More ‘loads 2.0’

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Updated May 14, 2013

Kaazing Powered logoWeb tech company Kaazing, developing live web and mobile communication technologies, announced last week that it had been selected by the Allen Lund Company brokerage to “power the real-time bidding and transportation logistics for their cutting-edge Transportation Management Software (TMS),” as a press release had it.

In essence, it feels like another installment in part of what I reported on in the April issue, the move among individual brokerages, load boards and the carriers that use them away from the phone conversation and into the computer and web for more than just load information. For comparison, if you missed the April reporting on the “future of online load selection,” check it out. Looks like that future’s getting closer.  Lund it seems is doing some of what what Internet Truckstop’s branded-broker series of smartphone apps and uShip’s Pro side are doing for other brokerages, i.e. enabling them to accept carrier bids and communications — as well as load tenders/selections — more seamlessly.

“Allen Lund Company chose Kaazing instead of a third-party chat solution because they needed a custom platform,” the Kaazing release reads, “that would allow shippers to speak directly to specific agents or carriers on specific loads. Kaazing will enable real-time communication in key areas including spot pricing, the bid management process with carriers, custom quoting directly with a specific carrier, and the management and schedule of the final load delivery and drop off on a timely and cost-effective basis.”

Lund Chief Information Officer Chetan Tandon put the need the new enhancement to Lund’s own management software will satisfy this way: “a secure, private ability for our shippers to real-time negotiate and manage communication with their select group of carriers.”

Thoughts?

Here’s some further description of the Kaazing enhancement:

Within the chat window, shippers and carriers are given direct access to the specific load information, data, and requirements from the centralized TMS.  Both parties have the ability to bid, negotiate, and ask specific questions to that particular delivery and have all details submitted updated to the delivery in question. When carriers need clarification on the load details, the live chat integration with the load specifications allows shippers to immediately update specifications and communicate instantaneously with all bidding carriers.

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Beyond real-time spot bidding and specific custom quotes, final delivery of the loads demands real-time communication between the shipper and the carrier.  Communication begins to escalate the closer the carrier is to the drop off or delivery point. Two-way communication needs to be instant to cut costs and minimize time, while achieving timely deliveries.