What Is Supply Chain Analytics?
Gathering data these days is not hard. Digital tools are everywhere, collecting information constantly. Today, we measure and codify almost everything about ourselves and the world around us. Sharing that data is also relatively easy. There are more communication channels available and accessible today than ever before, by far. The question that plagues today’s business world is this: How do we use all that data?
In the logistics industry, supply chain analytics is the search for that answer. Simply put, supply chain analytics is the systematic analysis of a company’s inventory and shipping data. Ultimately, all businesses are trying to accomplish two goals: Help their customers, and make a profit for themselves. Supply chain analytics is the practice of consolidating and examining logistics data from every link along a given supply chain, in order to find ways to accomplish those goals. One example of a supply chain analytics problem to solve: How can companies best prepare for peak season?
How Does Supply Chain Analytics Work?
First off, every business is unique. Individual supply chains can and do look very different, depending on the company and the industry they’re in. That’s why, no matter what the specific problems are, the first step in any analysis is always to attain comprehensive and accurate supply chain visibility. It’s impossible to find your way if you can’t see the path.
Remember those digital tools we mentioned earlier? They are torches that can light the way. Advanced logistics platforms like Zero Down’s proprietary technology partner, FreightOptics, have the ability to pull together data points from multiple sources and consolidate that information into easily viewed, actionable insights. Having the ability to quickly access the information you’re looking for is critical to solving the unique problems your supply chain faces.
Here are some of the ways FreightOptics can help light the way, and provide complete supply chain analytics:
Dashboards:
Our system provides our clients with access to over 50 individual widgets, displaying data across all modes and carriers. The widgets are exportable, and designed with drill down capabilities to let you find exactly what you’re looking for. Highly customizable and mobile friendly, our dashboards can easily be set up to show you the data you want to see, when you want to see it.
Reports:
For deeper data dives, our report module is able to run over 70 individual reports, pulling together data from across your company’s unique shipping profile. These reports can be generated ad hoc, or run automatically and delivered to individual user’s inboxes, on your timeline.
Invoice Search:
An analysis doesn’t have to be widespread for it to matter, especially to your customers. For specific cases and exception management, our system’s invoice search function lets our clients pull up detailed information on individual shipments, in real time.
These are just a few of the ways our best-in-class platform can help analyze your company’s unique supply chain. But, as we said earlier, consolidating the data from your shipping profile together in one place is just the first step. Supply chain analytics is really about what you do with that data, once you’ve got it.
That’s where Zero Down comes in. Our team has spent decades in the logistics industry turning data into actionable insights. Our industry-leading technology makes it easy to see your options, but our expert team are the ones who can guide you the whole way.
If you’re interested in turning your data into wins for you and your customers, reach out to us today.
