Selecting, installing, and implementing a new TMS can be a daunting process. There is a lot to consider, and you really don’t want to make a mistake. Andrew Lawless in his article “Eight Steps to a Successful TMS Roll-Out” (Lawless, 2010) has outlined the steps to a successful implementation, which are outlined in the graph below:

Steps to a Successful TMS Roll-out

As you can see, there are many steps to consider when planning your TMS implementation. In my opinion, the most important one is to make sure that you are addressing the biggest pain point first. If you are not, feel free to go back and reconsider your decision until you are certain that the biggest pain point is being met. If not, it may lead to further difficulty in using your new TMS process.

After the biggest pain point has been identified and the workflow automated, make sure you identify those steps that can be automated. Automation is pivotal in today’s workplace, and great candidates for automation are steps that are manual and repetitive, don’t add value, and are redundant (Lawless, 2010).

Also, once you have gone through the process outlined above in implementing your TMS, make sure you pay special attention to the last step and are quick to address issues that arise from implementation. If you do not, it will cause greater stress on you and your organization.

Sources

Lawless, A. (2010). Eight Steps To A Successful TMS Roll-Out. DIG-IT Globalization Consultants.