Frequent problems for businesses in setting up logistics processes are the lack of transparency, inconvenience, and insecurity of daily operations. Could supply chain parties be ready to adopt an IT tool for shipping from the digital logistics environment to effectively solve the difficulties with booking and paying for cargo forwarding? In this article, we will focus on the method of optimizing the booking of transportation services, which provides speed and a guarantee of safe transportation, namely the Logistics Explorer tool. Let's explore the extensive functionality you get from API integration in practice.
Difficulties in instant quotation and booking implementation
However, let's first define our issue for a more comprehensive solution. Often, logistics providers offer their services to shippers, giving them a longer option for booking freight rates and transportation services. Manual process management has never been efficient enough, and this case is no exception.
It is also important to mention the pricing process, which should be clear and comprehensive; online freight quotes should be available for multiple routes and adjusted according to the availability of additional carrier freight services.
What difficulties are solved by the online freight quotation and carriage booking functions?
Delays in the operation
If the website of a shipping company, freight forwarder, or carrier does not have an online quotation widget or full integration of an API for logistics, then their visitors are left face-to-face with two options: communicate with your support team in a limited time or search for additional information and the opportunity to book a favorable freight rate with your competitors. Any of your platforms, ERP, TMS, or CRM systems equipped with the ability to compare and instantly book freight rates will become a round-the-clock freight assistant and increase your competitiveness in the logistics market.
Unreliable transportation
When carrying out cargo transportation, it is worth checking the reliability and experience of your logistics provider. Otherwise, you will face unpredictable increases in freight rates and unnecessary expenses throughout the delivery. In this article, you will learn what makes SeaRates digital solutions so comprehensive and reliable in the cargo transportation market. Contact our team to discover more about us and to get a response to any of your shipping needs.
Fuzzy business organization
For all parties involved—you and your customers—Logistics Explorer's functionality is also indispensable because of the availability of complete shipping information and requested services in one place. It becomes easier for businesses to keep an eye on and optimize their cargo forwarding processes by destination. For shippers, it will also simplify the transportation process by allowing them to consolidate cargo and request LCL/LTL shipments.
Capabilities of instant freight shipping quotes
How long does it take for a shipper to receive a freight rate for its transportation? On average, it takes 3 days and up, including a superficial search for average prices and limited communication with the support of shipping lines.
Below, you can see how it can be done in 5 seconds, with a detailed comparison of the best shipping options for many destinations:
Enhanced communication with customers, automation of internal processes for dynamic and error-free pricing, transfer of complete shipping quotations, and up-to-date information updated in real-time—there is much to be gained by digitizing your business.
Improving business trading processes leads to stable financial performance, which is the goal of the option of fast booking of shipment services. The Logistics Explorer tool works on the simple but necessary principle of better tariffs and faster booking. Only under these conditions will shipping companies and freight forwarders be able to provide shippers with competitive logistics services.
The requirements for industry representatives are constantly growing, which pushes SeaRates to provide you with the best solutions for a leading position in the global market. Logistics technologies allow for the complete digitalization of supply chain processes. That's why it is essential to fill your platform or website with online quotations and quick booking options. Afterward, in practice, you will see the scale of logistics control, having such a wide choice for shipments with just one integrated tool.
In addition, shipping lines that have integrated convenient quoting and booking of transportation are more popular with freight forwarders looking to optimize logistics operations.
How Logistics Explorer API can increase your business opportunities
As already mentioned, you can integrate the Logistics Explorer API into any of your ERP, TMS, or CRM systems to receive and provide data to your customers through an online freight calculator. You will be able to provide users from all over the world with instant quotes for a variety of shipping destinations, according to different types of transport, carriage, and additional services. You will also implement the ability to instantly book the freight rates found from different carriers in your business processes, which allows you to develop sustainably and expand the geography of your logistics services.
In our previous article, "SeaRates Developer Portal: Capabilities for Your Business", you will find an overview of the possibilities of integrating our digital solutions, or go straight to the Logistics Explorer API.
Get a free trial period for Logistics Explorer API
Contact the SeaRates team to get your test credentials and try the IT tool for streamlined shipping for 72-hours without payment.
In Conclusion
Our team puts a lot of effort into providing your business with the greatest quality logistics services on the world market today.
At SeaRates.com, we provide you with access to innovative digital logistics solutions that ensure transparency and quality in your supply chain processes.
Reach out to the SeaRates team at [email protected] for details and assistance in integrating IT tools for logistics.
