Top Supply Chain Visibility Software [Free Checklist]

Remember that frustrating feeling? You click “order,” counting down the days until your shiny new gadget arrives. But instead of anticipation, you get swallowed by the Logistics Bermuda Triangle – radio silence, emails bouncing back, your dream device lost in a labyrinth of trucks and planes. We’ve all been there, adrift in a sea of opaque supply chains.

In today’s fast-paced world, this isn’t just an annoyance, it’s a business killer. Customers demand instant gratification, and businesses need agility to thrive. That’s where supply chain visibility software comes in – your X-ray into the once-opaque world of getting things from A to B.

Think of it like the end of the Bermuda Triangle. This software tracks your goods in real-time, pinpointing them on a digital map, not some foggy ocean. You see delays before they bite, reroute shipments around storms, and ensure your customers get their hands on what they crave, on time.

So next time you hit “buy,” remember, you’re not just clicking a button. You’re tapping into a global network of real people, empowered by this software, working behind the scenes to make your world a little smoother, a little faster, and a whole lot less Bermuda Triangle-y. Now that’s a blog post worth reading.

3 Benefits of Supply Chain Visibility

• Accelerate your time to market: Your products can reach the shelves faster, thanks to a more efficient network that is connected and visible.
• Reduce costs: When it comes to customer service and delivery alternatives, supply chain insight frequently translates into lower disruptive costs, which allows businesses to use their time more effectively. Defective goods intended for outlet retailers can also be tracked.
• Control risk: You’ll have a better hold on inventories and be able to monitor and trace things more readily, which can reduce risk.

Here’s our top 5 picks from the lot:

• GoComet: Industry-leading features include end-to-end shipment visibility, real-time container tracking, streamlined procurement, automated freight management, and comprehensive stakeholder management.
• FourKites: Provides real-time visibility and tracking of shipments across multiple transportation modes.
• Descartes MacroPoint: Offers global freight visibility with multimodal tracking and predictive analytics.
• Shippeo: Ensures accurate ETA and real-time delivery tracking for enhanced customer service.
• Oracle Cloud SCM: Comprehensive support for distribution, manufacturing, inventory, fleet management, logistics, and order management using intelligent apps.

What is Supply Chain Visibility Software?

Supply chain visibility software helps businesses achieve end-to-end visibility over shipments across all modes and all geographies. Such technologies enable organisations to leverage real-time insights and analytics to build a resilient supply chain by reducing transportation costs and improving operational efficiency.
An ideal supply chain visibility platform provides real-time tracking, monitoring, and analysis of goods, inventory, and logistics across the entire supply chain. It enables logistics professionals to gain insights into their everyday supply chain operations, identify bottlenecks, optimise processes, and enhance the team’s efficiency.

Top 10 Supply Chain Visibility Companies to consider for your business

1. GoComet

GoComet is a cloud-based multimodal SCM solution that helps businesses of all sizes with procurement, freight quote comparisons, real-time container tracking, invoice management, and stakeholder management. The platform provides total and complete end-to-end shipment visibility across all modes of transportation (Sea, Road, Air and Rail).

The intuitive, easy-to-use solution of GoComet makes it easier for users of any level or technical expertise to get used to the product with minimum or no effort. Used by some of the leading global companies in the US, Europe, Southeast Asia and India, it is one of the most affordable SCM software options available today.

Primary features of GoComet include data analytics, reverse auction, inquiry creation, automated freight management, negotiation, real-time container tracking, ERP integration, analytics, and more.

2. Four Kites

FourKites® extends visibility past transportation to include yards, warehouses, stores, and other locations. With the ability to track 3 million shipments daily across road, rail, ocean, air, mail, and courier, FourKites combines machine learning with real-time data to assist businesses in digitizing their end-to-end supply chains. 

3. Descartes MacroPoint

Descartes MacroPoint provides a platform for global freight visibility and a carrier capacity network for companies that depend heavily on logistics. Using multimodal visibility, predictive analytics, and an automated communication platform with “Manage by Exception” features, the platform’s real-time data enables you to see, evaluate, predict, and communicate the status of each shipment in real time.

4. Shippeo

Leading shippers and logistics service providers can use real-time transportation data to provide great customer service and achieve operational excellence with the assistance of Shippeo. The platform offers ETA accuracy, fast access to real-time delivery tracking, and simplifies time-consuming manual processes.

5. Project 44

An Advanced Visibility Platform for shippers and logistics service providers worldwide is project44. Global companies and large conglomerates with very high-volume shipments rely on project44 to give them crucial cargo information, automate laborious manual operations, and improve the delivery experience for their clients.

6. Overhaul

Overhaul builds and improves Visibility, Risk, Compliance, and Insurance solutions with the agility necessary to reflect the complex reality of risk and to show shippers, logistics service providers, and the insurance sector the value of data-driven insights. 

7. Oracle Cloud SCM

Distribution, manufacturing, inventory and fleet management, supply chain planning, logistics, and order management may all be handled by Oracle SCM Cloud. With blockchain and IoT-enabled intelligent apps, you can get digital support.

The solution supports many sectors, such as automotive, communications, healthcare, high technology, industrial production, and retail/consumer goods.

