Top order planning mantras to boost your logistics management

Fretron’s 3D Order Planning Mantra to Boost Logistics Management

1. Vertical (channel) alignment

Sync in all indents and order creation processes. Everything from just-in-time or lean (operation) triggers for automated order creation to smooth vendor-carrier partner integrations.

2. Horizontal alignment

Streamline all in-yard loading schedules, load-building, capacity optimization, on-track (in-yard) fleet movement, and on-time shipment dispatch.

3. Forward alignment

It’s all about process execution, learning, adaptation and evolution. This level of alignment constantly improves the order planning processes based on current learnings (issues and exceptions) as well as predictive/intuitive market adjustments.

This is Fretron’s ‘3D Order Planning Mantra’ which forms the contextual base of its complete transportation management system (TMS). Let’s take a deeper diver into this 3D mantra.

Advanced Order Creation – Build the order planning baseline 

Logistics management is the enablement of effective, efficient and on-time movement of things. Proper order creation is the starting point of this process. Consider a simple just-in-time logistics set-up. A retailer demarcates its safety stock for each stock keeping unit (SKU) as per the demand and the supply timelines. 

Here, the logistics service provider (LSP) with an advanced order creation module holds an edge. They can align the client’s SKU’s and their order prospects with a streamlined shipment schedule

In simple words, this means that the LSP would: 

• Create the right orders at the right time 
• Assign the right driver/truck/vendor (matching driver skills and fleet type to order type) 
• Create a proper loading and dispatch schedule to ensure that the right shipment (order) reaches the right consignee at the exact point (estimated time of arrival, ETA) 

Here’s a bit more about the intelligence of Fretron’s order creation engine.

Intuitive market/seasonal adjustments 

Fretron’s order creation engine factors in historical and current market triggers to predict the right order volume for each shipment (moving to a consignee/client). It’s simple. Many products and goods have seasonal demands (or cyclical demand with a shorter timeline). The order creation engine puts up the right and optimal order volume as a suggestion based on the current requirements.

Shipment-driver-vendor mapping 

At the business-end, the order creation engine maps the available fleet/drivers or the vendors with the shipment requirements. This is a very important and influential tool for shippers or LSPs. We would cover this deeper detail at a later date. 

For now, the order creation leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to create smart contracts for each shipment. At the end of this order creation process, the shipments would be moving with the right drivers/trucks at the most optimal price point.

Superior Load-Building – Cost, time and resource-efficient 

The orders then flow from the system to the execution stage. Herein, the system creates optimal loading schedules and aligns them with the handlers’ in-yard load management (First-in First-Out, Last-in First-Out, etc.). 

The centralized and digitized system builds the right load for each truck. Fretron’s load-builder is a critical element within in-yard shipment handling and overall fleet capacity optimization.  Shippers and LSPs can build loads which move fast and smoothly from order creation to dispatch, with minimal delays or bottlenecks. The load-builder makes the order planning process cost, time and resource-efficient.

Streamline Dispatch management – Total dispatch control 

Fretron’s order planning system has multiple checkpoints and efficiency infusing streams. Live in-yard truck and shipment movement visibility helps the shippers and LSPs with superior dispatch control. 

They know exactly how many trucks are lined-up and their exact location. This in-yard shipment movement visibility helps set up an ‘assembly line’ style loading, and even cross-docking process. It significantly all in-yard fleet detention. 

The central metric, here, is on-time shipment dispatches. The entire process from order creation to on-time dispatch is digitized, streamlined, and optimized. The shipper can put out optimized shipments 50-60% faster with Fretron’s order planning. This builds in efficiency and agility within the shipper’s distribution network. On-time dispatches, obviously, have a higher probability of turning into on-time shipment deliveries.

The ‘Forward Alignment’ of 3D Order Planning Mantra 

We spoke of the 3D Order Planning Mantra. Here, in the basics, we looked into the Vertical and Horizontal alignment. The Forward alignment is an exclusive Fretron ability which ensures that no error or bottleneck is recreated or repeated during the order planning and dispatch process. 

Fretron’s issue/exception management system is AI and ML-driven. It identifies issues, streamlines the right assignment (to a point of contact for redressal), tracks their development/resolution, escalates their status, and reapplies the learning back into the overall (Fretron’s Complete TMS) system. This means that this system continually learns and betters itself for better order planning at every iteration.