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Automation & Digitalization

Automation and digitalization in freight forwarding

Freight quoting software

Freight Quoting Software Value Analysis

Automation & Digitalization, Digital Freight, Logistics Software, Sales Automation, Simplicity & Efficiency / By

In the highly competitive logistics industry, freight forwarders understand that price plays a critical role in driving business. To stay ahead, freight forwarders must seize every opportunity to enhance profit margins. One effective way to achieve this is by using technology to optimize internal processes, leading to increased efficiency and profitability. Among various technologies available, freight quoting software stands out as a powerful tool that can significantly impact a freight forwarder’s bottom line.

Let’s try to put a dollar value on the freight quoting software and explore the areas where digitization can bring substantial benefits.

Logistics Software: Enhancing Efficiency and Profitability

Logistics software has the potential to revolutionize the way freight forwarders operate. By automating manual processes and streamlining data management, logistics software can generate tangible dollar value for the business.

1. Transparency in Commercial Data

Traditionally, sales teams in freight forwarding companies had to rely on multiple Excel spreadsheets to handle rates, surcharges, and special conditions when preparing freight quotes manually. However, this manual approach increases the risk of errors, which can have significant financial implications.

With modern quoting software, all commercial data is consolidated on one platform in a structured manner, providing transparency and sanity to the process. Frequent changes in freight rates are no longer a challenge, as up-to-date information is readily available, leading to accurate and reliable quotes.

2. Simplification and Efficiency

Say goodbye to cumbersome Excel freight ratesheets. Freight quoting software simplifies the sales and procurement workflow by offering a centralized platform for commercial data. With just a few clicks, freight tariffs can be uploaded and freight quotes can be generated effortlessly.

Automating these processes not only saves time but also reduces costs. The software allows sales representatives to focus on more value-added tasks, such as building relationships with clients and securing more business.

3. Data Security and Confidentiality

In the age of technology, data security is of utmost importance. Business relationships rely on trust, and freight forwarders need to ensure the confidentiality of their sensitive data.

At Quotiss, we prioritize data security and protection. With the utilization of Azure cloud servers – a technology trusted by major global corporations – clients can rest assured that their data is in safe hands. Regular database backups further guarantee the safety and integrity of the information.

4. Cost Savings and ROI

Integrating technology into the commercial business process leads to substantial cost savings and increased return on investment (ROI). The software’s automation capabilities allow tasks to be completed with exceptional speed and accuracy.

By centralizing the freight rates and client databases, the software simplifies contract management and allows for automated tracking of freight quotes. This reduction in manual effort not only improves quality standards but also opens up new avenues for utilizing sales talent effectively.

Conclusion

The dollar value of freight quoting software is undeniable, especially for larger organizations where a simple Excel file won’t do a trick anymore. From enhancing transparency and efficiency to securing the data and delivering significant cost savings, the freight software offers substantial benefits to freight forwarders. Embracing technology in the logistics industry is no longer an option but a necessity to stay competitive and thrive in a fast-paced market.

So, what are you waiting for? Calculate the potential dollar value of logistics software for your business using our simple online ROI calculator. Embrace the future of logistics and unlock your business’s true potential.

FAQs

  1. How can Quotiss software benefit my freight forwarding business? Quotiss software can boost your sales, bring transparency, simplify processes, enhance data security, and result in substantial cost savings.
  2. Is Quotiss software suitable for small freight forwarding companies? Yes, Quotiss software can benefit both small and large freight forwarding companies by streamlining sales activities and driving efficiency.
  3. What makes Quotiss a reliable logistics software provider? Quotiss prioritizes data security, utilizing trusted Azure cloud servers and ensuring daily database backups for maximum safety.
  4. Can quoting software help in generating more profit? Yes, quoting software reduces manual efforts, allowing sales teams to focus on revenue-generating activities, thus increasing profit potential.
  5. How can I calculate the ROI of implementing logistics software? Use our simple online ROI calculator to estimate the dollar value Quotiss software can bring to your business.
Online Quote Widget

Boosting Freight Sales with Online Quote Widget

Automation & Digitalization, Digital Freight, Online Freight, Sales Automation / By

In the digital era of logistics, freight forwarders are constantly seeking innovative ways to attract and engage clients. One powerful tool is Quotiss’ online quote widget. This product seamlessly integrates into forwarders’ websites, enabling importers and exporters to generate quotes themselves while forwarders automatically collect valuable lead details. In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of the online quote widget and its ability to accelerate client engagement, complementing the AI tools discussed in our previous post on revolutionizing freight sales.

 

Empowering Client Self-Service

 

The online quote widget from Quotiss empowers clients with a self-service quoting experience. By embedding this user-friendly widget into their website, forwarders allow clients to access an intuitive interface and effortlessly create quotes in a few simple steps. Clients can input shipment details, select preferences, and instantly receive accurate quotes tailored to their specific needs. This seamless self-service functionality not only enhances the client experience but also saves time for both clients and forwarders.

Quotiss online quote widget offers the flexibility to ensure that the right rates are automatically applied on a customer/product level. This customization allows forwarders to cater to the unique pricing agreements they have with individual clients. By configuring the margins per customer, Quotiss can guarantee that the correct rates and pricing rules are automatically factored into the generated quotes. This level of customization not only saves time for both forwarders and clients but also minimizes the risk of errors or discrepancies in pricing. With the ability to provide accurate and tailored quotes, forwarders can further strengthen their client relationships and establish themselves as trusted partners in the freight industry.

