Services

• Senior management level presentation skills


DATA2LOGISTICS understands the importance of presenting a project and its results and recommendations to the senior management of a client. DATA2LOGISTICS consultants mainly operate on senior management level and are fully aware of the expectations on presentations and discussions at this level.



• Strategic concept development know-how
  
  DATA2LOGISTICS has extensive involvement in creating, analyzing and improving strategic distribution and transport concepts for multinational companies. Due to the fact that the consultants work on cross sector strategic projects on a global scale, it enables them to bring best practices from various industries to the table.
  
  
  
• Project management & analysis skills
  
  The DATA2LOGISTICS consultants are trained in project management skills and apply project management tools during their projects in order to monitor progress and quality. Analysis is an essential key competence of the DATA2LOGISTICS consultants and the practical skills are applied in many successful projects.
  
  
  
• Global transport know-how
  
  A true value adding asset for your projects is the availability of the consultants' practical know-how of the global transport market. Furthermore the DATA2LOGISTICS consultants bring practical experience in creating, managing and executing strategic transport projects to the table.
  
  We offer the following service portfolio:
  
  
• RFP management
  
  DATA2LOGISTICS consultants have many years of practical Request For Pricing (RFP) management experience on board. Our philosophy of approaching RFP's is that we believe in fair tendering, giving all the participants equal opportunity to submit their quotes based on the providing of timely and quality data. It allows for clean analysis on an apples to apples comparison basis. The aim of a RFP is to get the best results not the cheapest results.
  
  The RFP is an investment in improving your logistics resulting in savings, improved services or both. DATA2LOGISTICS has the expertise and practical experience to assist you in getting the most out of an RFP process. When sending out an RFP you want to ensure you get the best responses which means getting the best services from capable service suppliers against competitive rates.
  
  Over the years many clients have come to DATA2LOGISTICS to ask for assistance in managing their RFP processes. Most companies face the same challenges when executing an RFP. Challenges that are most commonly mentioned are:
  
  
  • Highly time consuming exercise,
  • No "real" RFP management expertise in house,
  • Difficulty to standardize and harmonize bidsheets,
  • Difficulty to create detailed & clear shipment profiles,
  • Inability to analyze the responses in an apples-for-apples manner,
  • Difficulty to come to a conclusion and recommendation based on received responses.
  
  For most of our clients creating and managing their own RFP process is an ad hoc event whereby lack of practical experience leads to inventing the process on the fly. For DATA2LOGISTICS RFP management for clients is a "routine" process and therefore many best practices are build into the process.
  
  DATA2LOGISTICS created a solid RFP management process which is supported by an extensive library of global bidsheet templates for all modes of transport and a proprietary analysis tool. Outsourcing the RFP management process to the professionals of DATA2LOGISTICS will result in better overall savings opportunities for your company.
  
  
  
• Savings Achievement Monitoring
  
  Many of our clients are faced with the challenge of proving that potential savings which were presented as a result of a RFP process do actually materialize in reality.
  
  
  • A DATA2LOGISTICS Freight Audit & Payment process client
    
    If you currently are a DATA2LOGISTICS Freight Audit & Payment client, we can use your actual shipment data from our databases to perform our calculations and analysis. In this case our analyst will be able to make a periodical download of your shipment data, which is already audited against the "new" rates. We will rate the same shipments again against the rates which were applicable in the historical situation. Each actual shipment is "dual rated" this way, which allows the analyst to assess the savings level. When savings levels are not met, the DATA2LOGISTICS analyst will review why this is happening. The review is performed on various areas such as: correct use of carriers, correct application of rates and accessorial costs, correct use of service levels, etc.
  
  
  • Not a DATA2LOGISTICS Freight Audit & Payment process client
    
    Of course being a DATA2LOGISTICS Freight Audit & Payment client is not a pre-requisite for the use of the Savings Achievement Monitoring service. We can perform the same service as described above, we only have to ensure that we come to an agreement on the actual shipment data source and historical and new tariff agreements you have in place with your carriers.
  
  DATA2LOGISTICS can perform the service on a weekly or monthly interval for a duration of 6 months as a minimum. You are not provided with a list of rated shipments that you have to analyze yourself. Our analysts have assessed the shipment profile and in their analysis report will point out areas of attention and give recommendations on actions you could best take to maintain your savings levels. As a client this allows you to focus on your core business of managing your shipments while being able to closely monitor your spending levels and use of authorized carriers throughout the company.
  
