Smartscan Transport
Advising on existing transport solutions
Following the submission of a free Quick Scan, a Smart Scan Transport was conducted for an organization to gain insight into its domestic transport operations.
Additionally, a high-level review of international transport flows was carried out. The objective was to obtain improved visibility into costs, the level of professionalism, operational effectiveness, and contractual agreements with carriers.
FIndings
Domestic transport is executed by a dedicated carrier and aligns well operationally with the organization’s shipment profile.
Satisfaction with the collaboration is high; however, performance is not structurally measured in an objective way.
Transport costs have been made transparent at various levels (per shipment, per kilometer, and per loading meter).
Part of the surcharges could not be directly traced back to underlying data or contractual agreements.
There is potential for cost savings through the consolidation of deliveries to locations that are served multiple times per week.
The applied fuel surcharge mechanism follows market developments; however, its impact is relatively significant due to the chosen base price.
International shipments may offer alternative and more cost-efficient solutions.
Terms and conditions contain several points open to interpretation, which may lead to misunderstandings in practice.
Recommendations
Periodically conduct benchmarking or market testing to validate rates and shipment profiles against current market standards.
Further explore consolidation opportunities for frequently served delivery locations.
Clarify and substantiate surcharges that are not directly explainable based on data or contractual agreements.
Monitor performance using KPIs such as on-time delivery, preferably based on existing data.
Jointly review and formalize terms and conditions to align expectations and reduce ambiguity.
Explore alternative solutions for specific international transport flows.
Result
The Smart Scan confirmed that the organization is working with a suitable carrier for its domestic transport operations, while also highlighting clear opportunities for improvement. With relatively limited actions, greater control can be achieved over costs, performance, and contractual arrangements, enabling further professionalization and optimization of the transport organization.