With the New Year upon us, many businesses are looking for ways to be more effective in 2016. Whether it’s taking on more work or offering new services or maybe simplifying your focus, it’s important that your initiatives are executed well.

For logistics companies, their transportation management system will play a large role in how effective their business operates. The question is are you getting everything you need from your TMS?

Here are a few areas to check regarding your transportation management system to make sure you’re using it to the fullest.

Reviewing the features
The first thing you should do is check the advertised features of your TMS. Check the brochure or sell sheet or read through the documentation. There’s a chance it can do things you aren’t even using it for. That’s not to say you’ll utilize every feature it has, but it’s always good to know what your tools are capable of.

Having the right people using it
To get the most out of your TMS, you need people working with it that know how to use it. A good TMS might be able to run pretty well on its own, but great performance takes a more hands on approach. Train the staff operating your TMS and make sure they fully understand it.

Making sure it’s up to date
A TMS can only make the most of what you put into it. If your system contains outdated information, inaccurate rates, etc., then the data it provides isn’t as good as it should be. If you’re using old data to try and forecast future labor and costs, you might be setting yourself up for some unpleasant surprises down the road.

Measuring KPIs
Key performance indicators allow you to know how you’re doing, where you’re growing, and what your weaknesses are. Your TMS is the perfect tool to help define and measure your KPIs.

Be ready for change (if needed)
When you start trying to utilize your TMS more, you may discover it doesn’t perform as well as you’d like it to. Perhaps you just need to give it some time. After all, transportation management systems don’t just start operating perfectly overnight.

But if you’ve done that, and you still find it lacking, it might be time to look elsewhere. If you need some consultation on how to bring your logistics to the next level, contact us today.