 

Seamless Integration and Brand Consistency

 

Quotiss’ online quote widget can be seamlessly integrated into a forwarder’s website, ensuring a consistent brand experience for clients. The widget can be customized to align with the forwarder’s branding and professional appearance. By offering a unified and branded interface, forwarders can strengthen their brand identity, foster trust with clients, and create a seamless transition from their website to the quoting process.

Moreover, Quotiss’ online quote widget seamlessly integrates with existing online customer portals, further enhancing the client experience and streamlining the quoting process. By integrating the widget into their customer portals, forwarders can provide existing clients with a convenient and centralized platform to create quotes. This efficient workflow enables clients to seamlessly transition from the customer portal to the quoting process without any disruptions. By offering this level of integration, Quotiss empowers forwarders to deliver a comprehensive and user-friendly experience to their clients, fostering long-term relationships and strengthening customer loyalty.

 

Lead Generation via Online Widget

 

The online quote widget serves as a powerful lead-generation tool for forwarders. As clients register online to create quotes, the widget collects valuable lead information, including contact details, shipment requirements, and preferences. This information is automatically stored in a client database, building a comprehensive and actionable list of potential clients. Leveraging this database, forwarders can implement targeted marketing campaigns via personalized outreach functionality, and tailored follow-ups to convert leads into loyal customers.

 

Enhanced Data Insights and Analytics

 

The online quote widget generates valuable data insights and analytics for forwarders. By tracking client interactions, quote requests, and conversions, forwarders gain a deeper understanding of client preferences and market trends. This data-driven approach enables forwarders to refine their pricing strategies, identify emerging opportunities, and improve their overall sales performance. Quotiss’ analytics and reporting capabilities provide forwarders with comprehensive metrics, empowering them to make data-backed decisions and drive growth.

Quotiss’ online quote widget is a win-win for freight forwarders seeking to accelerate client engagement and boost their sales efforts. By empowering clients with self-quoting service, ensuring brand consistency, collecting valuable leads, and providing data-driven insights, forwarders can enhance the client experience, expand their customer base, and stay ahead in a competitive market. When combined with the AI tools discussed in our previous post, forwarders can leverage technology to streamline their operations, optimize sales processes, and deliver exceptional value to clients in the ever-evolving logistics landscape.

AI tools in freight sales

AI Tools Revolutionizing Freight Sales

Automation & Digitalization, Digital Freight, Sales Automation / By

As the freight industry continues to evolve, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) tools is set to reshape the landscape of freight sales. These innovative technologies offer unprecedented opportunities for logistics companies to streamline their operations, optimize processes, and achieve higher levels of efficiency. In the previous blog post, we analyzed the impact of Blockchain technology on the logistics industry and why its biggest Blockchain project called Tradelens (led by Maersk and IBM) was shut down in 2022. In this blog post, we will delve into the role of AI tools in the future of freight sales and explore the transformative impact they could have on the logistics industry. Without a doubt, both Maersk and IBM are already looking closely at this technology.

Intelligent Lead Generation and Qualification

 

In the world of freight sales, AI tools are reshaping the way logistics companies generate and qualify leads, bringing a wave of revolution. These incredible technologies have the power to analyze vast amounts of data from multiple sources, providing logistics companies with a higher level of precision in identifying potential customers. By harnessing the capabilities of machine learning algorithms, AI-powered lead generation tools can effortlessly navigate through extensive databases and online platforms, establishing connections and offering valuable insights on potential leads based on specific criteria.

AI tools also streamline the lead qualification process by analyzing data patterns and customer behavior. They have the ability to evaluate lead quality, assess the likelihood of conversion, and prioritize prospects accordingly. With the automation of lead generation and qualification, freight sales teams can concentrate their efforts on the most promising opportunities, resulting in improved overall conversion rates and enhanced sales effectiveness.

 

Dynamic Pricing Optimization

 

Pricing optimization is a crucial aspect of freight sales, and AI plays a significant role in revolutionizing this process. By analyzing real-time market data, historical trends, and customer behavior, AI-powered pricing tools can generate dynamic and competitive pricing strategies.

These tools consider factors such as fuel costs, capacity availability, market demand, and shipping routes to provide optimal pricing recommendations. By leveraging AI algorithms, freight sales teams can respond rapidly to market fluctuations, make informed pricing decisions, and remain competitive while maintaining healthy profit margins.

Intelligent Route Planning and Optimization

 

Efficient route planning is a vital component of freight sales, and AI tools are transforming this aspect of the industry. By integrating machine learning algorithms, these tools can analyze a plethora of data, including traffic conditions, weather forecasts, and historical shipping patterns, to generate optimized routes.

AI-powered route planning tools provide real-time visibility into the most efficient routes, allowing logistics companies to minimize fuel consumption, reduce transit times, and optimize resource allocation. This not only improves operational efficiency but also enhances customer satisfaction by ensuring timely deliveries.

Predictive Analytics for Demand Forecasting


AI tools with predictive analytics capabilities play a pivotal role in freight sales by enabling accurate demand forecasting. By analyzing historical shipping data, market trends, and external variables, these tools can generate precise predictions regarding future demand.

With these insights, logistics companies can optimize their inventory management, plan capacity requirements, and allocate resources accordingly. By accurately forecasting demand, freight sales teams can ensure they have the necessary infrastructure and resources to meet customer needs, reducing costly inefficiencies and improving customer satisfaction.

