Advice for Solving the Common Problems in Shipping

We all have problems, right? It’s how we react to them that sets us apart. There are the “bury your head in the sand” type of people. There is the “I see your problem and raise you two problems” crew. And there are those annoyingly optimistic types that look at “every problem as an opportunity.” Yeah…they bug me too. I mean, really? EVERY problem is an opportunity? I’m not buying it.

Some problems are extremely complex, and the need to solve them could be the leading cause of insomnia in anyone trying to run a company. Entire industries and countless companies have been born as the result of trying to solve a problem. And the most successful among them understand the most primal element of their success. Are you ready for this? It’s earth shattering. Grab a pen, or a stylus, or something.

The most successful entities listen. Then they act. Then they listen some more. Then they adjust course. Then they listen.

How we Solve Problems

To fully solve our customers' problems, we must listen to their needs. And understand that listening is not a one-time event. The most successful startups have come from companies solving their own needs and then commercializing their solution, often based on feedback from their own customers and clients. This is why more and more solutions are being crowdsourced. Communities of people, who experience similar problems, are coming together to crowdsource business opportunities (read: problems).

Websites and mobile apps are bringing people together, more than ever before, to take advantage of sharing problems and becoming parts of the solution. The new generation of problem solvers actually wants to have a hand in developing solutions, not just be handed an answer that looks a lot like it has always looked. Innovation is alive and well and we want to capitalize on it!

At Horizon Technology we are doing just that with the development of FreightPOP. With a DNA that contains more innovation than anything else, Horizon is taking some of our own problems and crowdsourcing solutions. We are starting with freight and shipping.

Our Strong Background

Nineteen years of shipping has provided us with enough common problems in shipping to keep you reading for months. Instead of complaining, we are joining the ranks of the “every problem is an opportunity” brigade. Under the name FreightPOP, Horizon is building a shipping application from scratch. We are capitalizing on our long-term relationships with successful shippers, and using their feedback to make sure we have a well-rounded, well thought out, easy executable plan. We also want to crowdsource the functionality of this application in hopes of making it an anti-traditional TMS (transportation management system.)

Traditional TMS’s have been built using old technology, made specifically for 3PL’s, freight forwarders, and carriers. They weren’t originally intended for shippers but over time they were converted into a tool for shippers. Horizon isn’t converting anything. We’re smashing the old mousetrap and building a better one.

We face similar problems other SMB (small/medium business) shippers face, and we are hoping our experience provides a wide sweeping solution for all of us.  

To see how we can help solve your shipping problems, contact us for a demo!