{"id":11256,"date":"2026-05-09T10:22:23","date_gmt":"2026-05-09T08:22:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/?p=11256"},"modified":"2026-05-09T11:47:38","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T09:47:38","slug":"ai-makes-you-stupid-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/en\/ai-makes-you-stupid-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Why is procurement missing from TMS solutions?"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_medium\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_grid cols_1 laptops-cols_inherit tablets-cols_inherit mobiles-cols_1 valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p><strong>\u2026and how to find the best solution for your company. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Transport management systems have evolved significantly in recent years.<br \/>\nDispatching, route planning, telematics, freight management, sales, and fleet management have now reached a very high level in many TMS solutions.<\/p>\n<p>However, one area keeps standing out: <strong>Procurement often exists only in a rudimentary form\u2014or not at all.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>And that is becoming a real problem for many freight forwarders.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>The blind spot of many TMS systems<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In many companies, operational procurement still runs like it is the Stone Age, e.g.:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>via Excel<\/li>\n<li>via Outlook<\/li>\n<li>by phone<\/li>\n<li>with individual lists<\/li>\n<li>or via standalone solutions outside the TMS<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>We are not talking about side issues, but about core processes that all logistics service providers must cover, such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>tenders that are not transport-oriented<\/li>\n<li>contract management, leasing, rentals, etc.<\/li>\n<li>purchase requisitions and approvals<\/li>\n<li>requests and purchasing of consumables such as tires and spare parts<\/li>\n<li>requests and purchasing of project-related services and items (e.g., for warehouse construction)<\/li>\n<li>requests and purchasing of services such as consulting<\/li>\n<li>ready-made KPI analyses<\/li>\n<li>forecast planning across all relevant areas<\/li>\n<li>integrated AI functions that support procurement<\/li>\n<li>document management and review<\/li>\n<li>compliance and certificate management<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>and much more.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why has procurement been neglected for so long?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The answer often lies in the history of the systems.<\/p>\n<p>Many TMS solutions were originally developed for:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>dispatchers<\/li>\n<li>operational transport execution<\/li>\n<li>route control<\/li>\n<li>shipment management and tracking<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The focus was on: <strong><em>\u201cHow do I get the goods transported?\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Not on: <strong><em>\u201cHow do I manage my ENTIRE procurement strategically and operationally?\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The result:<\/strong> Procurement was often viewed as a <strong><em>\u201cside system\u201d<\/em><\/strong>, even though this is where there is now massive cost and margin potential.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><div class=\"w-image style_shadow-1 align_center\"><div class=\"w-image-h\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"583\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/EK-und-TMS-1024x583.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/EK-und-TMS-1024x583.png 1024w, https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/EK-und-TMS-300x171.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/EK-und-TMS-scaled.png 760w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>The freight forwarder without and with digital procurement<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p><strong>The reality in many freight forwarding companies<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Many companies now work with real process breaks:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Sales calculates prices in the CRM or TMS<\/li>\n<li>Dispatch assigns transports in the TMS<\/li>\n<li>Procurement manages service providers in Excel<\/li>\n<li>Accounting checks invoices separately<\/li>\n<li>And controlling then laboriously tries to consolidate the data<\/li>\n<li>Contracts and documents are managed in a partially integrated DMS<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This leads to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>a lack of transparency<\/li>\n<li>poor comparability of costs that are not transport-based<\/li>\n<li>media discontinuities<\/li>\n<li>high manual effort<\/li>\n<li>lack of transparency in margins<\/li>\n<li>a lack of procurement strategy<\/li>\n<li>slow or error-prone tendering processes<\/li>\n<li>higher overall risk of errors<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>etc.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><div class=\"w-image style_shadow-1 align_center\"><div class=\"w-image-h\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GF-sucht-Einkaufsmodul-auf-dem-Bildschirm-1024x683.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GF-sucht-Einkaufsmodul-auf-dem-Bildschirm-1024x683.png 1024w, https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GF-sucht-Einkaufsmodul-auf-dem-Bildschirm-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GF-sucht-Einkaufsmodul-auf-dem-Bildschirm-scaled.png 760w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Are you also searching in vain for the procurement module in the TMS?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p><strong>Why this topic is becoming critical now<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The market is changing.<\/p>\n<p>Rising transport costs, volatile freight rates, driver shortages, and increasing competitive pressure are forcing companies to professionalize their procurement processes.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, there are new requirements such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>ESG and sustainability evidence<\/li>\n<li>supplier evaluations<\/li>\n<li>digital tenders<\/li>\n<li>real-time price comparisons<\/li>\n<li>AI-supported procurement decisions<\/li>\n<li>automated awarding processes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Without integrated procurement, many TMS landscapes are reaching their limits.