Shippers sign up for monitor software

Shippers are showing increased interest in advanced solutions that monitor, measure and benchmark the performance of their carriers.

US-based software logistics specialist Management Dynamics told IFW its recently released Performance Management solution has proved itself popular with some of the world’s largest shippers.

Nathan Pieri, senior VP of marketing and product development at Management Dynamics, said Starbucks, Pfizer, GE, Cisco and Honeywell were among current shipper users, and that even some carriers and logistics providers were finding the system worked well as a value-added service to offer shipper clients.

He said Ocean Worldwide Lines (Owl), the Pacer-owned NVOCC, was looking at signing up to the system.

"The bigger LSPs might be able to provide their clients with three of four key metrics, but they just don’t have the systems that can analyse the data and create ad hoc reports in the way that this system can.

"We are seeing a shift in the way companies view their supply chains, " he added. "They are looking at supply chain visibility a lot more strategically."

Pieri explained that the system collects data from the other Management Dynamics applications, such as its supply chain visibility suite, and stores it in a data warehouse.

"Performance Management sits on top of that, providing supply chain visibility, " he said.

The system then allows shippers to aggregate the data and create any type of ad hoc report.

"Within minutes, customers can create scorecards on their suppliers, such as ontime delivery percentages and how well they are meeting service levels.

"It allows shippers to tightly manage performance, and certainly for some of the more forward-thinking managers this system captures their imagination."

The system has been on the market for about six months, and Pieri described takeup as "quite good", with it being offered as an add-on to the company’s other products. He said it cost "in the low five-figure bracket" and is available on a subscription basis.