Chartering software for VSEs and SMEs: choose a TMS that’s 100% free of charge

As the manager of a small to medium-sized business (VSEs and SMEs), the time has come to choose chartering software for your supply chain.

To make your choice, you need to take several criteria into account, since logistics and the transport of goods are crucial to the smooth running of your business.

Stock management, order management and delivery management are the key functions for your company’s profitability and proactiveness in the face of your competitors. That’s why choosing the right chartering software can make all the difference. DDS gives you the keys to making the right choice, the 100% Free TMS.

The chartering needs of a small or medium-sized company

By definition, chartering is a contract between a company that provides a means of transport (transport service provider) for shipments and a third party company that does not have the fleet of vehicles required to make deliveries on its own, in exchange for a payment known as freight.

Companies’ chartering needs can vary, depending on their size and field of activity.

Most often, however, they involve managing transport flows with a view to :

• reducing costs
• flexibility
• and simplifying their logistics management.

This involves both physical and information flows.

To meet these needs, many companies use transport management software, also known as Transport Management Systems (TMS).

Offering a range of functions, they help to optimise and facilitate :

• managing and planning transport activities
• real-time tracking of goods
• and generating detailed reports on transport operations.

VSEs/SMEs/SMIs: what features does chartering software offer?

Before you start looking for chartering software, it’s essential to consider the specific logistics needs of your company, whether it’s a VSE, SME or SMI.

Your business has its own specific requirements in terms of :

• transport of goods
• procurement
• and shipping to your customers (volume, frequency of deliveries, types of goods, destinations, etc.).

Next, it is essential to check that the chartering software you are considering offers the functions defined in your specifications.

Chartering software facilitates the complete management of a company’s transport operations, from planning deliveries to tracking goods and invoicing.

This digital solution is also aimed at very small businesses.

By enabling computerised management of carriers, chartering software ensures complete traceability of the supply chain.

The software chosen must be capable of providing real-time information on the status of the order and the location of the goods, enabling more efficient management of delivery times.

It must also be able to track shipments from pick-up through the various stages of their journey to their final destination.

Stock management is also a factor not to be overlooked! Centralised warehouse management makes it easier to keep track of goods and stock levels, and improves productivity.

The DDS TMS offer: 100% free, no-commitment TMS for VSEs / SMEs / SMIs

Chartering can encompass various tasks in a company’s Supply Chain.

These various tasks are covered by the DDS TMS offer, which is 100% free of charge and with no obligation.

These tasks include, in particular :

• Transport planning. Determining the most efficient routes is one of the levers synonymous with savings and cost reduction. DDS TMS software offers a range of functions for planning, monitoring routes and analysing incidents (roadworks, delivery delays, etc.) to help your business become more profitable.
• Planning delivery schedules. Being able to plan delivery times efficiently guarantees customer satisfaction. In this age of 5-star reviews, this point is increasingly important!
• Carrier selection. Our charter management service lets you choose the most appropriate carrier or carriers for each delivery. You can also select the freight forwarder on the basis of its environmentally-friendly fleet, the routes available and the possibility of grouping shipments, a real source of financial savings.
• Transport document management. Administration and legislation are two time-consuming aspects of the transport function. Delivery notes, customs documents in line with current international regulations, etc., are typical documents that a TMS software package can manage automatically. Time-saving guaranteed!
• Invoicing. The TMS offer also relieves the accounting department by integrating pre-invoicing modules.
• Tracking shipments. Traceability is at the heart of logistics. Indeed, having the ability to track shipments in real time has become a crucial functionality. An order delivered on time and in good condition makes for a happy customer, and is a guarantee of customer loyalty.
• Managing transport problems. Traceability will of course highlight various problems in the transport of orders to the customer (delays, damage to goods or problems with the carrier). Opting for a TMS transport management tool simplifies and automates incident management.

All these automated tasks mean that transport management software (TMS) has a strong ability to simplify the tasks of your VSE/SME! So you can concentrate entirely on your core business.

The benefits of a free TMS for your company

Free TMS software offers the majority of functions free of charge, with no obligation and easy to implement in your supply chain.

You don’t need to be a large company; our low-cost solution is designed for VSEs and SMEs wishing to improve their transport management without investing in paid-for software.

Designed by our teams of logistics software experts, DDS’s highly flexible Free offering adapts to the specific needs of your company, enabling you as a VSE or SME to rapidly become more efficient and responsive.

The optimisation of physical flows (supply management, inventory and warehousing management, order preparation, transport, real-time tracking, etc.) is no longer the bane of your business management.

What’s more, it’s regularly updated, so you can take advantage of the latest features to optimise your supply chain.