Reducing the time from dock to dock is a critical part of their competitive edge, brand promise, and a major focus of company initiatives. Managing the growing complexity of shipping data is vital for carriers that want to work with top shippers, and meeting all of a shipper’s requirements can help carriers stand out as a top choice in a competitive field.

In this blog, we’ll unpack some of the far-reaching effects that load tender response times can have and how they can be improved via the introduction of EDI .

Impact 1: Improved communication

The faster and more consistent communication is between a shipper and a carrier, the more efficiently they can work together. Processes like updating a spreadsheet, keeping notes on a whiteboard or manually logging into multiple portals can significantly slow the load tender response times. That added time means some carriers could be passed over for competitors as shippers search for the fastest options. Speeding up the flow of communication between partners can impact the overall health of a carrier’s business.

The EDI 204 (Motor Carrier Load Tender) helps bridge the gap between shipper and carrier by instantly sending clear, consistent details that are essential to the proper intake for goods as they’re transported from location to location. Using the EDI 204 to accelerate load tender response times can eliminate delays from managing the flow of goods with phone calls or faxes and has the added benefit of reducing manual processes across a carrier’s entire operational footprint.

Impact 2: Centralized access

Carrier businesses are often tasked with juggling multiple portals, logins, and passwords for each shipper. As carriers grow their business, they may find that the time it takes to log into each of these systems individually can become unmanageable across a wide network of partners and affect their relationships as response time increases. If a carrier cannot reliably handle the day-to-day logistics of connecting with partner systems, they may find their growth path limited.

However, some load tender EDI solutions, like SPS for 3PLs Transportation Solution, offer the added benefit of bringing all shipper electronic communication together under a single login, cutting down on the time it takes to coalesce requests, reports, data and details from multiple sources. Centralizing access to all shipper portals at once can prove a significant time—and cost—savings for carriers taking on a greater range of trade partners.

Impact 3: Reduced costs

Labor costs are a huge consideration for carriers, and fluctuations in the availability of OTR personnel plus the rising salaries of office-based employees have transportation businesses searching for ways to reduce bottom line expenses. The added communication efficiency afforded by the adoption of load tender EDI can help businesses cut down on extra hours, but the cost savings go beyond right-sizing carrier workforces.

Load tender EDI solutions can also be integrated with TMS software and other applications to automate operations, saving even more time as processes are completed in the background rather than requiring worker time to finish. And with paperless operations, businesses can cut down on office materials and offer more options for centralized data access, trimming dollars that can add up to significant savings over time.

Impact 4: Added visibility

Carriers that want to deliver an outstanding customer experience pay close attention to the expectations they set with their shippers, but without accurate visibility into transportation and receipt times, carrier companies can misjudge essential timeframes and sacrifice longstanding relationships. Carriers seeking to grow their business by trading with top retailers and suppliers need to be able to communicate in real time and deliver key information to partners when it matters most.

Solutions that offer real-time visibility into shipment status allow all stakeholders to check in on progress and handle any issues proactively. In turn, the added efficiency helps with the planning and scheduling of shipments, allowing carriers to maximize space, workforce and timelines—and that added efficiency is just another example of how carriers are using EDI 204 to save on costs across their entire operation.

As the supply chain grows more complex, load tender response time becomes a critical component of carrier profitability. Driving enhanced efficiency isn’t just a matter of having the right people and processes in place—but having a full-service solution that can help you deliver the requirements, the communications and the tracking that leading businesses need right now.

Want to know more about how SPS can help? See how we help 3rd party logistics companies of every variety deliver incredible customer experiences for everyone in their network.

Faster response times, more training for reps and new customer support channels like chatbots are a few ways carrier businesses have chosen to handle the challenge. Unfortunately, these methods can merely act as a bandage for underlying operational bottlenecks that compromise customer trust. Addressing common inefficiencies at the junctures where shippers interact with carriers can help streamline collaboration and elevate the customer experience beyond the call center.

Here, we’ll unpack how supply chain carriers can improve customer relationships by paying closer attention to operational friction points that can cost them time and money.

#1: Accelerated shipper onboarding

For carriers, speed and agility are core expectations of the business, and they apply to everything from operations to bringing on new customers and partners. Still, many carriers rely on manual, outdated processes that slow down the shipper onboarding process, frustrate clients and hurt the bottom line.

Onboarding is one of the first interactions shippers and carriers have in a working partnership, and a smooth experience sets the tone, builds trust and reduces churn. Plus, a seamless, rapid shipper onboarding process shortens the sales cycle and boosts customer acquisition; carriers that offer faster onboarding stand out. If a shipper has to choose between a carrier that takes months to onboard and one that takes weeks, the decision is easy.

Solutions that automate onboarding can reduce manual data entry, errors and delays — all of which eat up time and devalue the customer experience. Streamlined onboarding makes customers feel prioritized while freeing up internal teams to focus on service delivery rather than administrative firefighting. As carriers evaluate options, they should look to implement fast, repeatable, tech-enabled processes that ensure they can scale partnerships and respond to new opportunities without breaking their workflow.

#2: Consolidated customer portals

Shipper portals give carriers access to new shipment information, documents, invoices, support and more. But as carriers grow, they may find themselves using a variety of disconnected portals across services, regions or business units. That fragmentation can lead to customer experience challenges that hurt both shippers and carriers.

A single, unified portal is easier to maintain and means carriers don’t have to juggle multiple logins, interfaces or support channels. It’s easier for internal and external teams to use and provides a consistent experience, regardless of whether team members are tracking a container or paying invoices. Plus, with a single point of connection, there’s less need for redundant infrastructure and additional support staff, saving the business more money.

As they move forward, carriers should consider adopting a platform that allows them to consolidate access while also enhancing visibility and simplifying operational workflow. Combining efficient data management with other industry-forward benefits like streamlined communication and simplified load acceptance can help carrier businesses further centralize their operations for even greater gains.

#3: Revamped communication

Every shipper has unique needs, data formats, SLAs and integration preferences. While flexibility is valuable, a tangle of shipping requirements can bog down operations and increase costs. On the flip side, ineffectively managing changing requirements can lead to the breakdown of the customer relationship as a whole.

But the pressure of handling the constant demand for information on shipments can’t be ignored. As carriers grow, the manual workarounds and one-off customer setups don’t scale, placing additional demand on internal teams and introducing room for errors. Streamlining how carrier businesses handle the unique requirements of each shipper makes it easier for them to serve more customers without proportionally increasing headcount or cost.

Solutions that automate the communication of critical load data can help growing carriers stay on top of shifting customer requirements without dramatically increasing resources. This means shippers can stay informed about the goods being transported in real time while carriers simplify operational load.

Smoother shipper onboarding, single-point solutions and instant communication can help carriers create a better customer experience as they grow their business.

See how the SPS for 3PLs Transportation Solution helps carriers deliver excellence at every turn with a solution that addresses their toughest operational challenges.