Imagine an affordable, cloud-based software platform that would allow brokers, carriers, and shippers to manage their entire business from beginning to end – from easily assigning and tracking loads all the way through to back-end billing and financial functions. That’s the thinking behind the new EKA Omni-TMS cloud-based supply chain platform from EKA Solutions.

EKA points out that the increasing use of omni-channel marketing is changing logistics, demanding an end-to-end redesign of the planning and execution systems across all channels, demanding real-time connectivity, action, and insight. But the current way most transportation management systems are set up have shippers, carriers, and brokers in silos, offering limited visibility across the transportation chain.

The EKA Omni-TMS platform, which has been in the works for about two years, is designed to provide seamless, or what the company calls “friction-free,” connectivity across the transportation chain.

EKA emphasizes that this is a “true cloud application,” or cloud-native. This means a customer just needs a web browser on a computer or tablet and an Internet connection to start using the Omni-TMS. No servers or other hardware, or the IT staff needed to manage them, are needed. It also makes this more affordable than more traditional TMS models. In addition, upgrades to the software are accessed automatically – not need to schedule software update installations, worry about different versions on different computers, or worry about backing up the data, because there are redundancies built into the cloud-based system.

“Every major industry has seen a move towards unified digital platforms, whether you’re buying products from a retailer or streaming the newest music,” explained J.J. Singh, CEO and founder. “Now the transportation industry has its own one-stop digital transportation platform in EKA Omni-TMS. Using this solution, allows businesses to shift their strategic focus from IT management to business growth.”

This all-new platform provides visual business intelligence tools that deliver information in an interactive and intuitive graphical form – right at the time of decision-making, such as pricing information via the PriceSolv tool. Other proprietary technologies such as RouteSolv, VisibilitySolv, DocuSolv and RiskSolv. These tools integrate the data of the users with outside data sources such as DAT’s spot freight market data or telematics and electronic logging systems. External news and information that can help improve planning and negotiations will also be added to the platform.

Singh pointed out that this is an end-to-end system, including billing and accounting functions. Users can do things such as generate income statements and run reports by customers, lane, etc. With a click, the user can delve into the details of delivered loads and address any issues before making payment, such as detention charges.

"By keeping companies connected to every aspect of the supply chain with real-time tracking, automation and dynamic insights, Omni-TMS will help small and medium businesses scale, adapt and compete in the new global supply chain world," said Mark Walker, president of EKA.

The first part of the system being launched is the broker version of the platform. The carrier version should be available in three to four months, and the shipper version is scheduled to be released in 2019.

EKA's leadership has extensive experience in technology for the trucking and logistics space. Singh was previously an executive with companies such as T-Chek Systems, Tab Bank, and RAIR Technologies. Walker held a number of senior positions at C.H. Robinson Worldwide, and Steven Weiby, senior vice president of business development, most recently held the position of VP North American Trnsportation for C.H. Robinson Inc.