Managing international logistics can be complex and frustrating. Inefficiencies and uncontrolled freight costs arise from outdated manual processes, unforeseen delays, and extreme disruptions. Improved shipment visibility solves many challenges, but the “visibility” definition remains debatable and often case-specific.
In the case of multimodal international freight, which may include ocean, drayage, rail, and trucking modes for a single shipment, visibility should encompass data at both shipment and order levels. Shipment visibility and order-level visibility enable organizations to effectively monitor inbound freight, identify risks, manage exceptions, and plan future orders. Order and shipment visibility improves job satisfaction for logistics managers, too.
Recognizing the importance of end-to-end supply chain visibility, MercuryGate acquired ClearTrack Information Network to extend our international freight shipment visibility. Through the integration of ClearTrack’s visibility features with MercuryGate’s innovative transportation management capabilities, you access full lifecycle shipment visibility and transportation execution. This blog examines shipment and order visibility in MercuryGate’s Smart Transportation platform and the benefits of order and shipment visibility.
Shipment & Order Visibility in Smart Transportation
MercuryGate’s Shipment & Order Visibility software incorporates ClearTrack to provide unprecedented global visibility and multi-enterprise collaboration across your shipment lifecycle at container, order, and item levels.
Benefits of Order & Shipment Visibility
Establishing processes for monitoring the movement of inbound freight is essential for all parties in the global supply chain. Manual tracking processes are inefficient and susceptible to human error and oversight. Digitizing and automating shipment and order tracking alleviates these issues and offers additional benefits:
- Multimodal visibility from origin to destination. See the full shipment lifecycle across all modes – ocean, air, rail, drayage, and trucking – in a single hub.
- Structured, accessible, usable data. Capture disparate information from across the fragmented supply chain network and standardize it in useful formats – making unstructured data structured and easy to use.
- Network integrations configured to logistics processes. Integrate with existing logistics platforms and networks without dramatic changes to workflows and processes.
- Accessible information source for all supply chain parties. Access shipment information and updates with customized push alerts or send updates directly to ERPs via API.
- Gain control of the flow of goods. Get a comprehensive view of inventory cycles for every item and SKU to minimize safety stock levels and drastically reduce overhead.
- Efficiently scale business processes. With a purpose-built visibility system in place, scale faster without adding linear labor resources to logistics and supply chain operations.
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Get on the Clear Track with MercuryGate Order & Shipment Visibility
MercuryGate’s Shipment & Order Visibility tool provides:
- Multimode visibility from origin to destination.
- Structured and accessible data.
- Support for existing logistics platforms and networks.
- Ability to scale business processes efficiently.
The tool functions as a control tower for inbound freight across the multimodal network, providing data at various levels and making it readily available 24/7. Order and shipment visibility plays an active role in improving job satisfaction for logistics managers. See how MercuryGate delivers full lifecycle shipment visibility in this infographic.
Download our eBook to learn more about order and shipment visibility and how it functions in the real world to provide logistics managers with critical information that helps them manage inventory, minimize detention charges, and optimize distribution center operations.