Additionally, it’s important to emphasize the vital role that data collection plays in the effectiveness of AI-powered tools. Without gathering thorough and precise data, the analytics carried out by these tools would be undermined. In other words, the quality of insights and decisions derived from these tools heavily relies on the availability of reliable data. Therefore, logistics companies should prioritize the collection of high-quality data from various sources to fuel their AI tools. By doing so, they can ensure the tools deliver accurate and valuable insights, enabling them to make well-informed decisions and drive success in their operations.

 

Instead of Conclusion:

 

The future of freight sales is tied to the integration of AI tools. These transformative technologies revolutionize lead generation and qualification, pricing optimization, route planning, and demand forecasting. By leveraging AI algorithms, logistics companies can enhance operational efficiency, minimize costs, and deliver exceptional customer experiences. As the freight industry continues to evolve, embracing AI will be paramount to staying competitive, driving growth, and reaping the myriad benefits they bring to the table.

P.S. This article was written, spell-checked and posted by AI tools 🙂

QUOTISS CRM software

The Underestimated Value of CRM Software for Freight Forwarders

Automation & Digitalization, Sales Automation / By

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is essential for businesses that want to manage and maintain healthy customer relationships. But when it comes to freight forwarding, CRM software is not so commonly used – for several reasons including resistance to change, lack of awareness, cost concerns, complexity, and lack of customization. However, as the benefits of CRM software become more apparent, more and more freight forwarders are likely to adopt this technology to improve their operations, increase efficiency, and enhance customer relationships.

 

What if there is a perfect CRM for freight?

 

At Quotiss, we aim to achieve simplicity and efficiency in any sales process. With that in mind, we designed a simple, easy-to-use CRM software with only the most essential features. By keeping the software as simple as possible, businesses can maximize the benefits of CRM technology and improve their operations.

Quotiss CRM software provides a centralized platform for managing customer data, including communication history, transactional data, and quote details. This makes it easier for freight forwarders to manage customer relationships, provide personalized service, and improve customer satisfaction.

Freight forwarders should consider using Quotiss CRM software for several reasons:

1. User adoption & satisfaction:

Complex CRM software can be difficult for users to learn and navigate. Users may be hesitant to use a system that is too complex or time-consuming to learn, which can limit the effectiveness of the software. Simple CRM software can lead to greater user satisfaction, as users are more likely to enjoy using a system. This can improve overall morale and job satisfaction, which can have a positive impact on the business as a whole.

2. Efficiency:

Simple CRM software can improve efficiency by reducing the time and effort required to perform tasks. Users can quickly and easily access the information they need, which can streamline workflows and increase productivity.

3. Customization:

A simple CRM software can be more easily customized to meet the specific needs of a business. Quotiss CRM software is a scalable and flexible solution that can be customized to meet the specific needs of freight forwarders. The software can be easily integrated with mailing systems and applications, making it a versatile and powerful tool for managing sales and customer relationships.

4. Cost:

Simple CRM software can be less expensive to implement and maintain than a more complex system. This can be particularly beneficial for small or medium-sized forwarders that may have limited budgets for software.

Quotiss CRM software provides freight forwarders a range of benefits, including improved efficiency, better sales performance, enhanced customer relationships, and real-time access to commercial data. It is a powerful tool that can help freight forwarders to compete more effectively in the global logistics market.

 

CRM software is only a part of sales automation

 

Apart from the CRM module, sales managers can enjoy other Quotiss software features and automate their business processes to the maximum:

Streamlined Quoting Process:

Quotiss software streamlines the quoting process by automating repetitive tasks, eliminating errors, and enabling faster response times. With Quotiss, freight forwarders can create and send quotes to customers in real time, reducing the time and effort required to manage sales inquiries.

Improved Sales Performance:

Quotiss provides sales analytics and reporting features that enable freight forwarders to track their sales performance, identify trends, and optimize their sales strategies. The software also provides insights into customer preferences and behavior, helping freight forwarders to tailor their offerings and increase their conversion rates.

 

Give it a try!

 

Quotiss is a cloud-based sales management and quoting software explicitly designed for freight forwarders. The software streamlines the process of creating and sending quotes to customers, enabling freight forwarders to respond to inquiries quickly and accurately.

The best (the fastest and simplest) solution for freight forwarders to go through the digital transformation is to implement the right software designed for freight forwarding companies.

Fill in this form to register for a free trial of Quotiss software. It only takes a few seconds!

Quotiss CPQ logistics software

CPQ Logistics Software Explained

Automation & Digitalization, Logistics Software, Sales Automation / By

Recently, we get quite a lot of questions from forwarders asking to explain different terms and acronyms related to logistics software. So many, that we even put it in a separate blog post, which you can find under this link.

But most surprisingly, more and more people start to use the term CPQ. A few years back, I have written this piece about CPQ software. At that time, it was very unpopular 🙂 So I have decided to give it a second chance since it’s getting so trendy now.

 

What is CPQ Software?

 

  • What does CPQ mean?

CPQ stands for Configure, Price, Quote. Sometimes it is referred to as QMS software, where QMS stands for Quote Management System (do not confuse with the Quality Management System, which also exists out there).

  • What is the purpose of CPQ (QMS)?

It is typically used to produce accurate quotes for complex and configurable products, much like the freight quotes. The overall purpose of the CPQ system is to make your sales process efficient, productive, and successful. QMS is a limited version of a CPQ, where the ‘Configure’ part is missing and the ‘Price’ part may not be automated as a result.

  • Do I, as a freight forwarder, need CPQ software?

