Consulting for
Transport and logistics
Performance, stability, and transparency in complex logistics networks
The transport and logistics industry is under considerable pressure. Fluctuating demand, increasing customer requirements, a shortage of skilled workers, volatile transport capacities, and rising costs are fundamentally changing the business. Many companies are losing momentum in their day-to-day operations because processes are unstable, transparency is lacking, and operational bottlenecks are increasing.
For more than 35 years, TMG Consultants has been helping logistics companies, contract logistics providers, and manufacturing companies to align their networks, locations, and processes in a way that simultaneously increases quality, efficiency, and delivery performance. We create clear processes, reliable control systems, and structures that work in day-to-day business and consistently meet customer requirements.
Industry in transition
Current challenges in transportation and logistics
- Unstable delivery performance and failure to meet cut-off times:
Deadlines are missed because setup times, delays in goods receipt, or missing system times are not compensated for. Small deviations in material flow lead to backlogs and an OTD rate that fluctuates daily. - Unreliable inventories and inconsistent system data:
Booking errors, parallel lists, and different data statuses between WMS, TMS, and Excel prevent reliable planning. Inventory accuracy and inventory quality come under pressure, and picking orders are more likely to come up empty. - Inefficient warehouse processes and high proportion of rework:
Errors in goods receipt, unclear storage location logic, or error-prone picking create rework and extend throughput times. Hourly productivity fluctuates, and cause-and-effect relationships are identified too late. - Skills shortage, staff turnover, and significant performance differences between shifts:
Teams work with varying levels of experience and qualifications. Planning, training, and handovers place a strain on managers and make it difficult to maintain stable shift performance. - Non-transparent processes and system breaks in day-to-day business:
WMS, TMS, and planning lists provide different information. Deviations are often only noticed once the backlog has already occurred. Control is reactive because key figures and order statuses are not consistently visible.
Strategies for the future
Our solutions for warehousing, transportation, and supply chain at a glance
- Set up inventory management and system data reliably:
We develop clear booking logic, define clean scanning and data processes, and set up master data so that WMS and TMS work with the same information. This increases inventory accuracy, reduces missing parts, and makes inventory results significantly more reliable. Companies receive a database that makes picking, scheduling, and control more stable and predictable. - Stabilize processes in goods receipt, warehousing, and shipping:
Material flow, storage location logic, and picking routes are structured in such a way that interruptions occur less frequently and throughput times remain predictable. Clearly defined processes in goods receipt, smooth order transfers, and efficient routes reduce rework and increase delivery performance. Teams work more calmly and adherence to delivery dates increases. - Creating transparency in the value stream and in operational management:
We make order status, capacities, and backlogs visible across the board. Uniform KPIs and consistent information enable managers to make decisions based on complete data. Deviations are detected earlier and processes can be controlled in a structured manner. The result is day-to-day business that is less reactive and significantly more stable. - Further developing shift logic, qualifications, and operational management:
Roles, responsibilities, and handovers are structured in such a way that shifts work more evenly and performance is less dependent on individual persons. Qualifications are distributed in a targeted manner and daily management is given clear routines. This reduces performance differences between shifts and allows processes to be controlled reliably. - Structure interaction between locations, departments, and service providers:
We coordinate material and information flows across locations, service providers, and transport partners in such a way that responsibilities are clear and interfaces work reliably. The network responds better to volume fluctuations and operational risks become apparent earlier. Companies gain greater controllability and resilience across the entire network.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about consulting in transport and logistics
How can delivery performance in the warehouse or during transport be effectively improved?
Delivery performance increases when processes become more stable and deviations become visible earlier. A clear material flow, reliable system data, and unambiguous key figures ensure that backlogs occur less frequently and cut-off times are met. Once processes are reproducible, adherence to delivery dates stabilizes.
How can you tell early on that processes are becoming unstable?
Typical signs include recurring backlogs, frequent rebookings, changing shift performance, or orders that appear late in the system. If teams increasingly have to work on demand or constantly change priorities, this indicates that control and material flow are not aligned. These patterns often emerge long before major problems become apparent.
Why are inventory and system data so crucial for stable logistics processes?
Inventory must be accurate for picking, scheduling, and transport to function reliably. If entries are incomplete or if WMS, TMS, and Excel differ from one another, missing parts and unnecessary detours in the warehouse will result. A stable database is essential for smooth processes and clear decisions.
How can transparency be created in the value stream without launching large IT projects?
Transparency is achieved when order status, capacities, and backlogs are clearly visible. This can often be accomplished with simple adjustments to existing systems or with clearly defined key performance indicators. Many improvements come from structure and clarity in processes, not from extensive IT programs.
How do you stabilize performance between different layers?
Performance becomes more stable when roles, tasks, and handovers are clearly defined. If each shift works differently or qualifications vary greatly, productivity fluctuates. Clear routines and transparent responsibilities reduce these differences and give managers more certainty in their day-to-day business.
When is external support in logistics particularly worthwhile?
External support is worthwhile as soon as patterns repeat themselves that indicate unstable processes. Examples include increasing backlogs, fluctuating shift performance, or interfaces that regularly need to be corrected manually. In such situations, teams waste time with short-term solutions and the actual causes remain unclear. An external perspective helps to identify correlations early on, set clear priorities, and develop measures to restore stability to processes.
Industry expertise
Selected reference customers in the transport and logistics industry
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