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>The real problem: a lack of an overall strategy<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Many companies are now trying to close the gap with additional tools.<\/p>\n<p>But that is exactly how new standalone solutions emerge.<\/p>\n<p>The key question therefore is not: <strong><em>\u201cWhich additional procurement tool do we need?\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>But rather: <strong><em>\u201cHow do we integrate procurement, dispatch, sales, controlling, and operational processes into a shared system strategy?\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Because procurement is not an isolated process.<\/p>\n<p>It directly influences:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>contribution margins<\/li>\n<li>service quality<\/li>\n<li>delivery capability<\/li>\n<li>margins<\/li>\n<li>customer satisfaction<\/li>\n<li>Scalability<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>The future of the TMS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The next generation of modern TMS solutions will no longer just manage transports.<\/p>\n<p>It must:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>integrate end-to-end procurement<\/li>\n<li>use AI for awarding decisions<\/li>\n<li>evaluate service providers and suppliers<\/li>\n<li>identify risks<\/li>\n<li>digitize tenders, regardless of product or service<\/li>\n<li>consolidate operational and strategic data<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Only then will a truly end-to-end digital transport platform emerge.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><div class=\"w-image style_shadow-1 align_center\"><div class=\"w-image-h\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Procurement-and-TMS-1024x576.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Procurement-and-TMS-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Procurement-and-TMS-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Procurement-and-TMS-scaled.png 760w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p style=\"text-align: center;\">ERP\/WMS with a procurement focus for logistics providers<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_medium width_full\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_grid cols_1 laptops-cols_inherit tablets-cols_inherit mobiles-cols_1 valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column us_custom_2da9e0f8\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Always be the first to receive the latest news, interviews, and expert articles? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><div class=\"tnp tnp-subscription \">\n<form method=\"post\" action=\"https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php?action=tnp&amp;na=s\">\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"nlang\" value=\"en\">\n<div class=\"tnp-field tnp-field-email\"><label for=\"tnp-1\">E-Mail<\/label>\n<input class=\"tnp-email\" type=\"email\" name=\"ne\" id=\"tnp-1\" value=\"\" placeholder=\"\" required><\/div>\n<div class=\"tnp-field tnp-privacy-field\"><label><input type=\"checkbox\" name=\"ny\" required class=\"tnp-privacy\"> <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/datenschutzerklaerung\/\">Indem Du fortf\u00e4hrst, akzeptierst Du unsere Datenschutzerkl\u00e4rung.<\/a><\/label><\/div><div class=\"tnp-field tnp-field-button\" style=\"text-align: left\"><input class=\"tnp-submit\" type=\"submit\" value=\"Abonnieren\" style=\"\">\n<\/div>\n<\/form>\n<\/div><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p><strong>Conclusion: <\/strong>Many freight forwarders today do not suffer from a lack of dispatch technology.<\/p>\n<p>They suffer from a lack of procurement integration.<\/p>\n<p>And that is exactly where there is often enormous potential:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>lower costs<\/li>\n<li>better transparency<\/li>\n<li>higher margins<\/li>\n<li>less manual work, more automation<\/li>\n<li>better scalability<\/li>\n<li>more professional supplier management<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Procurement has long since ceased to be a side issue in transport management.<br \/>\nIt is increasingly becoming a strategic success factor.<\/p>\n<p>So the question is no longer:<strong><em> \u201cDo we need procurement functionality in the TMS?\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>But rather: <strong><em>\u201cHow much longer can we keep working without it?\u201d<\/em><\/strong>Start of form<\/p>\n<p>Would you like to find the best procurement solution for your company? No problem. As a consultant, I know hundreds of potential providers. Depending on your TMS, requirements, and industry, we will find the ideal solution for you\u2014ideally as part of an overall digitalization strategy.<\/p>\n<p>Leverage my 40+ years of experience and benefit from it in your own company.<\/p>\n<p>You can book a free initial appointment <a href=\"https:\/\/www.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/terminvereinbarung\/\">here via the link.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p>Image source: ChatGPT<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u2026and how to find the best solution for your company. Transport management systems have evolved significantly in recent years. Dispatching, route planning, telematics, freight management, sales, and fleet management have now reached a very high level in many TMS solutions. However, one area keeps standing out: Procurement often exists only in a rudimentary form\u2014or not...","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":11264,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[63,69,68],"tags":[65,64,66],"class_list":["post-11256","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-digitalization","category-ai","category-digital","tag-agile","tag-digitalization","tag-project-management"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11256","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11256"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11256\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11277,"href":"https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11256\/revisions\/11277"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11264"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11256"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11256"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.der-digitalisierungsberater.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11256"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}