Yes, of course! By the way, Quotiss is a typical CPQ software.

 

Why Configure – Price – Quote?

 

The majority of logistics companies still use Excel spreadsheets to manage their freight rates. Which is fine, until it’s not. There will come a time when relying on a simple Excel file can lead to disaster. When your business starts to grow, you’re going to face the limitations of it: a confusing multitude of files with freight rates together with the errors in the formulas can lead to a dramatic loss of revenues.

The right logistics software can bring structure to chaos and mess. For the sales team in a freight forwarding company, there are several essential business processes that should be digitized and automated:

  • One reliable source for freight rates
  • Instant freight quotes
  • Follow up on deals
  • Internal collaboration

 

How to Configure – Price – Quote?

 

Configure:
  • Import your freight contracts and local charges and set default margins
  • Import your customers and set default margins
  • Connect directly to your online freight contracts and spot rates
Price:
  • Upload contract and spot rates automatically (No outsourcing!)
  • Get one transparent database of contract and spot rates (No more bulky Excel ratesheets!)
  • Get an easy-to-search archive of historic rates and quotes
Quote:
  • Create professional personalized freight quotes in seconds;
  • Put your quote widget online
  • Improve invoicing accuracy

 

The danger of skipping the “Configure – Price” part

 

When you made a decision to upgrade your sales process, remember to stick to this exact order: 1) configure; 2) price; 3) quote. And here is why.

Freight forwarders get access to more and more digital tools each year. There is a big interest in digitizing the customer interface: offer online freight quotes, online bookings, online tracking, etc. All these customer-facing digital initiatives are very necessary, but hardly possible without digitizing the commercial back office of the freight forwarder.

It is necessary to start from the basics – digitize and automate your freight rates, and after that put your freight quote widget online.

You can’t skip the “Configure – Price” steps and digitize just the “Quote” part. If your pricing is based on Excel ratesheets, the data quality will never live up to any decent standard. Especially, if your goal is giving a possibility of online quotes to your customers.

 

Get a Quick Start with Quotiss CPQ!

 

At the core of Quotiss, there is a powerful engine, secure servers, and an excellent team of professionals. Our main differentiator – the simplicity. Quotiss is inspired by Pareto Rule and KISS Principle. Thanks to that, Quotiss removes 99% of the complexity of the commercial process and structures the freight rate management in a smart and simple way.

Looking for the best freight forwarding software? Quotiss software is the best-fit solution for your business. Register for a free trial today and in 14 days we can prove this to you.

Digital Freight Forwarder Quotiss

Being Digital Freight Forwarder

Automation & Digitalization, Digital Freight / By

Do you believe in Digital Freight Forwarders? Or do you think they are mystical creatures, like unicorns? Oh, wait… Flexport is both a digital freight forwarder and a unicorn!

We can argue if being a digital freight forwarder is actually a thing or not, but without a doubt, it’s cool to be a “digital forwarder” these days. At Quotiss, we wish that every forwarder becomes “digital”. In this article, we explain how you can maximize the benefits of freight digitalization in a fast and simple way.

 

Who is a Digital Freight Forwarder?

 

Flexport is by far the most famous and the most funded “Digital Freight Forwarder”. Flexport.com has a user-friendly interface: their clients can get quotes online, place bookings and track their shipments. But what is behind the counter of that beautiful shop-front?

Behind the counter, there is a freight forwarding company, with the ‘same old’ business model of a middle man between the carrier and the customer. Their source of income as a forwarder comes from charging a premium for their service of arranging transport of goods from A to B. This also means that they face exactly the same commercial and operational constraints as any other freight forwarder. So, what is the difference, then?

 

The difference between a Digital and Traditional Freight Forwarder

 

Obviously, the difference is in the “Digital” component. It is assumed that the “traditional forwarder” relies on Excel as a main tool for the business, and the “digital forwarder” has a smart digital platform that connects and integrates all aspects of their business. The obvious benefits of the digital setup are 1) speed, 2) automation, 3) cost-efficiency, 4) transparency.

But there is a problem with this definition. First of all, there is a limit to connecting and integrating things into one system. As they say, “you can only be as digital as your supplier”. Some suppliers, like Maersk, are more advanced in the digital field. But the majority of the carriers allow limited connectivity if any. Until this changes, all forwarders have to deal with bulky Excel ratesheets and manual rate requests. Secondly, in 2021, 99.99% of freight forwarding companies stopped using faxes, telexes, pagers, hand-written notes and invested in some kind of software solutions for their business. So, are they all digital forwarders now?

 

How to become a Digital Freight Forwarder?

 

The term “Digital Freight Forwarder” has become the synonym of Freight Digitalization.

Flexport raises the awareness for freight digitalization in the industry. The news of them securing new financial rounds could be a worrying sign to those forwarders who do not have a digital strategy yet. Treat it as a threat, or take it as an opportunity and use this sign to upgrade your own tech.

The majority of freight forwarding companies today use some kind of software to manage their business processes. So, are they all digital forwarders? Well, no.

Some software solutions (like Excel, Salesforce, SAP) are not made for freight. There is a certain level of customization offered for these tools, but integrating them into one smooth forwarding software ecosystem can be extremely challenging (time, cost, complexity). This is a very big limitation for the SMB forwarding companies if they want to rely on such software solutions.

The best (fast and simple) solution for the traditional freight forwarders to transform into “Digital” is to implement the right software designed for freight forwarding companies.

