Newell Brands and J.B. Hunt Expedite LTL Analysis with SMC³’s BatchMark^® XL

For most companies, having access to business data can drive better, more efficient decisions. Both Newell Brands and J.B. Hunt were looking for ways to expedite less-than-truckload (LTL) analysis of rates and bids. Specifically, the companies wanted access to information including transit times, rates, cost of non-compliance, as well as the ability to compare and model thousands of freight bills simultaneously.

Newell was already using demand modeling software to build out scenarios and award lanes to carriers based on various criteria. But they lacked the ability to evaluate scenarios from a total cost perspective. The company also wanted to track noncompliance with routing guides published by its retail partners.

J.B. Hunt was in a similar situation. The company was flush with data and facing a series of customer rollouts over several hundred locations with quick turnaround times. The company wanted to become more efficient in comparing rates, evaluating different scenarios and having the flexibility to create customized options to uncover more insights to inform decision-making.

Both companies selected the powerful SMC³ BatchMark^® XL LTL rapid rating tool to drive greater efficiency in LTL bids and analytics. Drawing from SMC³’s easy-access data content, BatchMark XL accurately rates or rerates thousands of LTL freight bills simultaneously—even density-based rates. It works independent of a TMS or CMS system, facilitating a broad range of LTL analysis from pricing analysis to site location studies to freight bill auditing and more. BatchMark XL is also integrated with SMC³’s CarrierConnect^® XL to provide access to both transit times and rates in a single solution.

For Newell Brands, BatchMark XL has enabled the company to see what opportunities exist to make small changes and shifts to avoid costs or find savings. They have better visibility into their bid process, which helps the company bid smarter, project costs further, shift lanes between incumbent carriers, bring on new carriers, realize efficiencies, make better decisions and maintain their company focus. The tool has also helped the company with noncompliance tracking—whether it chose the most efficient carrier and if the shipment was compliant with its routing guide.

BatchMark XL helped J.B. Hunt quickly build out scenarios during its new customer rollouts to determine the best carriers, transit data and timelines to ensure they were leveraging the most effective carriers to meet its customer’s timeline. The company uses the tool to analyze data from large, multimillion-dollar managed logistics solutions as well as very specific projects with smaller shippers.

Read the full Newell Brands and J.B. Hunt case study to see what these companies have to say about the SMC³ BatchMark XL rate and bid analysis tool.