8. SAP Integrated Business Planning

Features including inventory optimization, sales and operation planning, forecast and demand management, response and supply planning, and demand-driven replenishment are available through SAP Integrated Business Planning.

9. Infor Nexus

End-to-end supply chain orchestration is offered by the cloud-based supply chain visibility software Infor Nexus. It is intended for large enterprises in a variety of industries. Through an end-to-end collaborative network, it offers predictive intelligence and real-time visibility using IoT, AI, and enhanced visualization.

End-to-end visibility and analytics, a multi-enterprise business network and applications, onboarding, and integration are some of its services.

10. Blue Yonder

Blue Yonder, a cloud-based platform for supply chain management, powers digital transformation with the help of artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and software as a service. Using Blue Yonder with Microsoft Azure, you can manage your business with a cheaper total cost of ownership, speed, agility, and innovation.

Free checklist to evaluate your Supply Chain Visibility Software

While supply chain visibility on your shipments has become non-negotiable, how well-prepared are you to choose the right vendor for your organization?

We’ve put together a free comprehensive checklist with 60+ questions you should ask the vendor before choosing one.

Download the checklist

G2 and Capterra overview comparison

In addition to our comprehensive analysis of supply chain visibility software, it is essential to consider the insights and experiences of real users. Review platforms like G2 and Capterra offer a valuable avenue for users to share their honest feedback and reviews regarding such solutions, enabling a more well-rounded evaluation.

Comparison of top 4 software based on G2 review

Comparison of top 3 software based on Capterra reviews

How Supply Chain Visibility can help your business?

Supply chain visibility can help your business in several ways. Here are five key points highlighting the benefits of supply chain visibility:

Improved Inventory Management: With supply chain visibility, you gain real-time insights into the movement of goods and inventory levels across the supply chain. This helps you optimize inventory levels, reduce excess stock, and prevent stockouts. By having accurate and up-to-date information on inventory, you can make informed decisions to streamline operations and improve overall efficiency.

Enhanced Customer Service: Supply chain visibility allows you to track the status of orders and shipments, giving you the ability to provide accurate and timely information to your customers. This transparency enables you to proactively manage any potential issues, such as delays or disruptions, and communicate effectively with customers to set realistic expectations. By delivering reliable and on-time service, you can enhance customer satisfaction and build long-term loyalty.

Efficient Risk Management: Supply chain visibility helps you identify and mitigate risks more effectively. By monitoring the entire supply chain, you can identify potential bottlenecks, vulnerabilities, or disruptions in advance. With this knowledge, you can implement contingency plans, diversify your supplier base, and establish alternative transportation routes to minimize the impact of unforeseen events such as natural disasters, geopolitical conflicts, or supplier disruptions.

Cost Optimization: Having visibility into your supply chain enables you to identify inefficiencies and optimize costs. By analyzing data on transportation, warehousing, and other supply chain activities, you can identify areas for improvement, such as reducing transportation costs, optimizing packaging, or consolidating shipments. With better cost control, you can increase profitability and remain competitive in the market.

Collaboration and Coordination: Supply chain visibility fosters collaboration and coordination among various stakeholders, including suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. By sharing real-time data and insights, you can improve communication, synchronize activities, and align goals across the supply chain network. This collaborative approach enhances overall efficiency, reduces lead times, and enables better decision-making, ultimately leading to improved customer satisfaction and business performance.

How to evaluate any Supply Chain Visibility Software

When evaluating supply chain visibility software for a business, it’s essential to consider several important points. Here are five key factors to evaluate:

Scalability and Flexibility: Look for software that can scale with your business’s growth and adapt to changing requirements. It should be capable of handling both current and future supply chain complexities, accommodating various data sources, and integrating with existing systems.

Real-Time Tracking and Monitoring: Effective supply chain visibility software should provide real-time tracking and monitoring capabilities. It should offer granular visibility into inventory levels, order status, shipment tracking, and key performance indicators (KPIs) throughout the supply chain. This enables timely decision-making and proactive management of potential disruptions.

Data Integration and Analytics: The software should integrate with multiple data sources and systems, such as ERPs, WMSs, TMSs, and IoT devices. It should have robust analytics capabilities to transform raw data into actionable insights. Advanced analytics can help identify bottlenecks, optimize processes, and support predictive analysis for better supply chain planning.

Collaborative Features: Consider software that promotes collaboration and information sharing among supply chain stakeholders. It should enable seamless communication, document sharing, and workflow management across different departments, suppliers, logistics providers, and customers. Collaboration features enhance transparency, reduce lead times, and improve overall supply chain performance.

Always take a trial: With hundreds of SaaS products offering similar solution in the market, it’s always a smart move to take advantage of free trial ware. This way, you can gauge whether the software aligns with the unique supply chain needs of your organisation. That being said feel free to fix a free walkthrough demo of how GoComet’s solution can give you 100 per cent multi-modal supply chain visibility and help you drive double-digit cost savings in your supply chain while eliminating all the pain points you may currently face due to the lack of automation.

Conclusion

Global supply chain visibility is now even more crucial given all the changes brought about by the post-Covid-19 environment. Due to the ecosystem’s rapid evolution, global supply chain visibility is becoming a “core feature” that suppliers, manufacturers, carriers, and software vendors must have. 

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