How to Take Control of Your Supply Chain with Yard Management Systems
With the right yard management system in place, your logistics operation no longer needs to fear the challenges that can be encountered with today’s complex supply chain. You can finally take control of your operation, start to gain efficiencies, and secure higher profits. A true YMS system will efficiently manage all aspects of the logistics and overall operations in your yard, thereby helping you reduce costs and wasted time. Here we look at how the right yard management solution helps you improve predictability and visibility while turning the yard into an asset rather than a liability.
Supply Chain Problems Caused by an Overlooked Warehouse Yard
Why Companies Invest in Warehouse & Transportation Management but Neglect their Yard
Many companies overlook the yard management needs while focusing solely on the warehouse and transportation management aspects of their operation. For years, companies have embraced the importance of WMS and TMS systems, where it is now a standard across the industry. However, due to a lack of general knowledge and understanding of a YMS, along with its benefits, the yard has become a black hole in many supply chains.
Supply Chain “Black Holes” & The “Shipper-of-Choice” Movement
At one time, and even now for some, the yard was considered the “black hole” in their supply chain. However, thanks to an increased understanding of the importance of knowing where freight is at any given time, including right outside the warehouse in their yards, as well as Carriers now being able to pick the best operations to do business with who focus on becoming ‘shipper-of-choice’ operations, this has forced companies to reevaluate how their yard can be turned into more of an asset instead of a liability. To accomplish these goals, an advanced yard management software system can alleviate the burden and increase profitability.
How a Yard Management System Improves the Supply Chain
The best yard management software will improve your operation and overall supply chain in the following ways.
- Visibility: With everything in view, you can find inventory faster and make better decisions.
- Better Appointment Scheduling: Plan ahead with accurate scheduling to keep everything moving and on-time
- Reduced Lot Check Time: Avoid manual checks, saving time, money and increasing productivity.
- Reduced Detention and Demurrage Expenses: Confirm proper fees and audit invoices with actual visit information with YMS software.
- Faster Trailer Spotting: Locate the asset you need to move quickly.
- Reduced Turn Times: With better information, planning and coordination, visit times are drastically reduced. Identify opportunities to save time.
- Driver Management: Communicate with and keep track of what the drivers are doing for increased productivity.
- Gate Management: Increase throughput and accuracy at the gates.
- Dock Management: Schedule, Monitor, and execute more timely at the docks to keep things moving.
- Real-Time Analysis: See the entire operation, in real-time.
- Bottom Line Savings: Becoming more efficient, and identifying opportunities to improve saves money today and in the future.
- Reporting Metrics: Get metrics for all operations, from how long it takes to load to how many storage trailers are sitting in the yard and much, much more.
Yard Management Systems Control the Chaos of Managing Massive Logistics Operations
The right yard management system will benefit any company managing chaotic, high-volume logistics operations consisting of numerous warehouses, distributing centers, and manufacturing locations. High-tech yard management solutions allow you to solve logistical and supply chain issues caused by the manual, redundant processes that occur on the yard today. Using spreadsheets and relying on manual labor is replaced with a single YMS to manage and maintain the yard while reducing detention and demurrage. With increased visibility over employees, trailers and cargo, you know where all of your assets are for more profitability by streamlining the congested, high-volume, chaotic yard operations.