As the landscape of transportation and logisticsevolves, including the need to remain agile in changing market conditions, increased customer expectations for faster shipping, and more concerted efforts to improve environmental sustainability, many supply chains are turning to supply chain visibility to obtain real-time actionable data.

For years, transportation and logistics have sought to collect better and more accurate information about their processes. Many have relied on cumbersome manual efforts that strain employees and resources and, in the end, only deliver fragments of data in silos.

Since transportation and logistics visibility emerged in the last decade, adoption has increased. Technology is rapidly becoming a critical component of supply chain strategies.

Transport and logistics visibility is no longer the best-kept secret of the supply chain.

In the past, supply chains have used transportation and logistics visibility to gain a competitive edge by providing customers with real-time information.

However, in recent years, customers expect visibility. Given that 70% of customers expect to track shipments and receive updates on delivery progress, shippers have turned to real-time visibility to help them meet the growing demands for faster, more cost-effective, and transparent delivery.

While rumors about transportation and logistics visibility have increased as major carriers use it to transform their supply chains, many are unsure of what visibility is and how it works. This introduction will describe some of the key supply chain challenges that transportation and logisticsvisibility addresses, as well as how it truly delivers results.

What Problems Does Transport and Logistics Visibility Solve?

Real-time transport visibility has become a key aspect of global supply chain strategies. In a complex industry with multiple interconnected partners and third parties, it is challenging to obtain enough information about the process to make effective decisions.

Real-time visibility creates a connective fabric within the transport ecosystem. By increasing collaboration and data-sharing relationships, companies can proactively manage short-term challenges and develop optimized long-term supply chain strategies.

Precise and Predictive Shipment Tracking

While cargo visibility offers several benefits, real-time shipment tracking is crucial. The ability to know where a shipment is at any given time and when it will arrive at its destination is essential.

While supply chains have been able to obtain information about the shipment's location in the past, it has been based on outdated and incomplete data. Getting complete, accurate, real-time data, also known as high-fidelity data, is what allows stakeholders to proactively manage exceptions.

Furthermore, visibility is more than just points on a map. Customers, dock managers, store managers, and many other stakeholders need to know when a shipment will arrive. A retailer needs to prepare for the shipment's arrival without wasting labor. If a manufacturer does not receive certain materials on time, it could be forced to halt production. Having an idea of delayed shipments can help shippers make adjustments to downstream supply chain activities, such as rescheduling dock appointments to avoid fees.

When data is available instantly, and stakeholders are notified of certain milestones or events through automated alerts, supply chains can shift to a proactive approach and manage exceptions much more effectively.

Visibility data can also help with dispute resolution. Carriers and shippers may have different definitions. For instance, does "on-time" mean when the driver entered the facilities, or when they actually crossed the line and reached the dock? Tracking data shows exactly where the truck was and when, so all parties can align and figure out where the delay occurred.

Real-time visibility and predictive estimated time of arrival (ETA) are essential for supply chains to increase efficiency and agility.

A Complete Picture of Shipment Across All Modes and Geographies

In the past, gaining visibility across a company's entire supply chain, in all modes and geographies, has also been a challenge. Without this comprehensive view, supply chains only get a piece of the puzzle, limiting their ability to optimize operations.

Since many supply chains rely on a global approach, transport information should not remain isolated. With a global view, supply chains can better understand the entire journey their cargo goes through.

In addition to global reach, visibility across all modes helps supply chains monitor all their shipments. While many carriers already use different modes for different needs, market volatility is increasing the need for modal flexibility.