

My Closing Thoughts

AI is real, it’s been here, and is both impressive and scary. It’s also very trendy to mention in any news article or headline, which is why you’re seeing it mentioned a lot. Nor, again, is it coming for your job anytime soon. While some articles may have you believe it will provide us world peace by the end of the year, it is still limited in capability. 

This is not to understate the need for legislation so that it is responsibly used, but rather, a presentation of the facts of AI’s impressive feats, and numbered flaws. It’s important to remember that while things like ChatGPT and Generative AI are newer, we have a long history of AI development, going back nearly as far as computers, and likely, further back than many of our lifetimes. 

About the Author

Michael Adams is a Data Scientist I at Trinity Logistics. Adams holds a Master’s Degree in Data Science and has worked three years in the field, including his 2 years at Trinity. In his current role he focuses on applying Data Science techniques and methodologies to solve difficult problems, using AI to improve business outcomes, and supporting Trinity’s Data Engineering initiatives to improve quality assurance, ETL processes, and data cleanliness. 

Outside of his role at Trinity, Adams has a couple of personal Computer Vision and AI projects of his own! When he’s not tinkering away at those, he enjoys being outdoors, either hiking or kayaking! 

Optimized load planning is fundamental to improving your service and revenue.

Could your company be wasting money on a logistics strategy that doesn’t work? Efficient load planning is more critical than ever and a key performance area for any supply chain. Ideally, you want to be able to move your product to your customers while maintaining desired service levels in the most efficient way. Logistics optimization strategies such as improving your load planning processes can be an effective way to reduce freight costs by as much as 10 to 40 percent.

While this sounds great, load planning can be a very manual and time-consuming process. A transportation management system (TMS), specifically one that includes a freight optimization tool, is one way to analyze and take your load planning process from hours of manual work to minutes through automation and technology.

COMMON LOAD PLANNING TMS MISCONCEPTIONS

Before we dive into how a TMS can help you with your load planning, perhaps you’ve thought of one of these common misconceptions.

A TMS Optimizes on Its Own

First off, not all TMS platforms are the same. Some may not even offer load planning tools. It’s also important to see what kind of support is offered, as having an expert available can help provide you with more insight than the software alone.

The Optimized Load Plan Will Be Perfect Every Time

Technology is a great tool to make your logistics processes more efficient. The word to remember here is “tool”. Even a TMS with a freight optimization tool can overlook certain opportunities for freight consolidation, so it’s important to always treat your transportation technology as an aid to your load planning process and not as a full replacement for it.  

BENEFITS OF OPTIMIZED LOAD PLANNING

• Cost Savings
• Higher profitability
• Improved logistics performance
• Improved logistics collaboration
• Improved customer service

HOW A TMS HELPS OPTIMIZE YOUR LOAD PLANNING

A TMS is a powerful tool for optimizing your load planning. A TMS provides you visibility into your entire logistics process. This allows you to monitor performance and create efficient plans. It helps you with your forecasting and planning so you can find cost-saving options. A TMS can help give you a clearer picture of your entire freight network by housing all your transportation information in one system.

Now, there is a lot of transportation management software out there. To gain the most benefit for your load planning process, you’ll want to make sure you select one with a freight optimization tool.

WHY WOULD I NEED A FREIGHT OPTIMIZATION TOOL?

Anyone who has gone through the process of figuring out how to reduce shipping costs for each of their loads knows how much of a pain it can truly be. The process starts with tracking down all your open shipments, deciding what loads should be moved together, and then building, rating, and tendering those loads manually. For those who have not implemented a TMS, this is usually done with paper and pencil or an Excel spreadsheet.

Many factors go into optimizing shipments, including the number of pallets and weight of each shipment (taking trailer size into consideration), delivery availability for locations, and special services needed.

Perhaps one of the most important dynamics of building a shipment is delivery deadlines. It’s imperative to take note of whether a truck can deliver to single or multiple locations and arrive on time, factoring in the drivers’ hours of service (HOS) and loading and unloading times.

In sum, it’s a like a complex jigsaw puzzle made up of your freight, and trying to figure it out alone can be difficult.

HOW CAN A FREIGHT OPTIMIZATION TOOL HELP ME?

The freight optimization tool in a TMS will take your list of open shipments and consolidate them into loads based on the criteria specified by you. The software’s criteria encompass ship and delivery date flexibility, maximum weight per shipment, the maximum number of pieces, the number of picks and drops, driver hours, and more.

