During the Jump Start 2021 virtual supply chain conference, Priya Rajagopalan, chief product officer at FourKites, will discuss using logistics technology to solve supply chain pain points. Joining her to discuss these solutions is Russ Felker, chief technology officer at GlobalTranz. Rajagopalan recently took some time to speak with SMC³ about logistics technology solutions and how FourKites has operated during the coronavirus pandemic.

Thinking back on the past year, there’s no disputing that the pandemic was the single most disruptive supply chain challenge we’ve seen in quite some time. At SMC³, our mission is to serve the entire industry. Providing support to every member of the supply chain is more important now than ever. Each of us at SMC³ is looking forward to the coming year.

At the Jump Start 2021 virtual supply chain conference, logistics leaders will discuss everything from government regulations and transportation trends to the economy. Even though this year’s conference is 100-percent remote, organizers have worked tirelessly to bring engaging speakers and thrilling, of-the-moment topics to the Jump Start “stage.” One of those topics, which seems to be a perennial issue, is cybersecurity.

SMC³’s supply chain education courses cover a wide range of topics from LTL basics and operations to more advanced concepts like pricing analytics and transportation law. The company also has plans to continually refresh content, adding new expert presenters and taking the feedback of students to make the courses even better as time goes on. SMC³’s exclusive fall version of its LTL operations course details the nuts and bolts of LTL operations alongside live presentations from industry experts.

Capacity is an omnipresent concern for shippers. Though LTL capacity has ebbs and flows, finding the right freight transportation carrier for the job, at the right price point, is an ongoing issue. To a large extent, the coronavirus pandemic has made finding and securing LTL capacity with carriers significantly more difficult. Shippers may also be shopping around for new transportation providers, looking to save money. But saving money on freight transportation should not be the overriding factor when looking for a new partner.

The coronavirus pandemic, and the resulting shutdown of the economy, has made digitization a necessity. Buy in from all supply chain partners is necessary for full digitization, but a commitment to paperless processes from carriers would really move the needle. Carriers and other supply chain stakeholders are currently reviewing processes and instituting new procedures.