 

Trends in Digital Freight

 

Remember, that in technology, one has to run to stand still (said The Red Queen). With the modern pace, certain trends go out of fashion fast. What looked like a technology of the future 5, 10, 15 years ago – now is collecting digital dust on the shelf in a virtual closet.

Some time back, ‘Booking.com for freight’ was a hit and we witnessed the number of freight marketplaces growing like mushrooms after the rain. Later, the ‘Blockchain for freight’ became hot, and we followed the news on the collaboration of Maersk and IBM. Now there is a trend for an ‘Online freight shop’.

These trends come and go for one main reason: customers want to get great service at a great price.

“Online freight marketplace powered by blockchain” does not equal a great forwarding service, and it definitely doesn’t guarantee a good price to a client. And we are getting to the most important point: it’s the market expertise & professionalism that matter the most to the customers. Digitalization is not a self-sufficient product you can sell. It can give great support, but it is not enough for running a successful business.

Freight software can help to highlight your professionalism but will never replace it.

 

Being Digital Freight Forwarder

 

Where to start with freight digitalization?

The ultimate goal of freight digitalization is to automate business processes and improve experiences for the people who matter the most for the business growth: your team and your customers.

A good idea would be to start with sales process automation, as this has a direct impact on sales performance in the company. Sales automation means digitization of manual, time-consuming sales tasks using software, artificial intelligence (AI), data analysis, and other digital tools. It aims to simplify the daily sales workflow and bring transparency to the commercial aspects of the business.

Freight software solutions on the market are very different in terms of their features, functionality, price, and many other factors. Beware that using freight software that isn’t a great fit for your company can actually do more harm than good. Use this guide to pick the best-fit freight software solution for your business.

 

Being Digital Freight Forwarder. Powered by Quotiss

 

Quotiss is a sales automation software for freight forwarders. With Quotiss, you can digitize the following internal business processes:

  • Rate management
  • Customer Relationship Management
  • Quoting freight + Online Quote Widget
  • Sales Follow-ups
  • Sales Analytics

With Quotiss, your team will no longer have to maintain bulky Excel ratesheets, create quotes manually, waste time on searching quotes in the mailbox.

Process Automation and Efficiency are the key benefits of Freight Digitalization. Fill in this form to register for a free trial of Quotiss software. It only takes a few seconds!

Logistics Software Acronyms Quotiss

Quick Guide to Logistics Software Acronyms

Automation & Digitalization, Digital Freight / By

In this article, we will solve the riddles coded into the logistics software acronyms and will try to figure out if a freight forwarder needs a CPQ, QMS, TMS, FMS, ERP, CRM, etc… software solutions, and why.

 

The Logistics Language

 

We all know that the freight forwarding industry speaks its own language. There is no shortage of industry-specific terminology, that ‘the outsiders’ do not understand. And let’s admit it, people in the logistics industry love acronyms!

When I demonstrate Quotiss software to a potential client, I always mention at the beginning of our call, that I do speak the ‘logistics language’ – it makes the person on the other side much more comfortable 😊

During my 10-year career in Maersk, my acronym vocabulary grew by x1000. Most of it came from the time in vessel operations dept., where we used acronyms to communicate with the ship crew via the satellite. My favorite one was this standard email text from the ship: “cnf eta agw wp rgds”. Yes, it’s a meaningful sentence. Any guess?

 

Logistics Software Acronyms

 

The list of acronyms is not fixed, and every year we learn something new (like COVID-19, for example). I have no purpose to go over the standard list of the logistics terms – you know them better than me. Instead, we will review the list of acronyms for the software products marketed for the logistics business. The list is growing every year, so it’s getting hard to navigate in these 3-letter codes.

Here are the top 6 logistics software acronyms:

  1. CPQ
  2. QMS
  3. CRM
  4. ERP
  5. FMS
  6. TMS

Now, let’s go through the details and check what it means, what is the purpose, and do you need it as a freight forwarder.

 

CPQ (or QMS) Software

 

  • What does CPQ (QMS) mean?

CPQ stands for Configure, Price, Quote. QMS stands for Quote Management System (do not confuse with the Quality Management System, which also exists out there).

  • What is the purpose of CPQ (QMS)?

It is typically used to produce accurate quotes for complex and configurable products, much like the freight quotes. The overall purpose of CPQ system is to make your sales process efficient, productive, and successful. QMS is a limited version of a CPQ, where the ‘Configure’ part is missing and the ‘Price’ part may not be automated as a result.

  • Do I, as a freight forwarder, need CPQ software?

Yes, of course! By the way, Quotiss is a typical CPQ software. Visit this blog post to learn more.

CRM Software

 

  • What does CRM mean?

CRM stands for Customer relationship management.

  • What is the purpose of CRM?

CRM is used to manage all your company’s relationships and interactions with customers, active accounts, and potential (or sales leads). When someone talks about CRM, they usually mean a CRM software system, a tool that helps with contact management, sales management, productivity stats, and more.

  • Is CRM software part of CPQ software?

CRM can be part of the CPQ software, enabling a seamless connection between your contracts and tariff rates, freight quotes & customer database, turning product configuration, pricing, and quote generation into an integrated part of the sales process.

  • Do I, as a freight forwarder, need a CRM?

Yes, of course! By the way, Quotiss has CRM essentials built into our standard product. Only the core features, no-nonsense. Visit this blog post to learn more.

 

ERP Software

 

  • What does ERP mean?

ERP stands for Enterprise Resource Planning.