You’re also able to choose which carriers you want to include for consideration. Once these parameters are set and the optimizer has been run, you also have the capability to auto-create loads in the TMS based on the optimizer’s results.

The optimizer tool accomplishes in minutes what usually takes a person hours to calculate and configure, with the likelihood of saving money in the meantime. The top benefits here translate to both time and money saved. Gone are the days of sitting at your desk for hours with a calculator and a headache.

In summary, our TMS (and other similar products) allow you to enter all your shipments, whether it’s 20 or 1000, and will automatically calculate the most efficient way to route your shipments by combining smaller shipments into multi-drop truckloads, keeping other shipments separate, and configuring the way it all gets routed across the country. The results of the freight optimization tool include the reported cost savings and a detailed report of the loads proposed.

START OPTIMIZING YOUR LOAD PLANNING WITH TRINITY’S TMS

Logistics optimization never ends. It is a continuous process only limited by your time, technology, and commitment to improvement. And ensuring your company has access to a best-in-class TMS is the key to starting that process and finding efficiencies.

Discover how Trinity’s TMS, including its freight optimization tool, can improve your logistics processes, like load planning, helping you offer better customer service and reduce costs while increasing revenue.

Optimizing your logistics can make all the difference in your business’s bottom line. However, to fully understand your logistics processes you need to look at your logistics analytics.

To start, you’ll need access to the right technology. One such piece of technology is a transportation management system (TMS). A TMS is an excellent investment and according to Logistics Management Magazine, has been shown to reduce transportation costs by up to 30 percent.

Not interested in reading? Find out these priceless tips on improving your logistics processes.

To get the most out of a TMS and your logistics, you’ve got to know what you should be watching. All the data a TMS provides can be overwhelming and the possibilities of what you could analyze are endless. Ultimately, sifting through that data can be complex and time-consuming. So, to make things easier for you, our Team of TMS experts found the top 5 reports you should be running so you can see your best return on investment (ROI).

TOP 5 LOGISTICS REPORTS YOU NEED

• Freight Accruals
• Cost Allocation
• Carrier Scorecard
• Least Cost Carriers
• Power Lanes

Getting the data you need for a good overview of your logistics processes doesn’t need to be complicated. These reports should give you a broad view of logistics analytics to help you reach your KPIs.

Freight Accruals

Freight accruals is a report used to keep track of the costs associated with transporting your goods to a customer. These costs begin accruing from the moment the goods deliver, and they get discharged once a freight invoice is paid.

Tracking freight accruals allows your company to calculate your true net revenue at any given time. As a result, you’ll gain a better insight into any outstanding balances accumulated during a specific timeframe, whenever you may need it.

Cost Allocation

A cost allocation report breaks down your freight charges by a mile, pound, or SKU.

For any multi-stop loads, or loads made up of many POs, freight charges can be allocated to each order based on the percentage of distance, weight, or quantity the individual order contributed to the whole. Therefore, tracking your cost allocations will give your company a better look into the true cost of transporting your goods. You can then use this report to identify your most costly SKUs or lanes.

Carrier Scorecard

Carrier scorecard reporting helps you track a carrier’s performance. This will show data such as tender acceptance, on-time pickups, and on-time deliveries.

A carrier scorecard report can help you find which carriers are meeting your transportation needs and which are causing extra work. For example, carriers who bid low on a request-for-proposal (RFP), proceed to decline tenders, or provide poor service can cost your company. Without knowing how your selected motor carriers are doing, you could be facing thousands of dollars in extra expenses or, worse yet, lose customers.

By tracking your carriers’ performance, you can reevaluate your routing guide by selecting more reliable carriers on trouble lanes, improving both your costs and customer service. Additionally, this can help you set solid KPIs with your relationship carriers so you can better communicate your needs.

Least Cost Carriers

Least cost carrier reporting helps you identify loads where the carrier with the lowest cost didn’t haul the freight, the reason why, and the extra freight charges that occurred as a result.

This logistics report can help your company identify potential problem areas, resolve the underlying issues, and prevent unnecessary expenses from occurring in the future. If you’re looking to cut freight costs, this report clarifies where your missed opportunities are located.

