Custom Truck One Source Achieves $450,000 in Annual Efficiency Savings

About Custom Truck One Source

Custom Truck One Source (CTOS) is a leading provider of specialized truck and heavy equipment solutions across North America. Managing a vast fleet and multiple business lines, CTOS faced increasing challenges in scaling their logistics operations. Their existing manual processes were inefficient, lacked visibility, and made it difficult to track costs and optimize operations. 

Challenges

Manual Workflows Hindering Expansion

As CTOS expanded, the limitations of their manual logistics processes became increasingly evident. Tracking carrier payments, managing visibility across business units, and integrating logistics with their Infor M3 ERP system were particularly challenging. 

Vendor and invoice management, as well as the purchase order process, lacked the automation necessary to streamline operations. The absence of real-time data and visibility into vendor performance hindered decision-making and complicated efforts to ensure timely vendor payments.

Compliance was another significant hurdle, requiring constant management of insurance updates, service levels, and carrier performance. To address these issues and sustain their growth, CTOS needed a scalable Transportation Management System (TMS) that could automate processes, enhance visibility, and provide robust reporting.

Why Shipwell

A Sustainable TMS Solution

For CTOS, finding a user-friendly and sustainable TMS solution was essential to support their growth. Shipwell provided the scalability needed to meet this challenge, effectively replacing inefficient manual processes with a system that offered both immediate operational improvements and long-term scalability. This allowed CTOS to streamline their logistics operations and ensure that their systems could grow alongside the company.

An Infor M3 ERP System Integration for Seamless Operations

A key component of Shipwell’s solution for CTOS was the seamless integration of Shipwell’s TMS with CTOS’s existing ERP system, Infor M3. Through supportive collaboration with Doppio, an M3 integration solutions company, Shipwell enabled the automation of order creation and tracking, pulling more orders from their ERP into the TMS. This integration eliminated manual data entry, reduced errors, and provided real-time visibility into logistics costs and pricing, significantly improving operational efficiency.

Automating Order Creation

With Shipwell’s TMS, CTOS was able to automate order creation, bringing cost and pricing data directly back into their ERP. This integrated ERP system ensured prompt vendor payments and accurate pricing on sales orders, effectively eliminating manual steps. The automation also generated shipment demand without the need for alternative methods, enhancing overall efficiency. Additionally, the data generated plays a critical role in negotiations, particularly for rarer lanes, helping CTOS maintain positive margins when delivering customer orders.

Streamlining Settlements & Reporting

CTOS implemented Shipwell’s Settlements feature to streamline carrier payment tracking. This solution provided visibility into paid and unpaid carriers, reducing manual tracking and improving overall efficiency. With access to in-depth reports and analytics, CTOS gained valuable insights into their settlement processes, enabling them to make informed, data-driven decisions.

Ease of Implementation

Shipwell’s implementation for CTOS was a resounding success. The process was smooth and collaborative, with both the CTOS team and Shipwell’s implementation consultant playing pivotal roles in ensuring a seamless transition. Shipwell provided a clear roadmap and comprehensive training, empowering CTOS’s IT group to manage much of the work independently. On the technical side, Shipwell excelled in creating an effective technical and integration map for CTOS’s Infor M3 ERP system, resolving issues promptly, and allowing CTOS to maintain a high level of control over the implementation. This collaborative approach resulted in a successful and efficient integration that the CTOS team has continued to build upon.

“I spent a significant portion of my day managing and paying invoices. Now, thanks to the visibility provided by Shipwell, I can access financial information in seconds. Our invoicing process is now automated, audited, and paid with minimal oversight, resulting in a major efficiency gain.”
- Philip Werkowitch, Freight Logistics Manager, CTOS

Solution

Visibility & Reporting Enhance Operations 

The visibility provided by Shipwell’s reporting tools has been transformative for CTOS. According to Philip Werkowitch, Freight Logistics Manager at CTOS, “Reporting has been a major bonus, especially the invoicing piece. I spent a significant portion of my day managing and paying invoices. Now, thanks to the visibility provided by Shipwell, I can access financial information in seconds. Our invoicing process is now automated, audited, and paid with minimal oversight, resulting in a major efficiency gain.” This enhanced visibility has not only improved efficiency but also strengthened CTOS’s overall logistics management.

Significant Cost and Efficiency Savings 

By implementing Shipwell’s solutions, CTOS achieved an estimated $450,000 in annual efficiency savings. The seamless integrated ERP system was a major contributor, automating previously manual processes and providing real-time insights that allowed the team to operate more efficiently. The robust reporting capabilities offered by Shipwell became a significant advantage, enabling the team to quickly access the information they needed without sifting through multiple systems.

“I’ve worked with several other TMS platforms before, and Shipwell has been the most robust and user-friendly, by far.”
- Haley Meier, Business Systems Analyst at CTOS

Looking Forward

Continued Partnership

Looking ahead, CTOS is well-positioned to continue gaining the benefits of Shipwell’s TMS. With automated processes, improved visibility, and seamless integration into their existing Infor M3 ERP system, CTOS has established a strong foundation for future growth. As their logistics operations evolve, the scalability of Shipwell’s TMS will continue to support their needs, offering opportunities for even greater efficiencies and cost savings. CTOS remains committed to leveraging data-driven insights and technology to stay ahead of industry challenges and drive operational success.

CTOS has had a positive experience with Shipwell and highly recommends its services to other companies. Key stakeholders, like Haley Meier, Business Systems Analyst at CTOS, who have worked with other TMS solutions in the past, find Shipwell to be the most robust and user-friendly platform. “I’ve worked with several other TMS platforms before, and Shipwell has been the most robust and user-friendly, by far.” The efficiency gains, cost savings, and future potential with Shipwell have made it an invaluable partner for CTOS as they continue to scale their operations.