CargoSmart Announces Two New Products: Exception Management and Milestone Assignments
New Functionality Increases Supply Chain Visibility and Collaboration for Shippers, Consignees, and Logistics Service Providers
SAN JOSE, CA and HONG KONG--(Marketwire - May 20, 2008) - CargoSmart Limited, a leading
Software as a Service (SaaS) global logistics solutions provider, today
announced two new products, Exception Management and Milestone Assignments.
The products are designed to help shippers, consignees, and logistics
service providers increase supply chain visibility and improve
collaboration. Exception Management automatically detects exceptions to
expected shipment plans and alerts customers about key events so that they
can quickly adjust their logistics arrangements. Milestone Assignments lets
customers assign shipment-related tasks to their supply chain associates
who can then update the status of the tasks directly into CargoSmart. The
products manage the mass of customers' multiple-carrier shipment
information, while allowing them to spot changes to expected shipment plans
and improve workflow management.
"CargoSmart has traditionally been known as an ocean shipment management
portal that provides standard functionality and facilitates data sharing
between customers and their multiple carriers. CargoSmart now offers the
shipping community advanced, on-demand logistics management services that
improve customers' supply chain visibility and workflow management," said
Joe O'Brien, director of business development, CargoSmart. "The new
products empower customers to streamline their internal business processes
and greatly reduce transportation management costs."
Proactive Problem Recognition Speeds Resolution
Exception Management automatically manages customers' multiple-carrier
shipments while providing visibility to exceptions, allowing customers to
focus their attention on more critical activities in the shipment cycle.
Customers establish rules and criteria in CargoSmart for how shipment
events are planned and what constitutes an exception. CargoSmart generates
shipment plans that plot the expected milestones for a shipment based on
customers' parameters, helping them discover shipment problems sooner and
avoid or minimize costly delays. If a delay occurs in the shipment cycle,
Exception Management alerts designated recipients about the exception and
automatically updates the expected times of the downstream milestones in
the shipment plan.
Exception Management includes over 40 standard milestones that are updated
by ocean carriers. Customers can create their own unlimited number of user
defined milestones. User defined milestones are events that customers
create around their internal processes, based on the standard milestones.
Early exception detection allows customers to resolve shipment problems and
to minimize costly delays. Examples include reducing costs by avoiding
detention and demurrage charges, avoiding late documentation submission
fees, and implementing lower cost contingency plans when receiving earlier
notification of shipment plan changes.
Empowering Supply Chain Parties to Facilitate Shipment Management
The Milestone Assignments product allows shippers and consignees to assign
tasks to co-workers and logistics service providers, such as brokers and
forwarders. It also allows logistics service providers to assign tasks to
associates within and outside of their companies. The third-parties are
automatically notified when a task needs to be done, and can update the
status of the task directly into CargoSmart. Visibility to both changes in
shipment plans and shipment-related tasks help customers keep their
processes flowing and spot disruptions to help minimize transportation
management costs and reduce the risk of late shipments.
Quick Start Guide Helps Customers Experience Value Quickly
CargoSmart provides a Quick Start Guide to help customers identify key
areas where they can improve visibility and lower costs. The introductory
guide includes scenarios such as submitting on-time documentation, avoiding
detention and demurrage fees, and confirming free on board (FOB). Based on
the selected scenarios, CargoSmart Support helps customers set up the
milestones tailored to meet their needs.
Companies interested in upgrading or learning more about CargoSmart's new
solutions may visit www.cargosmart.com or contact info@cargosmart.com.
About CargoSmart
CargoSmart Limited (www.cargosmart.com) is a global logistics Software as a
Service (SaaS) solution provider, with advanced visibility and exception
management, enabling shippers, consignees, and logistics service providers
to keep cargo moving and delivered on time. Through online tools and
integration services, CargoSmart enables customers to plan, process, and
monitor the critical path of multiple-carrier shipments and communicate
in-depth, timely information to key supply chain associates. CargoSmart
launched its services in October 2000, and has helped over 17,000 customers
lower transportation management costs, streamline operations, and reduce
the risk of late shipments.