Since cost isn’t the only factor when selecting a carrier, this report can also help you identify carriers that get repeatedly passed over despite offering lower rates. Therefore, these carriers provide you with the opportunity to work with them on a service-level agreement before you award business solely based on cost.

Power Lanes

Power lane reporting identifies new lanes and provides a benchmark for negotiating contracted rates with carriers.

You can identify a new lane as an origin-destination pairing that occurs a set number of times. Once a new lane is identified, the spot market rates paid to move that lane get broken down by load, mileage, pound, and more. This helps you have a point of reference when negotiating rates with carriers.

Identifying power lanes will help you secure fixed rates and better predict future freight costs.

Note: Most transportation management software products have the ability to run the five reports listed above. If you’re missing out on these exclusive reports, or you’re interested in a TMS for your supply chain, request a special demo with our logistics experts, who can help assess your needs!

MAKE LOGISTICS ANALYTICS MEANINGFUL

The logistics part of your business is complex and dynamic. There are lots of moving parts with many potential bottlenecks, so it’s important the metrics you report on are meaningful.

The right logistics analytics will help you measure performance, optimize routes, and streamline functions. Without the proper data, your business growth will be stagnant. There’s no way to know what needs to be changed if you don’t have visibility.

Additionally, unfound inefficiencies can impact your customer service and carrier relationships and can lead to lost sales and higher costs. Having the right logistics analytics can be one of your most powerful tools and make a big difference in your everyday business activities.

START LEVERAGING YOUR LOGISTICS ANALYTICS

According to research, 93 percent of shippers believe logistics analytics are critical to making intelligent decisions. And 71 percent believe that data improves quality and performance. Yet, too many businesses continue to use manual, time-consuming processes to analyze their logistics.

Take advantage of logistics technology and innovative logistics analytics so you can find actionable insights with the right reporting. And if you need help with your logistics analytics, we can help.

Start hitting that easy button because a TMS with Trinity can make tracking your logistics data a breeze. Not only do we understand everyone’s needs are different and offer customized solutions, but you also have the option of as much or little support from our superusers as you want.

And if you’re looking for expert advice based on your logistics analytics, Trinity offers Quarterly Business Reviews so we can help you find efficiencies.

So what are you waiting for? Let’s get connected and see how we can optimize your processes.

When one hears “supply chain,” typically they first think of the physical components; the raw materials needed by a specific time for manufacturers or finished products to retail stores. The digital parts of supply chains work in a similar fashion. Cyber supply chains focus on keeping the physical aspects of business moving using applications, information systems, or digital vendors. And so, cyber supply chain risk management is crucial for business continuity.

Without addressing cyber supply chain risk management in an intentional and thoughtful manner, the industry will continue to remain susceptible to further disruption. Publicized breaches are the tip of the cyber-impact iceberg. Attacks occur with such frequency, and via many attack vectors, that a breach is occurring or imminent in any network or system.

According to the annual X-Force Threat Intelligence Index, manufacturing and other suppliers suffered nearly a quarter of the cyber attacks in 2021. Amidst the disruption faced by the pandemic, these attacks only further distressed supply chains. However, with a cyber supply chain risk management plan in place, companies can focus on reducing the frequency and impact of such events.

WHAT IS CYBER SUPPLY CHAIN RISK MANAGEMENT (C-SCRM)?

Cyber Supply Chain Risk Management (C-SCRM) is the process of ensuring the integrity of your supply chain’s supporting systems and data. This includes identifying, assessing, and mitigating the risk associated with the interconnected nature of information technology and service supply chains. Since cyber supply chain risk can be compromised at any point where technology is leveraged, C-SCRM applies to both hardware and software and covers the entire life cycle of those systems.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

C-SCRM is Not Just an IT Problem

Cyber security for businesses isn’t quite that separate from physical security. The digital aspects of supply chains touch all parts of an organization, so C-SCRM should too. Cyber security risks can come from many different places such as physical sabotage or most commonly, human error via social engineering. Don’t make the mistake of thinking C-SCRM is the sole responsibility of the IT department. Whether physical or digital, security is part of everyone’s job.

Know Your Risks and Threats

If you don’t know your cyber security risks, it’s hard to have planned countermeasures for cyber threats. First, make a list of key scenarios that might endanger your cyber supply chain. Some common risks are integration loss, phishing attempts, malware, and hacking. Once you’ve created a complete list of risks, work through the most likely and highest impact scenarios first. Then, create plans to prevent and mitigate risk should a successful breach take place.

