The Client
Flat World Global Solutions is a comprehensive logistics and supply chain provider specializing in truckload brokerage, LTL, international logistics, warehousing, and project management. Flat World needed a comprehensive and dependable risk management solution to combat industry-wide issues like fraud and double brokering. To streamline processes and strengthen compliance, Flat World implemented Descartes MyCarrierPortal™ (MCP) and Descartes MacroPoint™, gaining increased team productivity, robust compliance management and fraud prevention, and improved carrier relationships.
The Challenge: Manual Onboarding and Fraud Vulnerability
Prior to using Descartes, Flat World relied on manual carrier onboarding practices.
“Before MyCarrierPortal, we were like the Wild West. Being a younger brokerage and not having a network, we were onboarding carriers quite often, and it was a time-consuming process. We were using 411 to look up carriers. We would then send carriers an e-mail packet and they would have to manually sign it.”
In addition, Flat World’s inadequate carrier verification process left the company vulnerable to double brokering and fraud. For the company’s rapidly growing brokerage division, these outdated processes posed a critical threat to the business and its customers. “Fraud is a big problem in our market, and our obligation is to protect our customers and our carriers,” Neal asserts.
The Solution: Simplified Carrier Vetting, Onboarding and Monitoring
Neal selected Descartes MyCarrierPortal to automate and strengthen Flat World’s carrier vetting and onboarding processes. “When I discovered MCP, I absolutely loved it,” Neal explains. “We very quickly converted to MCP and it was clearly the best decision we could have made. It integrates seamlessly with our TMS and it’s a time saver, streamlining our brokers’ day-to-day work and enabling us to run a much leaner team.”
Flat World considers carriers to be customers, the same as shippers, and Neal says Descartes facilitates a very smooth onboarding process for the expanding network of trustworthy carriers. For example, MCP’s Intellivite functionality streamlines Flat World’s process for verifying FMCSA-listed contacts. “Click-of-a-button access to a list of actual certified contacts is huge for me,” says Neal. “Carriers can quickly respond to the Intellivite invitation link, integrating the packet directly into our TMS, making it very easy to onboard a new carrier.”
Features such as VIN verification, as well as real-time monitoring of carrier authority, safety ratings, and insurance compliance via MCP empowers the team to prevent fraud, ensure compliance and virtually eliminate the risk of double-brokering. “MyCarrierPortal gives us a very thorough look at each carrier, bringing a level of trust that’s instrumental,” Neal says. “Our internal process combined with MCP has helped us protect ourselves—and is almost bulletproof.”
Flat World also deployed Descartes MacroPoint for real-time shipment visibility, and Neal appreciates how well the solutions integrate. MacroPoint’s electronic logging device (ELD) connectivity improves carrier tracking and operational oversight for Flat World, as the company’s brokerage business continues to grow. “The ELD connectivity is very advantageous,”
“MacroPoint is a brand that carriers really trust, so we’re having a high rate of adoption on that front. Due to the streamlined process, how robust it is, and the ease of use, I highly recommend MacroPoint.”
The Results
- Accelerated Vetting and Onboarding: Carrier vetting and onboarding time was substantially reduced due to MyCarrierPortal features such as Intellivite—enabling the team to onboard pre-certified carriers with the click of a button—as well as seamless integration with the company’s TMS.
- Optimized Processes and Lean Staff: Automated vetting and onboarding significantly reduced manual labor for the Flat Global brokerage team, enabling the company to maintain a lean and productive staff in the face of rapid growth.
- Enhanced Compliance and Risk Management: Real-time monitoring of carrier compliance via MCP virtually eliminates risks associated with double brokering, and continuous updates on carrier status—such as safety ratings and insurance coverage—provide “bulletproof” risk protection.
- Improved Carrier Relationships and User Experience: MyCarrierPortal’s ease of use and efficient onboarding improved Flat World’s relationships with carriers, supporting the company’s mission to treat carriers as critical partners. MacroPoint’s ELD connectivity strengthened relationships further with a name carriers trust—Descartes.
