Key Takeaways
- Real-Time Visibility: Descartes MacroPoint offers real-time tracking for freight shipments, providing predictive ETAs, automated alerts, and geofencing for proactive supply chain management.
- Operational Efficiency: The platform enhances operational efficiency by reducing late deliveries, detention fees, and manual tracking methods like check calls.
- Higher ROI: By leveraging detailed analytics and better data, brokers and 3PLs can make informed decisions, cut costs, and ultimately increase their ROI.
While cost is often a deciding factor when buying technology, it is key to fully understand what exactly you are buying, and how far the impact of the service or data can extend into your business.
So, what is a real-time transportation visibility platform? Descartes MacroPoint provides real-time visibility for freight brokers, 3PLs and shippers to efficiently track their freight shipments, and manage their supply chain through an easy-to-use platform.
Users can login to the MacroPoint platform or integrate the data directly into their TMS to view their load’s exact location pings in real time. Other features include predictive ETAs, automated alerting and geofences to help ensure smooth execution in the case of changes in shipment status or in-transit risk.
The main goal of our real-time tracking platform is to allow users to better understand location, timing, and expectations from their supply chain, while eliminating manual forms of tracking such as check calls. MacroPoint also allows for freight teams to proactively react in the case of shipment delays, changes or disruptions.
What are the benefits of Descartes MacroPoint Load Tracking?
- More Efficient Operations – Knowing potential issues further in advance allows for earlier contingency planning. Significantly reduce late deliveries, detention fees, and penalties.
- Better Customer Service – Automatically communicate shipment data to stakeholders and customers for improved service levels
- Increased Performance – With detailed analytics for carrier on-time performance and tracking compliance, it is easy to identify areas for improvement, with data to back it up.
- Higher ROI – With better data comes better decisions. Brokers & 3PLs who utilize load tracking can cut costs, prevent fees, and ultimately increase their ROI
“Descartes MacroPoint has given us the ability to view, analyze, predict, and communicate the status of any shipment in real-time. By proactively determining which shipments are at risk for late delivery, we can take the appropriate actions to help our customers streamline their dock receiving and improve the planning of downstream deliveries, while minimizing penalties on our end.”
— Shannon Bush, Manager, Transportation, Sun-Glo of Idaho
How Does Our Tracking Technology Work?
Our network is built on hundreds of TMS, ELD monitoring, and GPS integrations that enable us to connect to over 200k carriers. Through these integrations, we provide your operation the visibility data you need, when and where you need it.
Getting started with Descartes MacroPoint is simple and easy to set up. Our team works with organizations of all sizes, needs, and goals. Check out our 5-step implementation process to get you and your team tracking.
- Define Your Needs – MacroPoint takes the time to understand how you operate, and what your goals are. From how you track shipments, to the way you manage your data, we work with you to develop a detailed understanding of your organization, before configuring our platform to match. We’ll also take a look at the carriers you work with and develop an outreach campaign to get you connected to them.
- Setting Up the Integration – We look at the different tools and technologies you want integrated into your MacroPoint platform, and develop a plan to make this happen. We scope out a phased integration timeline with a schedule that’s clear, easy to follow, and allows you to run your business as usual. Plus, you can configure the algorithms, alerts and other aspects of our software to fit the specific dynamics of your logistics operations.
- System Testing and Verification – Now we’ve configured your systems, it’s time to put them to the test. We work in collaboration with you to validate and proof your systems—scanning through all your workflows and mappings to make sure everything works as it should. Then, we work with your key stakeholders and decision-makers to get a system launch date locked into the calendar.
- Launch – After testing is complete, we help launch MacroPoint into your business. This involves an intensive sprint program and carrier bootcamp to prepare all parties for system launch, and ensure success is a certainty.
- Support & Guidance – Congratulations—you’re now officially connected to the Descartes MacroPoint network. Once your solution goes live, we assign you a dedicated customer success manager. They remain on hand to offer you their guidance and support going forward, as both the MacroPoint platform and your business continues to evolve and grow.
How Much Does Descartes MacroPoint Load Tracking Cost?
Descartes MacroPoint’s Real-Time Visibility Platform offers bulk discount pricing for loads tracked per year. Simply put, the more loads you plan to track, the more you save per load. Our pricing starts at $5 per load and can be discounted as low as 40 cents a load. These prices are paid upfront (going above or below the number of tracked sessions will not change the pricing)
It’s also noted that our platform has an implementation cost (flat fee) to get started using the platform – Our team does not charge for support/troubleshooting and there is always someone to talk to.
Who best fits our pricing model?
Our platform works with organizations of all shapes and sizes. Smaller organizations can benefit from only tracking the few loads they need while larger teams/enterprises can benefit from the bulk discount in order to track more sessions.
Our team will also evaluate your carrier list to see how many carriers we are already connected to, putting you on the fast track to automated freight visibility.
