The True Cost of a Free TMS Software

Free TMS software solutions seem like a savvy business move, but they often come with limitations that cost you in the long run. As the wise old saying goes, “Free cheese is always in the mouse traps.”

Everyone loves a good deal, but there is a costly trade-off when opting for a free transportation management system (TMS): limited capabilities, missed optimization opportunities, and poor visibility into your supply chain. Ultimately, these inadequacies stunt your operational efficiency and your ability to compete.

This article explores the differences between robust TMS solutions and the more basic, free TMS software alternatives. Here, we demonstrate how opting for the cheaper option costs you more than you think.

The Hidden Costs of Free TMS Software Solutions

Imagine walking through your favorite big box store and coming across a free sample stand or dozens of them. Tempting, aren’t they? It’s a clever way to lock you into something outside your best interest. Next thing you know, you’re bringing home a month’s supply of regret, and there is no turning back.

Here are a few ways free TMS solutions come up short.

• Quality and Reliability: Disruptions are costly. An unreliable TMS is better at creating disruptions than preventing them. Free systems often lack stability and are unable to provide end-to-end visibility.
• Puts a Ceiling on Growth: Does your business experience peak seasons or opportunities for rapid growth? Beware, a free TMS will struggle to scale with your expanding needs.
• Lack of Support: Free solutions often offer minimal customer support, leaving users to figure things out themselves or wait for a solution.
• Time for an Upgrade: Remember those free samples that are hard to pass up? Expect free platforms to require paid upgrades to unlock features that matter most.

When you get accustomed to operating a certain way, it can be difficult to calculate what your TMS costs or potentially saves you. An independent analysis revealed that Infios solutions achieved an ROI exceeding 300% over five years.

How does your TMS measure up? It pays to evaluate how your existing system compares to other solutions.

Comparing Free vs. Paid TMS Solutions

Let’s look at a side-by-side comparison of free TMS software and comprehensive paid solutions like Infios:

Free TMS software solutions typically promise to solve your biggest logistical challenges. When it comes to execution, free options can add to these challenges while limiting business growth and efficiency.

Case Study: Upgrade or Else

Billerud, a premier specialty paper producer with an annual freight spend exceeding $250 million, found itself in a TMS dilemma. They needed a system upgrade to continue receiving support from their current provider. Billerud took this predicament as an opportunity to explore other TMS solutions. At the top of their wish list was easy implementation, stability, and a user-friendly solution.

It didn’t take long for Infios to stand out from the pack. Michael Dailey, Corporate Logistics Manager at Billerud, expressed the need to find a stable system free of customer interruptions. In addition to checking the boxes for critical requirements, Billerud found Infios’ TMS closed functionality gaps of their previous solution. Dailey adds, “We just really felt more comfortable with Infios software than we did everything else.”

From a smooth implementation to ease of use, Billerud optimizes transportation planning to identify the optimal mode and route on every load. According to Dailey, “Infios is an excellent software. Being able to tender in mass and do updates in mass, it’s just very easy to navigate through the system.” From a labor standpoint, Billerud now handles “the same amount of transportation” on the Infios platform with a third of the people.

Getting What You Pay for in a TMS

The right TMS delivers tremendous value throughout an organization. Don’t settle for a TMS that just allows you to get by; instead, choose one that propels your business forward.

Wherever you are in your TMS journey, we invite you to schedule a demo with Infios to see how our TMS drives value for your business today and into the future.