If you ship anything, you should check out http://www.eroutingguide.com/ - any new user who signs up by 9/1/10 will be given free access to the new ShipAssist and Routing Guide products. All that is asked is feedback on how the system is working and ideas for improvements.
Here is an overview of the system:
Executive Summary:
eROUTINGguide.com is easyTMS. The eROUTINGguide vision is to offer on-line tools that give small and medium size companies access to transportation management technology that was previously only affordable to large companies. Each module within the system is designed to save time, protect information, and improve decision making for the logistics professionals in that organization.
• ShipAssist - Provides tools that help companies by preventing accessorial charges and improving communication with carriers.
• Online Routing Guide - Improves inbound and outbound routing guide compliance, reducing costly errors and service issues.
• easy TMS - Helps businesses reduce freight costs through ensuring better carrier rate management, shipment routing decisions, and carrier communication.
Each tool is simple to implement and has an ROI of days, not months or years.
ShipAssist:
ShipAssist provides easy access to an online location for shipping department to post facility rules and regulations, maps/directions to their facility, or any other information a shipper wants to communicate to carriers. As a standard procedure, the shipper directs carriers to their personalized site to review the facility’s regulations and provide a documented acknowledgment of acceptance of the rules. The main benefits of the service are to set clear guidelines and expectations for carriers to prevent disagreements over detention or other accessorial charges, as well as eliminate calls to the shipping department asking for directions or other requests for basic information. There is ASN (Advanced Shipment Notification) functionality available as well.
The target market for the service is a manufacturer with one location, or a national retail chain with multiple locations, each having unique receiving requirements.
Online Routing Guide:
eRouting Guide provides an online location for companies to post their corporate routing guide in an open or password protected environment. The routing guide information is posted on a personalized site for the business and can be customized with any relevant content. Instead of sending out hard copies of routing guides, potential users can reference the information online. Updates can be made instantly and notification of any changes are sent immediately. Routing compliance is improved, therefore reducing time and expenses incurred to the business resulting from misrouted shipments. The goal is to make sure each shipment is routed the right way every time. There is ASN (Advanced Shipment Notification) functionality available as well.
The target markets for the service are any manufacturer with vendors or suppliers sending inbound product or companies with de-centralized shipping origin point.