Righting the Ship in the Middle of the Storm: The Role of Transportation Procurement and Payment in Today's Supply Chain


BOSTON, MA--(Marketwire - April 7, 2009) - Today, Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company (NYSE: HHS), announced the release of a new report, Transportation Procurement and Payment: Righting the Ship in the Middle of the Storm. This report focuses on the adoption of freight audit and payment systems across industries, and examines how companies have utilized these technologies to achieve superior performance. Obtain a complimentary copy of the Transportation report at http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?cid=5708.

Surveying almost 200 respondents using transportation procurement and payment processes and technology adoption in a diverse set of enterprises, Aberdeen found that the top pressure pushing businesses to action is the increasing awareness of the cost and service impact of transportation on overall supply chain performance. "In the past, transportation was managed as a lower-cost activity throughout the supply chain and rarely brought much attention to the board room," said Brad Wyland, senior analyst, Aberdeen. "With the sudden exposure and the increased pressure to lower costs, many organizations are scrambling to get a better understanding of what they're spending on transportation, where they're spending the money, and how efficient they are at managing carrier relationships and minimizing costs."

When examining leading companies -- those who have outperformed their peers in key performance areas -- the report notes that they are:

* Almost 2 times as likely as Industry Average, and over 3 times as likely as Laggards, to manage transportation procurement globally

* Almost 2 times as likely as Industry Average, and almost 3 times as likely as Laggards, to track total freight cost, including accessorials, fuel charges and invoice dispute cost

* Almost 2 times as likely as Industry Average, and 3 times as likely as Laggards, to use a transportation procurement module of a TMS solution

In determining which key performance criteria were most important for identifying leading companies, the report looked to: the percentage of carriers meeting their Service License Agreement (SLA) requirements; the percentage of carriers compliant with contracts; and the year-over-year percentage change in baseline freight spend.

A complimentary copy of this report is made available due in part by the following underwriters: BirdDog Solutions, LeanLogistics, MercuryGate, and US Bank Powertrack.

Access additional complimentary Supply Chain Management Research.

About Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company

Aberdeen provides fact-based research and market intelligence that delivers demonstrable results. Having queried more than 30,000 companies in the past two years, Aberdeen is positioned to educate users to action: driving market awareness, creating demand, enabling sales, and delivering meaningful return-on-investment analysis. As the trusted advisor to the global technology markets, corporations turn to Aberdeen™ for insights that drive decisions.

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Contact Information: Media Contact: Brad Wyland Aberdeen Harte-Hanks (617) 854-5322 Brad.Wyland@aberdeen.com