Gaps In OTM

[crahulin]

Can anyone suggest gaps in OTM from LSP (Logistics Service Provider) Or 3PL Perspective.

[gig]

Re: Gaps In OTM

That's a pretty broad questions. Is there an area of focus you are looking at specifically. For example, handling dedicate or private fleet, visibility and event management, trade and compliance, freight comingling. Let me know the problem area and I can provide some feedback.

Thanks,
John

[crahulin]

Re: Gaps In OTM

From execution point of view (Daily operations like pick up ,consolidation,document management etc for imports as well as exports shipment using various mode) and visibility point of view and integration with different applications (being used by customs,carrier,customer etc).

[ianlo]

Re: Gaps In OTM

My major peeves are:

1) Asset Management functionality - not capturing a dynamic count of equipments as they are used and released
2) Single Shipment - Single Equipment model constraint when doing ground trucking transportation

[gig]

Re: Gaps In OTM

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by Daily Pickups, but OTM is not a routing/scheduling PU&D back ala, GEOCOM, FleetWise, or RoadNet. It does find with contract over the road carriers, tracking pickup and delivery of shipments.

It's rating structure is all based on standard truck rating models. Parcel, Ocean, and Rail do work, but not a squeezed into that model.

Import/Export/Document Management ala a import/export package is really not there. I do think 6.0 is going to improve on those features. Also, Total Landed Cost can be done but is not native to the application, especailly the allocation part.

It does not handle collaboration very cleanly, but few TMS do. So I would knock it here. Especially retail based supplier management.

Overall I think the integration is a good. You can get most external and internal application information into it. You may need to add data to make it work, but none-the-less it does fit the bill.

Overall and just my two cents, a 3PL environment needs to be more than just a TMS. OTM does a great job at managing transportation related activities, but a 3PL is more than just Tranporation. It's those fringe areas where OTM starts to break apart in solving you 3PL problems. Though for a best-of-breed TMS for a 3PL, it's domain structure is very good, allocation of rate are better than most, and it's security model for co-mingled freight, though challenging, is effective.

Again, just my two cents.
John

[crahulin]

Re: Gaps In OTM

Thanks for the response..
If anyone feels any functionality which should be there in OTM but is not there pls write about it.