Behind the scenes at SMC³ with Justin Springer
Authored by SMC³ on February 23, 2021
SMC³’s Justin Springer is constantly in discussion with customers regarding SMC³’s offerings and how these products can help optimize their freight transportation spend. Springer knowledgably steers these customers to solutions that deliver unrivaled shipment visibility, transit-time information and freight rating power. Get to know more about Justin and his role at SMC³ in this behind the scenes interview.
What is your area of expertise at SMC³?
I’m the director of business development and work primarily with shippers to help them find solutions to simplify, streamline, modernize or find cost savings within their supply chain or transportation network. That can touch essentially all of the products and applications that SMC³ has within the market, but I generally try to take a consultative approach and really enjoy helping organizations find solutions to their problems or challenges. I also work closely with our Cost Intelligence System (CIS) product for carriers which helps them better recognize their costs to maximize yield and network efficiencies.
What attracted you to the company?
I worked in the transportation and distribution industries before coming to SMC³ and had been a user of SMC³ products in those roles. With that prior experience, I was aware of the SMC³ presence in the marketplace and their longstanding success. SMC³ is uniquely positioned in that we’re able to assist and collaborate with all players in the industry from shippers, carriers, 3PLs and technology partners. That really allows us to see the market from all angles and provide solutions to the industry at large. It’s really fun to work for a fast paced innovative organization that’s always looking for ways to help the industry function more efficiently.
What’s the first thing customers always want to know about the company’s solutions?
Most customers are looking to solve a problem, improve a process or upgrade their technology and they want to know how we can help them do that, which is the really exciting part of the job for me. Our customers are our partners and helping them find the best solution to fit their needs, save time and redeploy their resources to other revenue generating activities is the most rewarding factor about being a part of SMC³.
When talking with potential customers, what aspect of what SMC³ does surprises them the most?
The broad range of solutions we offer is often a surprise. Customers may come to us for a specific need but as the long term relationship develops they’re able to become introduced to other applications and services that benefit them as their organization grows, changes and evolves. We really strive to be a full service provider with ways to optimize the shipment lifecycle regardless of where an organization is in their evolution.
SMC³ prides itself on creating solutions that help customers optimize their truckload and LTL transportation spend, and the company is always working on new ways to assist customers. How will customers benefit from what SMC³ has in store in the year ahead?
As an agile organization we’re always introducing improvements to our current products and developing new solutions for the industry but there are a few things I’m really excited about, especially in today’s environment.
One of our newer offerings, LTL GO, allows customers without a TMS to manage the shipment lifecycle with their various providers through a single online platform via our APIs. From quoting, to dispatch, to tracking and documentation, it’s all there. It’s a great tool for shippers looking to streamline their process.
Our Bid$ense® procurement tool is also contantly adding enhanced benefits, and now includes a truckload functionality as well as less-than-truckload. The standardization, reporting, analysis and online platform that’s already integrated into so many asset-based carriers makes it easy for shippers or 3PLs to conduct high level sourcing events for their transportation spend.
Finally, our LTL certification courses are extremely timely and efficient given the emphasis on remote work that’s arisen from the COVID-19 pandemic. The courses span from transportation 101 and fundamentals of LTL, through operations and carrier pricing/costing, all the way to transportation law and LTL business analytics. It’s really the industry’s only coursework geared towards mastery of the LTL transportation concepts. I wish this would had been available to me when I started my career.
When you’re not working, what do you like to do for fun?
My wife Suzanne and I have two young children and another on the way, so for me it’s all about family time. Staying active is also something I really enjoy so when time allows I love to get a workout in or spend time outside, whether going for a run or being on the golf course.
If you’d like to learn how SMC³’s solutions can help optimize your LTL spend, contact Justin at jspringer@smc3.com