Web-based program to match service carriers with excess capacity to client carriers with over-capacity shipments
Detroit, MI — April 15, 2005 — Freight management specialist National Logistics Management (NLM) has launched a new program intended to give its client carriers a confidential way to manage their over-capacity shipments by tapping into NLM's carrier base to find a service-carrier that ensures on-time delivery of the shipment that exceeds their present capacity.
NLM said it created its "Never Say No" program, launched this week, as a response to the logistics industry-wide issue of tight carrier capacity and the need for a full-service freight exchange.
Staking a claim as the only North American third-party logistics provider to specialize solely in premium freight, NLM is non-asset based and utilizes proprietary software developed in-house to determine optimal shipping modes — ground, air freight, and air charter — export shipment information via the Internet to its carrier base, receive bids back, evaluate the lowest bids and carrier quality ratings, and coordinate shipment based on best price and quality, all within a 30-minute window.
With the Never Say No program, NLM said it will use its expertise in Web-based premium freight management to serve the carrier community. The program "reaches beyond traditional corporate or supplier-initiated freight management, as well as traditional freight exchanges that concentrate on procurement only," the service provider said.
The Never Say No program offers to the carrier community an alternative to brokering ground freight in North America while providing real-time tracking and tracing service that provides visibility to the client carrier throughout the shipping process, as well as to the client carrier's customers, NLM said.
The service provider said that client-carrier response to the Never Say No program during its beta test period has been favorable. "They appreciated the speed in which a service-carrier is procured, the real-time updates of each milestone of their shipment, the automatic payment to the service-carrier base — including online BOL/POD retrieval and standardized online freight payment for their Never Say No activity, and the confidentiality in which all of this is handled by NLM," the provider said in announcing the program.
"We're excited to offer this new program to our carrier partners who want to be a part of the solution when it comes to equipment capacity," said Scott Taylor, CEO of National Logistics Management. "It makes sense to optimize our carrier partners by providing our Web-based service that allows quick procurement of an alternative carrier and have visibility to all milestones so they can get their shipments through on time, despite capacity issues."
Before participating in the Never Say No program, the traditional method for brokering freight was either making manual calls to multiple carriers to find someone to manage excess shipments or working through a freight exchange with unknown carriers. Now carriers can go to NLM's Web site and their shipment request goes out to 100 to 150 qualified carriers, which provides more options, more price comparisons and saves time, NLM said.
For more information on the latest trends in the logistics space, see the article "The Analyst Corner: Fulfillment & Logistics" in the October/November 2004 issue of Supply & Demand Chain Executive.
