Logistics technology solutions for 2019
Authored by Andrew Slusher on January 7, 2019
Another year is upon us, and as I look back at 2018, I can’t help but be amazed at all the changes that have occurred at SMC³ in such a short amount of time.
At the beginning of the year, I declared 2018 as “The Year of SMC³.” I said this because of the planned unveiling of our CzarLite IntraCanada base rate solution and a new version of CarrierConnect XL, which have both been rolled out to great success. Additionally, I was also looking forward to the vast progress we were set to make in developing our API products. To that end, we’ve recently released a direct-to-carrier API for volume LTL rating that has already met with significant interest from large shippers.
The volume LTL API allows shippers to gain complete visibility to spot-market rates and capacity for large shipments. In the past, shippers and 3PLs had to manually call or email prospective carriers in order to figure out what volume LTL rates fit their needs. By automating the process with our API, we’ve eliminated those physical tasks, giving users greater shipping flexibility and access to additional capacity. Likewise, our carrier partners are able to operate more efficient networks as they draw additional business into their backhaul lanes reducing empty miles.
In 2018, we also celebrated yet another pair of productive conferences. We will be moving to a new venue for Jump Start 2019, and I’m very much looking forward to experiencing the conference at the Renaissance Waverly Atlanta. A stone’s throw from the impressive new home of the Atlanta Braves, SunTrust Park, and the Battery retail and dining space surrounding the stadium, the Waverly gives our attendees access to a new part of the city. I’m looking forward to hearing from conference panelists like Jeff Heller, vice president of intermodal and automotive at Norfolk Southern, and Matthew Elenjickal, CEO and founder of FourKites. Justin Hall, CCO of YRC Freight, and Bob Farrell, chairman and CEO of Globaltranz will also be speaking. U.S. Congressman Drew Ferguson, who serves on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, will be giving one of two keynote addresses.
At SMC³, we’re constantly looking forward. One way we do that is to regularly query our customers about the trends they’re seeing in the marketplace and the pain points that are impacting their supply chains. While it’s true that we’re always working to make our clients’ supply chains more efficient, instead of focusing on a single issue for a single customer, we aim to create solutions that solve industry issues and foundational challenges in the market. In the next few months, we’ll be unveiling a few game-changing solutions, and customers will finally be able to experience our industry-leading solutions across new modes.
The year ahead will see us continue serving our customers by delivering innovative solutions that address their supply chain issues. Customers love our new technology tools, and SMC³’s hallmark products serve an integral role in the processes of shippers, 3PLs and carriers throughout the country. That said, we’re not done — not by a long shot. The SMC³ development pipeline is robust, and I’m looking forward to solving new supply chain issues for new customers in the coming years.