  
  
• Benchmarking / network audit
  
  Do you have the best freight rates for your shipments? Does your company comprehensively measure transport cost and service performances? DATA2LOGISTICS offers impartial advice, helping you seek cost savings and service improvements in logistics through practical solutions. Through DATA2LOGISTICS's Benchmarking / Transport Network Audit, our professionals analyze your current transportation cost / infrastructure and recommend ways to improve your logistics performance without increasing costs.
  
  What is benchmarking?
  
  Benchmarking is a tool to help you improve your business processes. Any business process can be benchmarked, such as: supplier management, service performance and freight/logistics cost. Benchmarking establishes methods of measuring each area in terms of units of outputs as well as cost. Furthermore, by using benchmarking, companies can integrate the statistics into the rewards and recognition system and set reasonable targets for performance. DATA2LOGISTICS is committed to support the use of benchmarking to facilitate distribution & logistics process improvement and the achievement of accuracy, timeliness and efficiency.
  
  Why use benchmarking?
  
  To attract and retain valuable clients, the price/value of services and products offered can be enhanced through cost reductions and service improvements in logistics activities. Benchmarking fits into a strategic context with other business processes. If conducted regularly, it will support the processes of budgeting, strategic planning, and capital planning. Benchmarking studies allow organisations to know where they stand in relation to other companies, provide evidence of problem areas, and demonstrate best levels of performance and solutions for each area.
  
  Our benchmark / network audit consists of three basic steps that allow us to get a clear view of the client's logistics current state, weigh the options and present a recommendations document:
  
  
  • Current State Assessment (CSA)
  • Re-rating & analysis
  • Recommendation
  
  
  
  
• Freight rate negotiation support
  
  Transport costs are a large part of your company's operational expenses. We cannot make them go away, but we can help to keep them down. When you use DATA2LOGISTICS' freight rate negotiation support services, you will find out what improvements are possible. That is because we use our extensive market knowledge and experience to compare your rates, your surcharges and other cost factors to competitive standards in each transport mode. Our approach points out specific areas where freight rate improvements could be made and computes the amount of money your company should be able to save by (re-)negotiating.
  
  Shipment profile
  
  It is essential that we get an in-depth understanding your business, shipment patterns, services etc. The best results are achieved when reliable shipment information is used in the shipment profiling process. We will build a database consisting of your company's shipment activities, including your traffic lanes and shipment volumes, the transportation characteristics of the materials and products you ship and receive, and your company's geographic shipment coverage. Then we will assemble this information in reports that will allow your negotiators and the carriers to fully understand the transportation and service needs you have.
  
  What do you get?
  
  The saying "knowledge is power" certainly holds true for freight rate negotiations. DATA2LOGISTICS wants to ensure that you are placed in the best position to negotiate the optimal freight cost / service level for your business. Therefore we provide you with a practical set of tools to help you get the best results out of your negotiations. You will have at your disposal the following tools:
  
  
  • Target rate sheet
    
    A powerful tool is the target rate sheet. This document gives you a clear overview of the freight rate levels you should target per mode & service type. In the document it is high lighted which weight brackets and origins/destinations are your key focus points. The tool gives you a clear overview of your current rates, the target rates and the potential savings percentage.
  
  
  
  • Negotiation strategy recommendations
    
    Additional to the target rate sheet you will receive recommendations on which negotiation strategy to use. DATA2LOGISTICS will provide you with practical guidelines which you can use during your negotiations with the carriers.
  
  
  
  
• Scenario rating
  
  DATA2LOGISTICS has performed many costing studies for its Clients with often surprising results. Decision making in transport and logistics is often based on reviewing a number of scenarios. How does my cost picture look like, if we do this?, is a question transport manager often ask themselves. DATA2LOGISTICS is in a good position to assist you in running rating scenarios. We can use rates you procured from "alternative carriers" or use rates from our own extensive rates database covering all modes and regions.
  
