Sun Logistics is lowering costs, boosting productivity, and improving efficiency– and they have the numbers to prove it.
“Through the implementation of FACTS by CLI, we’ve realized significant improvement in key areas of our operation, including lower costs, fewer returns and cargo claims, increased driver and dock productivity, streamlined business processes, and an increase in on-time deliveries. With FACTS we’re taking hundreds of hours of manual work out of our system every month, reducing friction which lets us increase freight volume and boost profitability. We’ve achieved a remarkable return on investment in less than a year’s time.”
– Nathaniel Klein, COO Sun Logistics LLC
SUN Challenges: To use operational, administrative and financial tools to improve efficiency, increase capacity and reduce costs.
Sun Logistics grappled with the challenges presented by its outdated computer systems, leading to inefficient processes and an inability to adapt to the ever-changing demands of its customer base. Faced with the imperative need to enhance customer visibility, reduce reliance on paper-based workflows, and maximize operational efficiency, the company embarked on a mission to embrace cutting-edge technology. In its pursuit of growth and innovation, the carrier undertook a transformative journey to modernize its existing processes and retire antiquated software, ultimately selecting a modern, comprehensive, and seamlessly integrated end-to-end freight management solution.
The Solution: After conducting a thorough evaluation of transportation management software from over ten providers and consulting with fellow LTL carriers who had adopted similar solutions, Sun Logistics made a strategic decision to implement the cloud-hosted SaaS version of the Carrier Logistics Inc.’s (CLI) FACTS freight management software. In May of 2022, FACTS was successfully integrated into Sun Logistics’ operations in New York and Florida.
FACTS has transformed Sun Logistics, offering a versatile suite of functionalities that encompass P&D planning, dispatch management, dock management, independent contractor administration, and seamless billing capabilities. Also of importance to Sun Logistics is the software’s ability to automate real time reporting on driver and dock productivity, as well as track all aspects of freight operations, including pickups, deliveries and returns. CLI’s Dock Management System in tandem with handheld scanners, effortlessly integrates, resulting in substantial improvements in dock productivity, while also giving their customers full visibility into each movement of their freight.
At the heart of Sun Logistics’ IT architecture, FACTS stands out for its remarkable flexibility in handling APIs and effortlessly exporting files. This adaptability has facilitated seamless integrations with third-party providers, empowering the company with cutting-edge solutions for mobile communication and image capture on driver tablets, precision routing and navigation optimization, smart OCR Bill of Lading (BOL) capture, and accounting solutions. Furthermore, CLI’s strategic partnership with SMC3 has played a pivotal role in streamlining the onboarding process for both customers, underscoring their commitment to efficiency and collaboration. Sun Logistics is utilizing CLI’s LOC-AI module in FACTS that automatically provides information on over 115 categories of pick-up and delivery locations and integrates details for each shipment into shipment entry and rating modules.
Looking ahead, the company is planning to utilize an AI-powered delivery appointment solution for residential customers under development by CLI.
The Result: Sun Logistics is realizing significant and measurable improvements across key operational dimensions through the implementation of FACTS, including:
- Decreases in total expenses of 11% and in P&D costs of 12%
- A reduction in returns of 51% and in cargo claims from .3% to .1% of revenue
- An improvement in the processing of freight bills of about 50% per hour
- An increase in P&D driver productivity of 8% per day and a 15% improvement in the number of stops per hour
- An improvement in cross dock freight handling efficiency from 10% to 90% enabling the ability to make the first daily P&D stop 58 minutes earlier
- An increase in the on-time delivery rate from 97% to 99%
FACTS allows Sun Logistics to optimize routes, loads and equipment and efficiently share timely information with its customers. This capability facilitates proactive decision making before drivers return to the terminal, resulting in a substantial enhancement of planning efficiency for both inbound and outbound freight operations in its network.
Sun Logistics was able to achieve a positive return on total investment in less than one year, showing a strong ROI which includes all of the project costs, both software and hardware including tablets for their P&D drivers, ruggedized scanners for their dock workers, and new PC workstations for their office staff.