Specialist
Executive at Dormakaba International Holding AG
Agenda
- Key value proposition for investing in TMS (transportation management system) solutions
- Deep dive into Alpega’s Inet TMS modules and other solutions – TenderEasy, Reusable Packaging Management and Smart Booking
- Inet’s competitive positioning in the TMS industry, focusing on Transporeon and exploring differentiation points and weaknesses
- Customers’ key purchasing criteria
- Pricing overview, switching dynamics and outlook
Questions
1.
What tech stack did you have before you started investing into a TMS [transportation management system] solution and why was it inefficient? What was the value proposition of a TMS that made you invest in it?
2.
What were ERP [enterprise resource planning] solutions lacking that really made you shift towards a TMS provider?
3.
What are your use cases in terms of the key modules that you take from Alpega?
4.
Which of the modules that you use from Inet are the highest value-add for you, whether specific TMS modules or additions such as TenderEasy, Reusable Packaging Management and so on?
5.
What have usually been your key purchasing criteria when selecting a TMS provider?
6.
Where would you say Alpega’s Inet solution ranks in each of the criteria – functionality and customisation, speed and ease of connectivity, scalability and so on? Does the solution rank quite high in each of these, or is it weak in certain areas?
7.
Which other providers have you compared Alpega against over the years? Who stands out?
8.
Is there a USP of Inet vs competitors? I understand that you’ve used Transporeon in certain regions, and at the same time Alpega in another. Was there a differentiation point other than regional expertise that made you opt for Alpega as well?
9.
Depending on how long you’ve been a customer of Alpega, were you on the original Transwide solution before the acquisition of Inet? What post-merger product evolution have you observed?
10.
In terms of having multiple TMS solutions, would it eventually be more optimal to have one solution, as opposed to having Alpega for the Benelux region and Transporeon for Germany and other areas? Does having two create any complications?
11.
Are any tools or functionalities offered by Transporeon missing in Alpega or the Inet solution, for example, the yard management tool? Do you see this as a disadvantage? Do you believe Transporeon has a lead in any specific features?
12.
I understand you also use TenderEasy. Did you compare that solution to other freight procurement platforms, or was it the easier platform to go with because you’re an Alpega customer and TenderEasy is under its umbrella?
13.
Could you elaborate on how various business users have historically used different modules? Is a green light needed from a certain number of business units to really go through with Alpega?
14.
It has been suggested that potentially combining the capabilities of ERP systems with a RTV [real-time visibility] platform could negate the need for a TMS solution. Would you agree or disagree with this statement and why?
15.
What is involved in the implementation of Alpega’s Inet solution? How long does it take to get it fully running?
16.
Some have described Inet’s implementation as sometimes challenging. Was that your experience? Was it a smooth process but with standard complications which you have come across in other TMS solutions in the past?
17.
Would you say Alpega adapts quite well to a client company that is scaling up? Does the scalability limit the ability to customise or have any other impact?
18.
How has Alpega deployment changed in terms of the modules taken up? Was there a lot of cross- and upselling?
19.
How does Alpega compare to Transporeon on pricing? Is the company premium-priced or aligned with the market?
20.
Would you say the TCO [total cost of ownership] of Alpega vs Transporeon is aligned or are there slight differences?
21.
How is pricing trending in the TMS industry? Do you see price decreasing due to competition?
22.
How easy or difficult would it be to switch from one TMS solution to another, or even switch to one of the two solutions? What would be the major pain points when making a switch?
23.
What would make you consider switching from Alpega, whether something that Inet fails to deliver or a feature that a competitor starts to offer?
24.
Do you have any concluding remarks about Alpega and its Inet solution? What’s your outlook?
25.
I understand France, Benelux and Spain might be historically the first choice in using Inet, and that’s where you mostly use the TMS. What would make you use it as your sole provider for the whole of Europe or even wider? Is it just a matter of expanding the network of carriers and shippers?
