What Makes A TMS Software Easy To Use?

If you've been a freight broker or just been around logistics for long enough, you probably remember freight broker TMS software (aka. transportation management software or dispatch software) as a slow, clunky program you opened on your work desktop built by a company like Oracle or IBM.

Things have certainly changed since then - with cloud-based software solutions (like FreightPath!) you can log into your freight broker TMS software from anywhere on any device and get work done in a way that would've seemed like magic twenty years ago. However, not all TMS software is built to the same standards - just like twenty years ago, there's plenty of players in the market still in a feature race without thinking about ease-of-use.

Why Does "Ease-Of-Use" Matter For Your TMS Software?

If you're looking for a new web-based freight broker TMS software for your freight brokerage you've probably made a feature list you're looking for. You need the ability to enter in all the different types of loads you run. You want an accounting module to do your invoices and expenses. You want a CRM module so you can keep track of your customers. You want calculators for mileage and rate modules to give your customers and carriers instant quotes. Maybe you've even thought of GPS tracking, customer portals and other high-value features for your clients.

So, you talk to a sales rep for whatever TMS software you're looking for and they check every box on your list. Aljex, Ascend TMS, ITS Dispatch, Avaal and more will likely try to check every box you have and even every box that you don't have.

Easy decision, right? Just pick the freight broker TMS software that checks the most boxes for your freight brokerage!

Not so fast!

In our research surveying over 400 freight brokers in North America ranging from small mom-and-pop shops to big 3PLs about their TMS software, the number one complaint these freight brokers had (~65% of them to be precise) was that their software was slowing them down. This happened in three distinct ways:

1. Data entry was too slow, with upwards to 20 minutes to enter in an average multi-stop load
2. Employee onboarding was painful, with new trainees taking months to get comfortable with software and processes
3. Too much manual work, with paperwork, email chains and phone calls extending the time taken to cover loads by 70-80%

These problems can't be solved by checking more feature boxes - in fact the TMS software feature race actively makes these problems worse!

So, how can your freight brokerage tackle these challenges? Here's how our process engineering experts at FreightPath see it:

What Should An Easy-to-Use TMS Software Provide Your Team?

In our research and development process working with freight brokerages that were using legacy TMS softwares like Aljex, TMW, Mcleod and ITS Dispatch (among others), we studied real brokerage agents' processes and where they would get stuck.

Here's what we found in most freight broker TMS software's booking processes:

1. No ability to easily duplicate existing loads, resulting in duplicate data entry of entire loads (+15-20 minutes per load)
2. No quick access to your address book/CRM, resulting in duplicate data entry of customer data (+3-4 minutes per load)
3. No integration with google maps, resulting in slow/inaccurate data entry of locations (+4-5 minutes per load)
4. Convoluted methods to create paperwork/instructions for multi-pickup or multi-delivery loads (+5-10 minutes per load)
5. Antiquated software architecture resulting in slow load times and loss of data(+10-12 minutes per load)

That's why our mission in building FreightPath is to beat these challenges head on. Why are freight brokers entering their loads in under two minutes with FreightPath TMS? Here's why:

1. One step load duplication, reducing duplicate data entry of entire loads
2. AI-powered CRM autocompleter, eliminating duplicate data entry of customer data
3. Google maps integration for all addresses, resulting in flawless data entry for location data
4. AI-powered process for creating complex loads (e.g. milk runs, multi-pickup, multi-runs, etc.)
5. The latest technology to create instant response times without loading screens

If your freight broker TMS software isn't solving these problems for your freight brokerage, you're not just missing out on checkboxes. You're likely paying for a software that actively slows down your team and creates friction with your clients.

Looking For an Easy-To-Use TMS Software For Your Freight Brokerage?

Thankfully, if you're looking for an easy-to-use TMS software for your freight brokerage, there's no better choice than FreightPath. Not only is it the easiest-to-use freight broker TMS software, it's the only TMS software that keeps your data secure, built-in GPS track & trace with no extra fees, and provides value for your customers and carriers through digital tools.

Want to learn more or get started? Book a demo with our sales team today (we have special programs for new freight brokers and freight brokers switching from another TMS!)