  • What is the purpose of ERP system?

ERP is a software platform that allows a company to use a number of integrated software modules. Modules within the ERP will usually include procurement, sales, ordering, invoicing, and accounting among others. The most common ERP systems in the world are SAP, Oracle, IBM, etc.

Overall, ERP is that enormous integrated database of everything, which took a very long time to configure and implement in every team in your organization, and nobody really likes it.

  • Do I, as a freight forwarder, need an ERP system?

Well, that depends on the size of your organization. Large companies often have no choice but to get (stuck with) an ERP system. SMBs, on the other hand, are more lucky.

 

FMS (or TMS) software

 

  • What do FMS and TMS mean?

FMS stands for the Freight (Forwarding) Management System, and TMS stands for Transport Management System.

  • What is the purpose of FMS system?

FMS (or TMS) is similar to the ERP: a modular platform across all freight forwarding business processes. A difference between FMS and ERP is that FMS is made for freight forwarding, and ERP is a global standard for all industries. FMS software enables planning, execution, and reporting of transport movements within the supply chain. The most famous TMS system in the world of logistics is Cargowise. But there are plenty of local solutions on the market, too.

  • Do I, as a freight forwarder, need FMS (TMS)?

Rather, yes. Again, that depends on the size of your organization. Large forwarders often have no choice but to implement Cargowise globally. SMBs, on the other hand, are more flexible and can choose a local solution that fits their business needs.

  • Can CRM and CPQ software solutions be a part of FMS?

It is possible. FMS usually provides a standard solution for every business process in the supply chain. But most of the time, it’s just not good enough.

 

Software Toolbox for Freight Forwarders

COVID-19, among other things, gave freight forwarders a “quantum leap” in digitization. With the freight rates being at an all-time high for a few months, the freight forwarders generated remarkable profits. Many started looking at digitalization, as a way to allocate those profits, investing into the future gains. We see this new trend from an increasing number of Quotiss demo requests we get from our Online Form.

The new software solution can be a great investment – it can help your business to stay afloat or even boost it, by increasing productivity and simplifying the collaboration (especially for the ‘work from home’ scenario). But it’s easy to overdo it, and swamp your team with a multitude of tools to check / fill in / update / monitor.

If you are sure that your team needs another digital tool, please make sure that you are familiar with one more acronym (the last one for today):

 

API Integration

 

  • What does API mean?

API stands for Application Program Interface.

  • What is the purpose of API?

In simple words, API is a software intermediary that allows a few applications to talk to each other. API delivers your request from software (1) to software (2) and then delivers the response back to you, in a format that software (1) can process. In the context of our article, API can connect the interface between your CRM, CPQ and TMS systems. It will still be 3 separate software solutions, communicating and working as a team.

  • Do I, as a freight forwarder, need my software solutions to support API?

Yes, of course! By the way, Quotiss can connect with your FMS via API (as long as your FMS has the API enabled). Get in touch to get a copy of our API documentation.

 

In a few years from now, the logistics world be even more tech-driven than it is now. We do not know what it will look like, but we can select the best software that is available on the market right now. And if you still quote freight in Excel, you should definitely check our Free Trial here.

Sales Automation in Freight Forwarding, Quotiss Benefits

Sales Automation in Freight Forwarding – Top 10 Benefits

Automation & Digitalization, Sales Automation / By

Improve your sales efficiency, get rid of manual tasks, streamline recurring activities, automate deals follow up, and more – thanks to sales automation in freight forwarding.

 

If you are considering automating your sales process, but still unsure what value will it bring, ask yourself these questions:

  • Have you ever wasted half an hour digging through your multiple Excel ratesheets or emails to find the freight rates you needed?
  • Have you ever lost a booking because you forgot to reply to that rate request?
  • Have you ever gone back and forth with a quote request figuring out how to calculate all charges correctly?
  • Have you ever lost a booking because you forgot to follow up on the deal?
  • Have you ever miscalculated your sales performance and ended up with an unfulfilled sales budget?
  • Have you ever spent precious time looking for that freight quote that you sent a few weeks ago?

If you said yes to any (or all) of the above, your company can definitely benefit from sales automation. This article will guide you through sales automation tips in freight forwarding.

 

Top 10 Benefits of Sales Automation in Freight Forwarding

 

Sales automation is the digitization of manual, time-consuming sales tasks using software, artificial intelligence (AI), data analysis, and other digital tools. It aims to simplify the daily sales workflow and bring transparency to the commercial aspects of the business.

Sales automation benefits your business, sales team, and bottom line in multiple ways:

  1. Boosts the productivity and performance of your sales team
  2. Ensures your sales deals are followed up, timely
  3. Increases the quality of your freight quotes
  4. Accelerates your business efficiency
  5. Improves the accuracy of your sales process
  6. Simplifies quoting and freight rate management process
  7. Reduces response time which directly improves customer satisfaction
  8. Keeps commercial data consistent across your sales organization
  9. Brings transparency to your commercial process
  10. Allows efficient use of sales team resources

With sales automation on your side, you can accomplish more on an average day than you used to on your best days. Your results will speak for themselves.

 

The Danger of Sales Automation

 

Obviously, you can’t automate everything in your sales process, some aspects must stay human. Interaction with customers has always been the most important value differentiator for every freight forwarder. You never want to automate sales to the point when customer relationships will feel completely robotic and soulless. Think of hundreds of distributed emails with the freight rates from China that you receive every day. Usually, those emails immediately go to the spam folder. Wonder if they get any conversion with this tactic?

