For freight forwarders, Interactions with customers and carriers are naturally asynchronous because of time zones and geographies. This asynchronous communication takes place through email for a majority of companies.
While simple, using traditional email platforms as a primary tool for communication and collaboration leads to missed details and mistyped data. But the problem isn’t just your inbox, it’s opening an email with an attached PDF on one screen, and then having to manually key data into your transportation management system (TMS).
In the world of logistics, it's important to have accurate and up-to-date information at all times. If important details are missed or data is mistyped in traditional email platforms, it can have serious consequences, including delays, errors, and additional costs. Transitioning email to structured data must be more efficient than it is today.
Efficient Emails = Efficient Operations
Email isn’t going anywhere and has always been critical for logistics operations. Not only does it allow for quick and easy communication, automation, and the sharing of documents and information, but it is essential to a layered approach to more digital and efficient freight forwarding.
The answer to logistics efficiency isn’t Email or electronic data interchange (EDI) or application programming interface (API) or a centralized website. The answer is Email and EDI and API and a centralized website.
With smart email tools for an automated inbox, like SEDNA, freight forwarders can reduce the need for manual tasks and eliminate the risk of errors and mistakes, improving their overall speed and accuracy.
Make the Most of Your Inbox
A forwarder’s relationships with some customers are infrequent and transient, like a customer who sends 100 shipments a year, or a carrier that’s only used in niche regions. These relationships are perfect for email communications. As operations become more robust, forwarders can then transition relying on EDIs and APIs.
Regardless of the size of their operations, forwarders should embrace and modernize their email strategy to include workflow and automated data extraction. Instead of spending hundreds of hours a week routing emails and inputting data, SEDNA’s smart email platform leverages the Chain.io network to automate moving shipment information from a forwarder’s TMS into their inbox, helping teams get their work done faster and focus on other, potentially more important, tasks on their to-do lists.
By reducing the risk of errors and improving efficiency, freight forwarders can continue to thrive and meet the needs of their customers in a demanding market. As the industry continues to evolve, establishing a connected ecosystem will be more important than ever.
The SEDNA + Chain.io Integration
With the help of Chain.io, SEDNA automates data from CargoWise directly into freight forwarders’ inboxes.
That CargoWise data appears as an easy-to-read reference card inside of a SEDNA message, and with one click, you can insert CargoWise shipment data directly into messages you compose from SEDNA. With automated shipment data available directly in your inbox, your team will have time to focus on what really matters: your customers.
Bill Dobie, founder and CEO of SEDNA, said: “Most accept the headache of traditional email as the price of doing business. But it doesn’t need to be this way. We built SEDNA so freight forwarders, maritime, and other companies dealing with the universal ‘email problem’ can instead use their inboxes to their competitive advantage.
“Through partnering with third-party logistics apps, like Chain.io, freight forwarders can easily access key Cargowise data and information with a single click within SEDNA. Creating this single digital workplace makes your inbox a central hub for operations and business intelligence. Not only does this save time and reduce complexity and potential error, it empowers teams to drive better decisions.”
Ready to learn more about integrating your inbox with SEDNA and Chain.io? Set up time to talk with our experts today.
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