Which KPIs must be available at all times in a groupage cooperation
Be able to see through & act
Quotas, quotas, quotas: In a groupage cooperation, the key figures determine how well or badly things are going. Delivery rate, damage rate, complaint rate, hub arrival quality, network performance and much more. Freight forwarding managers and managing directors must be able to access this data at all times.
After all, the decision-makers of a cooperation partner must not only manage their own branch, but also understand how their performance affects the entire network. Modern management dashboards such as the pLG TMS from proLogistik create the necessary transparency for this. They combine data from transport management systems, telematics solutions, transshipment centers and driver apps and provide the most important key figures in real time.
Management dashboards provide a permanent overview of the most important performance indicators. Problems are not only visible in the monthly report, but immediately after they occur. Managers can react more quickly and minimize risks at an early stage.
Delivery quality as the most important KPI
For most groupage cooperations, adherence to the agreed delivery times is the key success factor. Accordingly, delivery quality should be prominently displayed on every management dashboard.
The cross-location display is particularly valuable. Managing directors can see at a glance which branches are meeting the agreed quality targets and where there is a need for action.
If the data is also segmented by region, relation or customer, problem areas can be identified even more quickly.
Key figures for delivery quality
- On-time deliveries in percent
- Next-day quota
- Deliveries within the service promise
- Number of delayed shipments
- Average runtime deviation
Runtime quality along the entire transport chain
Delivery is merely the last step in a complex transportation chain. The dashboard should therefore also show the quality of all upstream processes. Especially in general cargo cooperations, delays at a transshipment point can have a significant impact on subsequent processes. A transparent display helps to identify bottlenecks at an early stage.
Key figures for runtime quality:
- Punctual collection from the shipper
- Punctual hub deliveries
- Incoming scans on time
- Missed loading windows
- Compliance with cut-off times
- Transit times between the network locations
Keeping an eye on claims and loss ratios
High delivery quality is not just about meeting deadlines. Equally important is the undamaged transportation of the goods. Even slight deterioration can have considerable economic consequences, particularly in the case of sensitive or high-value goods.
The cross-location analysis enables causes to be identified more quickly and suitable countermeasures to be introduced.
Key figures on claims and loss ratios:
- Loss ratio
- Number of damaged shipments
- Amount of damage
- Loss ratio
- Misdirected shipments
- Complaints due to transport damage
Data quality as a success factor in the general cargo network
Modern general cargo cooperations thrive on the transparency of their information. Today’s customers expect seamless shipment tracking and up-to-date status reports. The quality of the data collected is therefore becoming increasingly important.
Missing or delayed status messages not only lead to queries in customer service, but also impair the network’s ability to control.
A dashboard should therefore make it clear at all times which locations achieve the required data quality.
Important key figures on data quality:
- Scan rate
- Completeness of the status messages
- Percentage of missing scans
- Quality of electronic delivery documents (POD)
- Up-to-dateness of the program information
Productivity and shipment volume
In addition to quality control, managing directors need an overview of their company’s current capacity utilization. Quantities are often subject to considerable fluctuations, especially in general cargo cooperations. A dashboard helps to adjust capacities in good time and deploy resources optimally.
A comparison with the previous year’s figures also allows growth trends or market changes to be identified at an early stage.
Key figures on productivity and shipment volumes:
- Number of shipments transported
- Pallet volume
- Tonnage
- Shipments per employee
- Shipments per vehicle
- Development of daily and weekly volumes
Measure hub and network performance
A decisive success factor for any general cargo cooperation is the performance of the transshipment centers. The corresponding key figures, such as loading quality or handling speed, enable an objective assessment of network performance and show where process improvements are necessary.
The following key figures should be available centrally:
- Punctual deliveries in the hub
- Loading quality
- Handling speed
- Number of missed departures
- Follow-up rates
- Errors in the handling process
Economic key figures for corporate management
In addition to operational key figures, managing directors need transparency about the economic development of their company at all times. By linking operating and financial data, a holistic picture of the company’s performance is created.
Dashboards that automatically highlight deviations and draw attention to critical developments are particularly helpful.
Key economic indicators for corporate management:
- Turnover per day, week and month
- Turnover per customer
- Turnover per relation
- Contribution margin
- Cost per shipment
- Cost per pallet
- Cost per kilometer
- Development of margins
Vehicle and resource management
The availability of vehicles and personnel has a direct impact on service quality. By taking a cross-location approach, resources can be distributed between branches in a targeted manner.
Especially in times of driver shortages and rising costs, this transparency is becoming increasingly important. The following key figures should therefore also be integrated.
Key figures for vehicle and resource management:
- Vehicle utilization
- Empty run rate
- Available drivers
- Sickness rate
- Overtime volume
- Tour utilization
Customer service and complaints management
Customer satisfaction determines the long-term success of a forwarding company within a cooperation. A dashboard should therefore also provide information on complaint rates or the number of open customer inquiries in real time in order to make service problems visible at an early stage.
Key figures for customer service and complaint management:
- Complaint rate
- Number of open customer inquiries
- Processing time for complaints
- Rate of successfully resolved transactions
- Customer satisfaction ratings
Sustainability indicators are gaining in importance
More and more shippers are demanding proof of the sustainability of their logistics service providers. The corresponding key figures, such as CO2 emissions per shipment, are increasingly becoming a competitive factor in tenders and customer evaluations.
Modern management dashboards should therefore also include environmental indicators.
Key figures on sustainability:
- CO2 emissions per shipment
- CO2 emissions per ton
- Fuel consumption
- Share of alternative drives
- Energy consumption of the locations
Conclusion: Transparency creates competitiveness
In general cargo cooperations, it is not only the performance of individual branches that determines success, but also the quality of the entire network. It is therefore becoming increasingly important for managing directors and forwarding managers to have the relevant key figures available across all locations and in real time.
KPIs for delivery and transit time quality, loss ratio, data quality, hub performance, productivity, profitability and customer service are particularly important. Complemented by key figures on resources and sustainability, a comprehensive control instrument is created for management.
Modern dashboards such as the pLG TMS from proLogistik are the digital cockpit of a general cargo cooperation partner. They create transparency across all locations, enable faster decisions and help to ensure long-term competitiveness within the cooperation. Those who have their most important key figures in view at all times can not only work more efficiently, but also meet the expectations of customers, network partners and clients in the long term.