Visibility has become something of an industry hot topic over the past few years, and why wouldn’t it be? In terms of operational efficiency, visibility is an absolute necessity. It creates the necessary macro view of the supply chain that allows organizations to see the big picture to see where their supply chains need the most help. With the increased availability of better and more sophisticated technology, visibility is starting to become less of a conversation topic and more of an actionable item.
However, there is another incredible benefit to increasing supply chain visibility that doesn’t get the level of attention it deserves, and that is what increased visibility adds to the customer experience.
Recently, Turvo was invited back to the Logistics of Logistics Podcast with Host Joe Lynch to talk about that very topic. Our very own Ron Richardson, Turvo’s Chief Revenue Officer, spoke with Joe about Visibility 2.0 and how it’s accelerating the customer experience.
Understanding the Evolution of Visibility
The advent of e-commerce and Amazon have forever altered the landscape of customer expectations. Instant gratification has become the norm which has given rise to the most common question in the logistics industry “where is my freight?”
Fortunately, freight and shipment visibility has improved significantly over the past decade. Much of this is due to the use of Transportation Management Systems (TMS), which has brought organizations past relying on manual processes such as excel spreadsheets. While this began to improve the process, the supply chain was still limited as it didn’t include the most crucial component of any supply chain, the driver.
The next step in the visibility evolution was bringing drivers into the fold. Technology firms began to work on connectivity apps for drivers that would incorporate them into the visibility platform and allow for richer, more accurate data to be collected and implemented. However, this was met with limited success as not every driver wanted to download the app. Even with the mixed success, visibility is still continuing to grow.
Interestingly, it was the advent of the electronic logging device (ELD) that really brought the trucking aspect of logistics into clearer focus. When the devices became mandatory, freight tech firms added tracking technology to trucks in ensure compliance which also brought about a higher degree of visibility.
The Importance of Visibility 2.0
Over the past few years, organizations began to increase their visibility to extend throughout the span of their direct operations, which is a decided improvement from what it was, but it still wasn’t enough. Supply chain managers and logisticians needed a true end-to-end visibility option as well as the ability to collaborate with their partners and vendors. What visibility evolution began Turvo, and Visibility 2.0 revolution expands.
Communication and collaboration are the keys to unlocking the true potential of the supply chain, which, in the end, is all to better serve the customer. Given how technology has become ingrained in modern society, it stands to reason that the customer experience is increasingly reliant on technology platforms, which is why next-generation TMS providers like Turvo are so important. It’s not just the collaborative capabilities; although those are crucial, it’s the focus on the customer experience.
Typically speaking, when we think customers, we’re thinking consumers. However, customers in a supply chain span plenty of organizations and incorporate a vast number of B2B interactions. With younger generations taking the helm, software platforms need a smooth, user-friendly, and intuitive interface. Moreover, these systems need to be able to mesh and integrate seamlessly with legacy or other extent ERP systems to provide an easy transition into a new platform. That alone has been a stymie point for visibility technology for some time.
Turvo focuses on a partner-first philosophy, which means that Turvo’s collaborative TMS is designed to work seamlessly with other freight tech companies to provide a truly comprehensive visibility solution to their customers, bringing their experience to the next level.
About Turvo
Turvo is the world’s first multi-enterprise collaborative platform specifically designed for the global supply chain. The Turvo platform connects people and organizations across the supply chain, allowing shippers, logistics providers, and carriers to digitally transform their workflows with cloud-based software and mobile applications. The technology unifies all systems, internal and external, providing one end-to-end system of record set for all operations and analytics while eliminating redundant manual tasks and automating business processes. Turvo is based in the San Francisco Bay Area with offices in Dallas, Texas, and Hyderabad, India.
