Top 5 Wakeo Alternatives and Competitors

What is Wakeo?

Wakeo is a collaborative platform and data hub that connects shippers, carriers, freight forwarders, ports, customs and other supply chain members. It offers real-time tracking data and predictive ETAs on multimodal shipments. With advance alerts for potential disruptions, Wakeo helps shippers make proactive backup arrangements to minimize delays. Wakeo offers all supply chain members an easy platform to request and share information. It also automates data analysis and creates tailored reports on various performance KPIs.

Wakeo Features

Some of the key Wakeo features are Multimodal tracking; Predictive ETAs; Geofencing; Data filters; User management; Document storage; Customized alerts; and Automated data analysis. Their most important features include:

Wakeo Track & Trace

Shippers can track their inventory as it moves across different modes of transportation with data sourced from multiple touch points. In-house ETAs determined by machine learning models and geofencing capabilities help shippers anticipate delays and take proactive action for better customer service. The platform can be customized to the organization’s needs and user access for different internal and external teams can be controlled. Wakeo also tailors emails and SMS alerts and offers a white label notification system to communicate with customers.

Wakeo Analytics

Wakeo consolidates information from multiple data points and enriches it to provide neutral, refined data. It analyses the available current and historic data to create tailor-made reports that capture relevant patterns. Wakeo analyzes performance by carriers, freight forwarders, geography, transport leg, etc. It also drives collaboration and ensures data continuity by sharing data with other teams.

Top 5 Alternatives to Wakeo

Wakeo is a popular visibility platform, but it is not the only one. With limited features, Wakeo may not meet all the needs of your organization. Here are the top 5 alternatives you could consider.

Alternative #1

BuyCo

BuyCo is a Container Shipping Platform that connects large volume importers and exporters with other supply chain members such as carriers, forwarders, etc. The BuyCo network is connected to 95% of all carriers. By bringing everyone onto a common platform BuyCo gives shippers easy access to information while cutting down the need for emails and keeping everyone on the same page. This further reduces the margin of error and increases productivity.
BuyCo also helps shippers save time by automating repetitive shipping operations. From vessel scheduling to document generation, BuyCo automates and streamlines day-to-day tasks to ensure that all operations run smoothly, accurately and on time.

Once a shipment is on the move, BuyCo provides complete visibility and control over the operation. With real-time, multi-sourced container tracking, shippers are assured of accurate ETAs and ETDs so they can give customers accurate delivery schedules. In addition, BuyCo provides in-depth reports on various KPIs to identify opportunities for improvement and improve negotiation power.

Alternative #2

Shippeo

The Shippeo visibility platform offers visibility over containers as they move across the oceans as well as road, rail and air routes. With a wide network, it provides shippers with insights into shipment status through their chosen ERP, TMS or WMS platform. Shippeo also uses machine learning to determine ETDs/ ETAs and potential disruptions. A color-coded Control Tower Map highlights at-risk deliveries so shippers can take appropriate action. This information can be shared with customers through a link or a customer visibility portal for easier communication. It also provides insights into operational and financial performance through a series of dashboards.

Alternative #3

FourKites

FourKites is a global visibility platform that offers shippers real-time visibility over containers from the time they are loaded until when they reach their destination. The FourKites visibility net covers time spent in the yard as well as transportation via road, rail, air and ocean routes. With automated notifications, all stakeholders are kept informed about shipment status. FourKites also uses APIs, RPA and EDI technology to predict dynamic ETAs and make prescriptive recommendations in the case of exceptions. The platform also helps with secure document sharing and offers container booking support.

Alternative #4

Project 44

The Project 44 global visibility platform that connects shippers with carriers and 3PLs. Shippers can get real-time visibility for container movement across ocean, air and rail routes as well as last-mile delivery by road and while their containers are waiting in yards, terminals or ports. With the help of text, email and push notification alerts, this information can be shared with other stakeholders as well. It automates operational tasks such as rate comparisons, booking, dispatching, etc. and predicts ETAs. Project 44 also centralizes document sharing to minimize errors.

Alternative #5

Portcast

Portcast is a route-based SaaS platform for shippers to get real-time visibility into container movement from its port of loading to the final port of discharge. Shippers can also get predictive ETAs based on an assessment of historic data and current external factors. It uses machine learning algorithms to detect disruptions and provide early warnings of such instances along with qualitative reasoning and possible alternative routes for the same. Portcast also assesses economic patterns, seasonality, market capacity and other external factors to forecast demand for cargo flow at a granular level for airline and shipping lines.

Things to Consider when selecting your Ocean TMS

Today, customer service is as important as product quality. Late deliveries can have an adverse effect on customer relationships and bring down your profit margins. Hence, it is no longer enough to rely solely on information from a single data point. Having the right Ocean Transportation Management System (TMS) can go a long way in streamlining shipping operations and minimizing such delays.

There are a number of Ocean TMS options available in the market with some catering to a wide spectrum of industries and others catering to niche industries. Irrespective of your industry, here are four basic features to keep in mind when searching for an Ocean TMS.

Visibility Alone Is Not Enough, You Need Control

Keeping you informed about your shipment status is one of the core functionalities of an Ocean TMS. A good Ocean TMS will gather information from carriers and other sources to give you accurate container tracking information. However, this may not always be enough. You need to be able to react to the information and make changes to your operation quickly so as to minimize the delays. For example, if you get to know about an exception, you should be able to have the control to quickly change the intended route. Thus, you need an Ocean TMS that offers both visibility and control over your shipping operations.

When you talk of visibility, the TMS should offer both real-time and predictive visibility. It should be able to analyze the available data and predict ETAs and ETDs with accuracy. This will help you plan realistic timelines and avoid delays altogether. Consider BuyCo – it looks at the historic and current data to tell you how often a carrier arrives late at its destination via a certain route and by how many days.

Automation

Whether you’re moving 1 thousand containers or 100 thousand, there are many steps to planning a shipping operation. You need to search for appropriate shipment schedules, place booking requests, prepare documents and so on. Many of these tasks are repetitive and take up a lot of time. You need a better solution – you need an Ocean TMS that can automate sucks tasks. Automation can help shippers use their time and resources in a better way and increase productivity while cutting costs and saving time. For example, BuyCo automates tasks such as vessel selection, generating shipping instructions, etc.

Collaboration

Communication is key to running smooth shipping operations. There are a number of documents that must be exchanged by all the stakeholders. Digitizing these documents and sending them via email helps, but there is always a risk of an email being missed out on. Not having access to the latest version of a document can result in hold-ups. Hence, you need an Ocean TMs that brings all the stakeholders onto a common platform and allows them to communicate, request, share and store documents centrally. For example, BuyCo allows shippers to create document workflows and templates for all their collaborators.

Decarbonization

In addition to pricing, routes, ETAs, etc. there is another factor that is becoming very important for shipment planning. Shippers are paying more attention to how transportation affects their overall carbon footprint. Decarbonization is important for two main reasons. Firstly, it builds a brand image of being socially responsible in face of global warming. Secondly, it lowers the risk of being taxed more heavily as a result of changing EU regulations on CO2 emissions. When you select an Ocean TMS, look for the information it provides on CO2 emissions. Understanding the need for measurable data, BuyCo shows the most direct routes to a destination and the CO2 emissions by the different carriers.