Assume a Breach Will Happen

We all like to think a breach will never happen, but these days it’s not if but when. Assuming a breach will happen allows you to better assess the impact of one on your system. Once you understand how affected you could be, you’ll better understand how to mitigate the effect of one.

Track the Links in Your Supply Chain

Working with third parties removes some of the control you have for cyber supply chain risk management. And static monitoring isn’t enough to keep your data and networks in your supply chain safe. Static monitoring gives you a one-time snapshot of their controls, but what about tomorrow or next week? Cyber supply chains aren’t static, so your monitoring shouldn’t be either. Many organizations assume they’re secure once they’ve implemented a cyber supply chain risk management framework, but it doesn’t stop there. Continued tracking is the most efficient way to ensure your data is always protected.

WHAT COMPANIES SHOULD FOCUS ON TO REDUCE CYBER ATTACKS

Network and System Hygiene

Cyber supply chain risk management starts with the management of the components making up the networks and systems of each link in the chain. Much of what supply chains need is straightforward hygiene. This includes updating older components, ensuring patching is consistent and comprehensive, and tighter controls on the use of open-source software to understand and mitigate any potential vulnerabilities.

What is the magical tool needed to affect this, you ask? It’s time. IT departments need enough staff to allow for time spent in this area. Many companies have grown to have some degree of heterogeneous systems and networks in place. Additionally, there’s been a recent move to remote and hybrid work styles. These recent changes have caused IT departments to need more team members to strengthen cyber security.

Monthly manual work is needed to ensure updates are completed and patches are deployed. Making it easier to perform this work involves homogenizing the environment. It’s an investment that can lead to improved cyber security for an organization.

Securely Transform

Digital transformation has been a staple in the changing work environment over the last two years. But those changes are a breeding ground for potential vulnerabilities.

Every digital transformation is a security event. This includes events like moving processes to the cloud or leveraging automation. Understanding the changes introduced in any digital environment is critical to defending your digital borders and reducing the blast radius if a successful breach occurs.

Ensuring the understanding of how new technologies connect to systems, how users interact, and how data flows is key to reducing the impact of the inevitable cyber-attack.

Beyond Logs

Logging security and other events are table stakes these days. But it’s only useful if observation and understanding are applied to those logs.

Based on the number of systems and infrastructure in use today at even a smaller organization, the manual survey of logs can no longer count as observation. This is due to the number of differences between various software and hardware providers.

Having a solution or partner in place to intake and analyze logs is more critical now than it ever has been.

The second need is the ability to understand it all. The trick is that it’s not about understanding one individual log. It’s about understanding them both alone and as they relate to one another. Again, this greater depth of understanding is where a solution or partner comes into play. Understanding allows for the identification of any anomalies so you can act upon them quickly and decisively.

CYBERSECURITY IS A PEOPLE, PROCESS, AND TECHNOLOGY PROBLEM

These cybersecurity steps are critical to keeping your data safe and establishing your business as a reliable supply chain partner. Successful attacks will continue to occur, but if you have the right team, solutions, and partners, your business can be more secure among cyber supply chain risks.

Cybersecurity is a people, process, and technology problem, so make sure to ally yourself with some of the good guys, like Trinity Logistics. We work with all our partners to understand and address potential supply chain risks, providing you with the technology and data you need while maintaining optimal cyber security. Our Technology Team is knowledgeable and experienced in cyber supply chain risk management, consistently working to keep our and your data secure. 

Oversized shipping can take a lot of work. Since oversized shipments require extra handling and planning, it’s easy to run into some challenges with them. In this blog, we’ll cover the top five challenges that come with oversized shipping and solutions, so you’ll know how to overcome them.  

• Oversized Shipping Challenge 1: Late or Lost Freight 
• Oversized Shipping Challenge 2: Meeting Regulations 
• Oversized Shipping Challenge 3: Finding the Right Carrier and Equipment 
• Oversized Shipping Challenge 4: Safety 
• Oversized Shipping Challenge 5: Lack of Communication Among Partners 

Oversized Shipping Challenge 1: Late or Lost Freight 

The construction and manufacturing industry is one that relies on oversized shipping. This industry has tight schedules to meet to keep their projects moving. This is why professionals, such as construction project managers are responsible for coordinating shipments of equipment or material to and from job sites. When planning, transit and arrival times must be clear and transparent to coordinate labor and proper personnel to be onsite when deliveries arrive.  

