Not so long ago, freight forwarders didn’t think about automating their tasks. They would manually calculate their costs and keep them in piles of paperwork. Before software for freight forwarders, employees had to do manual calculations. Statistics show that 43% freight sales executive’s spend their time on pricing and quotes. Mistakes occur due to unbalanced pricing, delayed quotes, and manual entries. Human errors cause you to lose time and money. What’s more, your precious resources are wasted. Choosing freight management software solves many of your problems. You get major insights on freight rates with a single tap. Software automates tasks and decreases your workload.

How rate management software helps freight forwarders

Running a freight company means paying attention to every area. Your biggest problems may include rate calculation. Imagine going through lists of quotes from shippers. What a hassle, isn’t it? Rate management software steps in to save you from extra work. Freight tools handle your pricing and receive quotes from different businesses. Humans are bound to make mistakes. Your workers may make calculation errors that can lead to serious problems. Incorrect listing of quotes can disrupt your whole budget. Freight forwarding software reduces mistakes and makes the process smoother. Rate tools not only receive quotes, but also help in booking shipments. You can gather data in a single digital library. Software makes data handling much easier. Rate management systems also give customized quotes. You can convert currency and track pricing using automation. Software improves customer experience and boosts your efficiency. You can store your purchasing rates and other freight quotes in a centralized system. Smart storage helps others to access your freight rates anytime, anywhere. Logistics rate management speeds up the work process, cutting costs. 

Tips to select the best freight software USA for rate management

You want to invest in customized freight management software. But ask yourself if it’s efficient enough. Is it smart enough to calculate rates? Speed should be a top priority. You need quick freight rate management solutions for easy optimization. Digital solutions to handle rates come with the right freight software for your business. Here is how you should select freight forwarding solutions, including rate management tools:

1-User-friendly interface

It’s important for any software to be user-friendly. Your staff doesn’t have the time and energy to understand complex functions. Tools that are easy for beginners shorten training times. Selecting the best freight software USA means picking easy-to-use functions. Your staff should also be able to change language settings. It is easier for employees to use functions in their native language. The interface for logistics rate management has to be compatible with multiple devices. Moreover, your staff should be able to access rate tools no matter where they are. 

2-Rate transparency

Rate transparency is among the top freight software features that you must look for. Customers want to check the transparency of their charges during the transportation process. What’s more, you need reliable data from the carriers to create accurate quotes. The future of freight logistics must be based on transparency. Dealing with multiple vendors can create an inconsistent flow of data. Freight forwarding solutions balance the data flow, keeping rates transparent in your business. Keep in mind that the data should be reliable and consistent. 

3-Wide carrier network

Identifying live spot rates is one of the many features of rate management software. Live spot rates help you throughout the entire process of quotation to invoicing. You need a  wide coverage of rates for expanding your business. The RMS tool should be able to support a variety of currencies and carriers. Freight forwarding software lets you have a broader picture of what you are working with. Having several currency options lets you connect with different parts of the world. Larger networks give you a greater chance to convert your leads into sales. 

4-User privacy and safety

Data security is a top priority in choosing freight management software. Theft and fraud related to data is common in freight forwarding. Legally, GDPR rules have set a guideline for data storage and usage. Unwanted data shouldn’t be removed without screening. The best freight software USA ensures data privacy, securing it by all means. You must also select the people accessing the software carefully. Lending access to everyone can lead to data leaks. Any changes or addition to the data has to be checked. You can use an audit log to track data changes over time. 

5-Higher rate visibility

Increase supply chain visibility and rate visibility using freight rate management solutions. The more you can “see” into your supply chain, the easier it is to control. Higher visibility is a major benefit of digital rate tools. One of the major issues that occur in freight forwarding is fragmentation. The more businesses that add up, the more you lose visibility. The best freight software USA must provide visibility across multiple organizations. Higher supply chain and rate visibility reduces some of the fragmentation. Invest in reliable rate tools to monitor the supply chain more closely. 

6-Scalable software

Consider flexibility and scalability when choosing freight management software. RMS tools must be able to adapt to changes. The ideal RMS tool responds quickly to new system requirements. Sooner or later, your business is destined to grow. Using outdated software for newer functions is a waste of resources. Rate handling software has to be flexible in every growth phase. Invest in logistics rate management tools that grow along with your business. RMS has the scope to develop into a larger product. It has a long way to go. But RMS is still effective right now.  

7-Reporting and analysis

Software for freight forwarders generates automated reports. RMS tools allow smooth data handling, storage, and visualization. What’s more, software helps you make timely decisions. Informed decisions are possible through accurate reporting and data analysis. Freight software features include quick reports for both you and your customers. What’s more? You can see your data in the form of charts and diagrams. Data represented in images helps you gain valuable insights.

8-Flexible API integration

Collecting data from carriers is not enough. You need freight forwarding solutions to gather data in an easy format. Live data changes can be made with globally accepted API Standard formats. These formats assist in quick integration. Logistics rate management tools can be integrated into freight software. A single platform removes the need for multiple systems. RMS integrations allow quick and easy flow of data. Improve access to rate search and calculation using RMS integrations. 

9-Real-time tracking

Delayed orders are among the most common problems in freight forwarding. Choosing freight management software lets you track shipments with just a tap of your finger. Not only you, but your customers get real-time updates on their order status. They can plan their schedules based on the delivery time. Milestone updates ensure they don’t miss a single order. Real-time tracking tools in freight forwarding solutions save time. You can check routes and reroute your cargo to a better one. This will save fuel costs and increase the overall productivity of your business. Having the latest weather and traffic updates is helpful for making tough decisions on time.

10-Rate search and calculation

Having the best freight software USA allows quick rate search. Your customers don’t wait for you and they move on to a faster service. Software screens all the available freight rates. RMS tools check the distance, weight and size of goods. You can calculate rates without manual calculation. Freight forwarding software helps you select the best carrier for your goods. What’s more, RMS tools update you on the latest freight rates.