Sales automation is not about replacing your sales team with email distribution software. Your professional sales team is a critical and irreplaceable element to your deals. Sales automation allows your sales reps to focus less on administrative tasks and more on selling. It also ensures that your sales process is structured, easy to follow, and unified across the organization.

Your sales automation tool is the most important element for your sales automation. It is the main engine of your sales process. If the engine is not the right fit for the job, your sales process will not work at the maximum efficiency and minimal resource. If you use Excel ratesheets and manual quotes instead of freight software, you need a bigger sales team to achieve the same revenue.

 

Sales Automation with Quotiss

 

Quotiss software is everything your sales organization needs for freight rate management and sales automation. With Quotiss, you can easily upload your freight rates and local charges, automate your freight quotes (yet keep them personalized and human), track and follow up on the deals in the pipeline, and monitor sales performance in real-time.

The software itself has automation tasks — such as carrier integration, quote replication, direct reply to a quote request, quote receipt confirmation, quick access to archive data, and much more. It also feeds data via API into the other software your company uses.

Click here to register your company in Quotiss. We’ll activate your account, and help with the initial settings and implementation. You can start using Quotiss on the same day we sign the deal.

Quotiss Freight Forwarding Software

Freight Forwarding Software: 6 Best Features for Sales Automation in 2021

Automation & Digitalization, Sales Automation / By

We will guide you through the basics of sales automation in freight forwarding software and how to choose the best software for your business.

 

Freight Forwarding Software for Sales Automation

 

Sales automation software empowers freight forwarders to automate the sales process: quick freight rate discovery, instant reactions to a freight quote request, automating the follow-up on sent deals, etc. As a result, you enjoy the boost of freight sales, keeping control of your costs, and getting real-time market analytics – all in one platform.

Sales automation software feels out of reach for many small and medium-sized freight forwarding businesses because:

  • You think it requires a lot of time to implement,
  • It seems like a high cost / low rewards idea,
  • Your clients aren’t asking for it directly.

Let’s look at these assumptions and see why—with the right freight forwarding software—every business (yes, even yours!) can benefit from sales automation.

The software for freight rate management, freight quote automation, and sales analytics was not often searched some 5 years from now when Quotiss just started as a small startup project. At that time, we were struggling to find the right definition for our product, because the analogs didn’t exist. Some CRM and ERP systems offered the functionality, but it was so cumbersome that most companies never succeeded to adapt it to their business process, sticking to Excel.

Today, freight forwarders can choose from plenty of software options, available on the market. Are they all good?  No, they are not. How to find the best freight forwarding software for your sales and pricing teams? Well, the easiest way is to click here and start your Quotiss free trial now. Or just keep reading the article.

 

6 Best Features for Sales Automation in 2021

 

The best sales automation software shall include the following features:

Quotiss - Freight Forwarding Software

1. Freight Rate Management

In order to automate the freight quoting process (the output), you have to start with digitizing the input (freight rates). Upload your freight tariffs and local charges, add spot rates on the go, and get instant access to the online rates via API. With the rate management software, you can keep all freight rates on one platform, ensure data consistency, enable instant data sharing across the organization and do your own market analytics.

Quotiss is the only software on the market to offer an exclusive freight tariff uploader, suitable for every freight ratesheet format and product type. You get rid of Excel ratesheets and can keep control of your negotiated freight rates in-house.

 

2. Quoting Tool

Quoting is the core process in sales automation. Imagine creating a perfect personalized multimodal freight quote & emailing it to your client in a couple of clicks. Sounds like a dream come true.

Email integration is essential – personalized communication with your customer is very important because it increases loyalty and response rates. A large variety of customization options is very important – your freight quote shall be tailored to the needs of your client. Quotiss is the best freight quoting tool on the market – or else, why would it be called Quotiss?

 

3. CRM

To really offer the best customer experience, you’ll need to have all of your customer data stored in one place. Sales automation software that includes some sort of CRM—even a simple panel with basic customer data, quoting history, business potential, average product margins, payment settings —helps sales support agents to quote and follow-up faster.

 

4. Market Intelligence and Analytics

Ideally, your sales automation software accumulates the data and connects the dots creating a larger sales funnel. You can collect, segment and analyze the information from the sales deals to encourage upsells, or set up new services and products to further build your company strength.

 

5. Booking API

The best sales automation software is tied to your TMS system, to make the most out of software integration. Choose to automatically send the successfully accepted freight quotes to the booking team. Select the data which will be automatically uploaded to your booking software, including Buy and Sell rates and freight margins, product and service details, etc.

 

6. Website Quote Widget

Enabling your customers to retrieve freight rates online through your website can sound like a crazy idea. However, with the powerful rate engine in the background, it can release some workload from the sales team, increase your customer loyalty and boost your sales!

The most important condition is to make sure that your customer will get the same rate online and via a sales rep. Quotiss software has the best rate management engine to power your digital customer portal with the most accurate freight quotes.

How to choose the best freight forwarding software for your sales team?

 

If you haven’t selected freight software for your sales team, you’re simultaneously at an advantage and a disadvantage. On the plus side, you haven’t invested in any wrong tool. The downside – you’re losing on sales automation benefits.

You can find all the above benefits and many more in Quotiss software, which is designed to automate sales for freight forwarders.

As a small or medium-sized freight forwarder, you can apply the right software solution and increase your sales productivity without increasing the headcount. When your sales process is powered by Quotiss, you become fast, efficient, and win more deals.