  What if?" scenario
  
  Based on your shipment data, DATA2LOGISTICS can run so called "What if? Scenarios". These are calculations whereby we re-rate your shipment data based on for example:
  
  
  • Other "alternative carrier" rates for the same mode,
  • Rates for the same mode, but for a different service type/level,
  • Changed mode (e.g. switch small parcel to LTL or LTL to truckload),
  • Consolidation opportunities (e.g. bundle cost for shipments to same destination on same day),
  • Etc.
  
  These scenarios give you an interesting view on possibilities to make changes in your shipping activities. Based on the figures DATA2LOGISTICS provides you, you will be able to make informed decisions, which can lead you to structural cost savings opportunities.
  
  
  
• Transport / Logistics market studies
  
  Whether you need to understand developments within a specific transport mode in a region or you would like to have a comparison of the service offerings of the top 10 air carriers in the world or understand what Transport Management Systems (TMS) are available, research into the details is needed. Any detailed investigation is time consuming and often labor intensive, but without the intelligence available, informed decision making is often challenging.
  
  DATA2LOGISTICS has performed many market studies for its Clients over the years. Ranging for instance from a study into developments in the intermodal market in Europe to research into the automotive sector and its main logistics service providers.
  
  In case you have a need for research on a transport / logistics related topic, DATA2LOGISTICS could be your go to party. First we need to understand your requirements in detail, plus we will determine what you would like use the results of the market study for. Based on an in-depth interview with your stakeholders we will obtain a thorough understanding of your needs. This will allow us to assess what value DATA2LOGISTICS can add for you and we will present you with a proposal based on this.
  
  All our market studies are tailor-made for our individual Clients and will not be used for anyone else but you.
  
  
  
• Routing guide & Least cost carrier selection
  
  DATA2LOGISTICS offers its clients Routing Guide and Least Cost Carrier Selection tools. Each of these tools serve specific client needs and are intended to help clients manage their day-to-day activities in a better and simpler way.
  
  Routing guide
  
  Our Routing guide is a simple but effective tool, which is 24/7 online available for use. The tool is mainly used for companies which would like to direct their inbound vendors into using preferred carriers for deliveries. Clients can easily make the tool online available for their Global vendors. By selecting origin and destination points in the Routing guide a preferred carrier will be displayed. All contact details of the carrier are available for easy booking of freight.
  
  DATA2LOGISTICS does the set up of the tool for the client and maintains it as well.
  
  Least cost carrier selection
  
  The Least cost carrier selection tool allows clients to enter shipment, mode & service level information and have a list of carriers returned with cost information, ranked on the lowest overall shipment cost. The tool is driven by rate agreements with various carriers that have been concluded by the client. The tool is available 24/7 online on a Global basis. The tool allows clients to ship freight against an optimum cost level at all times.
  
  The tool handles:
  
  
  • Inbound & outbound flows
    
  • All modes of transportation
    
  • Global rate structures
    
  • All service types
  
  DATA2LOGISTICS does the set up of the tool for the client and maintains it as well.
  
  
  
• Contract structuring
  
  DATA2LOGISTICS assist its clients in engineering optimum freight contract structures. This process is interactive and involves both client and carrier. Diversity and complexity in tariffs & contract can make it difficult to get a good view of an organization's optimum logistics costs level.
  
  It is DATA2LOGISTICS' aim to engineer contract & tariff structures which are based on:
  
  
  • Optimum weight break structure
    
  • Optimum base freight category (per Lbs/KG, per mile/KM, etc.)
    
  • Optimum use of accessorial cost elements
    
  • Optimum contract duration
  
  The contact structures that DATA2LOGISTICS works towards, includes:
  
  
  • Rate & zone tables
    
  • Accessorial cost tables
    
  • Terms & conditions
    
  • Service Key Performance Indicators
    
  • Special service requirements
  
  Leverage DATA2LOGISTICS practical expertise to get best contracts in place to serve your business needs.
  
  
  
• Contact details
  
  The DATA2LOGISTICS consultants have extensive experience in managing and executing projects in a wide range of logistics & transport activities. Clients can benefit from the experience of DATA2LOGISTICS' consultants in multiple industries across the globe.
  
  
  Karin Speaker
  Logistics Consultant
  Data2Logistics, LLC
  4310 Metro Parkway
  Fort Myers, FL 33916
  United States
  T:     919 550 8103
  E:     karin.speaker@data2logistics.com