Because freight must arrive at the right time and place, it’s important not to fall behind or incur additional labor costs. Project managers also often juggle multiple projects, and without the right processes in place, this can become overwhelming. Too often, project managers receive too late notice on delayed freight causing them to have to push back their project schedule. Additionally, at times shipments somehow don’t reach their delivery location or may arrive at the wrong one.  

Your Solution: Use Logistics Technology for Visibility 

Adopting logistics technology will allow you to easily track all your shipments, no matter how many projects you must manage. There are many logistics technologies options you can choose from for visibility. For example, a Transportation Management System allows you to not only receive tracking notifications, but automatically share them with you external partners. Additionally, you can use outside tracking vendors such as Fourkites or TruckerTools. 

While searching for the right technology for your company’s needs can be daunting, consider working with a third-party logistics provider (3PL), like Trinity. It can be less costly to access the technology you need through them, and you’ll have experts on your side to help you. 

Oversized Shipping Challenge 2: Meeting Regulations 

Drivers hauling any load that exceeds legal limits in weight or size MUS get a permit for the state they are traveling through. If an oversized shipment travels through multiple states, that may mean multiple permits, or else it can result in fines.  

Oversized shipments may also require pilot cars and/or police escorts depending on the characteristics of the load and states they travel through. Both permit and escort regulations vary by state, and depending on what is needed, the processing time could take several hours or days to obtain. As a result, planning shipments and making sure guidelines are adhered to can be both frustrating and time-consuming.  

Solution: Simplify your workload by outsourcing 

Take the weight off your shoulders and let someone else handle the logistics. Outsourcing opens up your schedule so you can focus on what you do best. But, don’t just outsource to anyone. Instead, make sure to choose a logistics provider who understands your freight’s regulations and has experience in doing so.   

Oversized Shipping Challenge 3: Finding the Right Carrier and Equipment 

Besides meeting legal regulations, oversized freight needs the right equipment and carrier to move it, at the right price for your budget. Sometimes that can be tough to find on your own, especially when capacity is tight.  

Solution: Make Use of a 3PL’s Network 

What’s another reason to consider outsourcing? Using a 3PL means you’ll have the advantage of their vast carrier network. A 3PL’s sole service is logistics, so they need relationships with carriers to move freight. A quality 3PL will often have an extensive carrier network with a nationwide presence.  

Oversized Shipping Challenge 4: Safety 

Safety equipment for oversized shipments includes warning signs, flags, and lights to give visibility to other drivers of the oversized load and its edges. Rules and regulations vary again by state. Additionally, there is proper tarping, strapping, and securement of your freight on the truck that is needed. Loose cargo that falls off can cause traffic problems and has the potential to be deadly or hurt someone. Making sure the right materials are used to tie down the freight and make it visible to everyone is important.  

Solution: Make Sure Who You Work with Has Experience 

You don’t want just anyone moving freight: you want the best. Unfortunately, it can take a lot of your tome to find the best carrier to safely move your shipments. 3PL’s have experience working with carriers and have built relationships over time with ones who provide the best service. We properly vet our carriers during the shipment selection so that we can guarantee your freight will arrive at its destination safely.  

Oversized Shipping Challenge 5: Lack of Communication Among Partners 

Too often, there will be lack of communication between shipper, receiver, and carriers. It could be a lack of communication about a needed permit and who has to get it, or about the proper equipment that is needed to unload at the receiver. This can lead to frustrated parties and delays in a project. 

Solution: Gain Help with Managing your Logistics 

A 3PL can be described as the middleman between customer and carrier. We help manage your logistics so jobs run smoothly, and you can focus on other aspects of your business.  

At Trinity, we pride ourselves on proper and extensive communication before, during, and after a shipment. If making use of a TMS, you can choose how extensive you want to integrate the technology with your supply chain, allowing both you and your external partners more visibility and coordination with your shipments. This allows everyone the ability to stay connected and up to date. 

It seems like many of oversized shipping challenges can be solved by selecting to work with a 3PL. of course, you can choose to try to solve them all on your own manually, but why not save the time and consult an expert, like Trinity, for help? We offer you a range of services and technology to make your workload easier. We’ve been in the business forever 40 years and take pride in what we do – solving complex logistics problems for companies like you.  

By: Christine Morris