Sign up for the free trial now – go digital today.

Lead Generation Quotiss

10 Lead Generation Tips for Freight Forwarders

Digital Freight, Instant Freight Quotes, Sales Automation / By

The year 2020 was a unique and unusual time for many businesses, freight forwarding included. Handshakes and offline meetings became history, face masks and videoconferencing became a new reality. Logistic conferences, economic forums, and trade shows are left in 2019, and not coming back soon. Together with the traditional offline lead generation. How do you promote a freight forwarding business in 2021?

 

Today, in 2021, several digital tools have proven to be a great way to generate B2B leads, acquire new customers, and grow the freight forwarding business. We will give you 10 useful tips on how to promote a freight forwarding business that you can start using right now!

 

Lead Generation in Freight Forwarding

 

In economics, one has to run to stand still. And “if you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that” – The Red Queen. The number of new leads is an important key sales metric for the team – the sales funnel should always be full of potential deals to cover the unexpected losses.

 

The traditional way of lead generation (conferences, meetings, forums, trade shows, fairs, etc.)  is currently unavailable. The freight rates are reaching previously unseen levels, keeping your sales team very busy securing business. Online lead generation can bring certain benefits to freight forwarders, and this time it remains the only option anyway.

 

How to Promote a Freight Forwarding Business?

 

1. Optimize Your Website

Your website is your first most important asset in the online world. Make sure you have the basics covered: your page must have a modern look, the right amount of information, simple navigation, and a clear message to your potential customer. Insert the ‘subscribe’ box to collect emails, connect Live Chat, or add a link for a quick online consultation. Don’t forget to connect analytics to your website to measure the results. You can also invest in SEO and SEM to improve the ranks of your page in search engines.

2. Optimize Your Social Media Profiles

Your social media page is your second most important asset in the online world. In the B2B segment, the preference is given to LinkedIn, but Facebook and Twitter could also be worth considering. Your company’s social media profiles should be regularly updated. This way your potential clients will know that your business is ‘alive and kicking, and they will be more likely to contact you. Of course, your company profile should be visually appealing, and the content should be engaging.

3. Produce Engaging Content

The information that you share on your website, blog, or social media profiles should be relevant, interesting, and engaging. It also should be unique: no copy-pasting from other resources (beware of the Google algorithms). The more engaging is your content, the more people will interact with it (like, comment, share, repost, subscribe, follow) – the bigger coverage you will achieve as a result.

4. Ask Your Clients for Referrals

People trust people and their opinions. Ask your current customers to write a review about your service, or ask them to fill in the survey and answer a few questions about their satisfaction with your cooperation. Post these reviews on your webpage (don’t forget to get permission to use their name, company, photo, logo, etc.) so that your potential customers can refer to this experience.

5. Implement Targeted Campaigns

Keep your sales leads engaged by sending them regular communication. News, promotions, special offers, announcements, industry, or market events – anything that would keep your potential customers in the loop.

There are plenty of email marketing tools on the market, designed for email campaigns. However, with Quotiss freight forwarders can manage their sales leads more efficiently by sending customized freight quotes, targeted for a specific market/campaign. You can also measure the conversion ratio, open ratio, and future bookings.

6. Integrate an Online Freight Calculator

Customization of your webpage would give an extra value differentiator against your competitors. The most common differentiator these days is an online freight calculator. Shipping lines are successfully pioneering online rates, and some forwarders started to offer online freight calculators too. However, in most cases, it’s a simple online form (fill in => submit => wait for email).

Real online freight calculators will soon become the new norm. The ‘only’ problem with them is to ensure that it always gives the quote which is relevant to the client/market, and the level is the same as if it was quoted by the sales rep. This is only possible when a freight forwarder has an excellent internal rate management tool, with applied pricing guidelines. If you’d like to learn more about such a tool, please contact Quotiss.

7. Cooperate with Freight Forwarding Networks

It would be a waste not to use the freight forwarding network effect. Most likely, you are already a member of a few networks of such a business nature. Make sure that other members of the network know about the specifics of your business. You can create separate email campaigns to keep them in the loop of the latest service updates. The network effect will increase the coverage and bring more potential leads to your company page.

8. Keep an Eye on Your Competition

Monitor your competitors online to be aware of what they are up to. Get inspiration and correct your online strategy based on the steps that they take. But also remember, that your value proposition should be unique to stand out.

9. Engage with Your Audience

Always attend to every request that you are receiving from an online channel. Unanswered comments on your company page do not give a good impression.

An idea for advanced companies: organize an online workshop or seminar on a relevant subject. Use every opportunity to tell your target audience about the benefits of trusting their business to your company. Show your expertise.

10. Simplify – Automate

The lead generation process (both online and offline) can be quite costly for any business, and it can be a complete waste of resources without proper follow-up.

Here is tip #10: simplify and automate the process of adding a new lead to your CRM system. The lead management module should be user-friendly and intuitive, very easy to use, and practical. Sales reps don’t want to spend 20 min of their time updating all required fields in their CRM to create a new record, especially when there is an uncertain chance of success. Sending a ‘test quote’ to a new lead should be fast and fully automated.

Quotiss software can help you to automate your sales process, and simplify your sales lead follow-up. This is especially crucial at a time when most sales teams work remotely and need a smart and simple software to collaborate efficiently.

 

Ready, Set, Automate!

Click here to register for a free trial. We’ll help with the initial settings and user onboarding. You can start quoting freight instantly on the same day we sign the deal.