Freight CRM – Enhancing Freight Forwarders via Automation

A worldwide freight forwarding and logistics firm presented a challenge to OSM3 Technologies. They managed worldwide shipments, including ocean and air freight, but lacked an integrated system for answering customer inquiries, generating quotations, processing bookings, and maintaining shipping documents. Their dependence on manual processes and unintegrated tools resulted in inefficiencies, delays, and forfeited business possibilities.

The client’s operations were impeded by the lack of a specialized CRM for freight services. The primary concerns encompassed:

• Customer inquiries were monitored manually, frequently resulting in overlooked follow-ups.
• The preparation of quotes was sluggish, erratic, and devoid of version control or systematic pricing.
• Bookings entailed several disjointed procedures — ranging from carrier selection to bill of lading (BL) specifications — lacking an adequate audit trail.
• A unified system for managing BL agents (such as shippers, consignees, and notify parties) was absent.
• User rights and roles were inadequately delineated, resulting in inconsistencies in data access and processes.

OSM3 Technologies created a bespoke Freight CRM to digitize and optimize the complete freight lifecycle — from inquiry to booking — for both maritime and aerial freight.

This comprehensive web application was designed with flexibility, scalability, and user experience as priorities.

• Manage clients by adding, editing, and deleting both individual and corporate types.
• Distinct identification through email and telephone
• Automated entry of customer information in associated forms

• Multi-faceted investigative procedure:
  • A. Fundamental data acquisition
  • Mode-specific facts pertaining to maritime and air transport, encompassing ports, airlines, containers, haulage, and drayage.
  • Carrier selection including document submission, pricing, and departure scheduling
  • Calculation of charges (including specialized fees such as transportation and drayage)
• Generation of quotations in PDF format
• Quotation versioning
• Initiating booking from inquiry

• Evaluate various carrier rates
• Implement dynamic service charge adjustments
• Monitor quotation status
• Create printable PDF quotations
• Generate several variations of quotes for the identical request

• Reservations may be made with or without previous consultation.
• Multi-stage reservation form:
  • Fundamental information (automatically populated if associated with query)
  • Internal information (carrier, container, shipping dates, cut-off notifications)
  • Bill of Lading details (shipper, consignee, freight forwarder, notify party)
  • Submission of documents and internal annotations
  • Audit log for booking to monitor activity history

• Downloadable PDF file for booking confirmation

• Establish bespoke roles and permissions
• Allocate roles to users according to their access level.
• Establish sub-administrators and agents with detailed oversight

• A CRUD system for managing external logistical entities:
  • Transporters
  • Shippers
  • Destination representatives
  • Freight forwarders

• CRUD for fundamental logistics parameters:
  • Maritime terminals, aviation carriers, air transit facilities
  • Transportation and Drayage Alternatives
  • Containers, Departments, Nations, States, Municipalities
• Branding and contact configurations displayed on exported PDFs

• Frontend – HTML5, Bootstrap, JavaScript
• Backend: Laravel (PHP Framework)
• Database: MySQL
• Security: Role-based access control, audit trail, file access management

• Efficiency Boost: Manual labor diminished by more than 60%, particularly in the quotation and booking processes.
• Accelerated Conversions: Clients get estimates more rapidly, enhancing conversion rates.
• Consolidated Data: All operational and client information is now centralized.
• Professional output: Branded, precise quotations and booking PDFs augment trustworthiness.
• Scalability: The CRM system is adaptable and capable of accommodating future improvements or international growth.

OSM3 Technologies’ Freight CRM transformed the client’s operations inside a conventionally manual and paper-intensive sector. By offering a cohesive, intuitive, and entirely customized CRM solution, the client has strategically positioned themselves for development, precision, and operational superiority in freight forwarding.