If your TMS is no longer meeting expectations, it may be time to evaluate TMS provider options.
The transportation management system (TMS) is the keystone to any high-functioning tech stack. When your TMS is operating at a high level and empowering your team to do its best work, things are great. If your technology can’t keep up, your team won’t either.
What should you consider when deciding if it is time to keep or replace your TMS?
Below, we explore 7 common signs that it’s time to look at TMS provider alternatives. And, if you’re reasonably sure it’s time to shop around, download our buying guide on choosing the perfect TMS for your organization.
1. Integrations Cause Problems
Many platforms are only as good as the integrations they offer. This is especially true of integrations offered by TMS providers. After all, the TMS isn’t the only system you need to run your business. Any modern TMS should integrate easily with other platforms that power your business, and those integrations should be stable and reliable. That is, you shouldn’t have to reconnect systems regularly.
What types of integrations should you look for? Examine both technology and device integrations. First to mind, your TMS should integrate with your ERP. Other integrations critical to transportation management include GPS-enabled ELD feeds, insurance platforms, payment service providers, mapping tools, and visibility software, among other technology solutions. If your TMS lacks integrations, it leads to inefficiencies and poor collaboration across your team — two things your organization can’t afford. The best transportation management software drives efficiency, performance, and visibility through the best-in-class integrations.
2. TMS Doesn’t Scale With Your Business
- Can your TMS scale with your business?
- Are additional features and capabilities available without paying a premium?
3. Updates are Expensive
4. Communication is Difficult, Data is Siloed
A TMS should facilitate communication and easy internal access to needed data. Your business thrives when your team members communicate at a high level, and your TMS supports data utilization so they have the information they need to do their best work.
5. Security Deteriorated
Each year, cybercriminals become more sophisticated in how they attack cloud-based platforms. Breaches can be costly and embarrassing, so any TMS worth its salt provides regular security updates.
If and when your TMS instance is out of sync with the latest security updates, your business is more vulnerable to attacks. When shopping for a new platform, ask how the TMS provider mitigates the risk of cyberattack for your organization.
6. TMS Provider Support is Sparse
It’s a classic software sales scenario: The TMS provider promises the world to be your partner through thick and thin. Then, after the contract is signed, it’s difficult to communicate with a human when you run into issues and need support.
If you find that you’re spending time waiting for phone support or responses via email or chat support, that’s time wasted that you can’t afford to lose. TMS support should be responsive and helpful, delivering easy-to-execute tips and recommendations that help your business keep moving forward.
7. Onboarding is Slow
How long does it take your new team members to onboard with your TMS? Phrases like “easy-to-use” and “intuitive interface” are often thrown around, but how often does a platform make it fast and simple for a novice to get up to speed?
The more time your new employees spend onboarding, the more productivity you lose. And the less intuitive your TMS’s interface, the less likely your team members will be to adopt all of its features fully. User-friendliness is more than a buzzword — it’s an essential feature you should demand from TMS providers.
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A Modern TMS for Today’s Challenges
If you suspect your existing TMS no longer meets your needs, we’ve created a TMS buying guide to help you navigate the journey toward a better option. Download the guide now.
