Haven launches ‘instant messaging for global trade’

The transportation management system provider has integrated real-time messaging and notification to its TMS as a replacement for inefficient emails.    Transportation management system provider Haven Inc. is rolling out a new feature for its flagship TMS product that takes aim at the inefficient and cumbersome process of using emails to communicate across the global trade community.
   The product, simply dubbed In-App Messaging and Notifications, is similar to other instant messaging applications like Slack, allowing for real-time communication and collaboration among various supply chain stakeholders.
   The idea is relatively simple at its core, but potentially could provide tremendous value in the form of increased efficiency and time savings. Rather than waiting for several members of a group to receive and respond to an email — and often dealing with individuals responding at the same time or without having seen the latest response in the email chain — all stakeholders can participate in the conversation simultaneously.
   In addition to gains in efficiency from communicating in real time, the new product will allow provide Haven TMS users with an audible archive of all messaging content, allowing them to organize and save conversations with multiple participants like shippers, suppliers, customer, banks and customs brokers all in a shared workspace.
   And with all conversations, documents and data related to a given shipment consolidated into one place, users also will be able to more easily track the history of that shipment.
   “Email wasn’t designed to be a filing system of record and unfortunately it has become just that for many large businesses,” Haven said in a statement. “This causes huge and costly problems, discrepancies and inefficiencies, especially in the world of global shipping where accuracy is key and mistakes are costly.”
   “We like to think of our solution as an ‘instant messaging for global trade,’” said CEO Matthew Tillman. “This new product allows our customers to efficiently organize and manage their communication in the context of shipping.”