The $10.5 billion auto-transport industry is made up of thousands of small- to mid-sized companies. And while there are a few giants, most teams are designed to be lean with fewer overhead costs and greater efficiencies. In the most successful companies, technology helps workers do more with less — but there’s a downside. When solutions don’t work together or aren’t easy to access, they can cause workers more confusion and result in more work.

I speak from experience on this. In my time as a carrier, I didn’t mind the hours or the long-distance driving. What frustrated me was the disparate tech solutions I was expected to use. They were difficult to access and more often than not didn’t sync up with one another. They had different workflows and some required more input than others. When I was busy, I wouldn’t bother using them at all. When I did have the time, it was far from a seamless experience.

My point is this: when auto-transport tools are disconnected and a pain for employees to access, it leads to frustrated employees. The operational inefficiencies, isolated or inaccessible data and missed opportunities are also downfalls. But a lot has changed since I was on the road. Integrating these tools with an auto-transport platform can overcome these challenges.

Here are three questions that can help you determine if it’s time to integrate your existing tools with an auto-transport platform:

No. 1: What tools are in your tech stack? 

Staying competitive in an ever-tightening market requires effortless transport operations. This can be achieved by investing in technology and leaving tedious, manual processes behind.

I’m not suggesting you invest in every new technology or ignore what’s already in your toolbox. Instead, evaluate your current tech stack to see what your team is already using. This will help you identify gaps. Start by taking inventory of essential tools like fleet management software, payment solutions, and CRM systems.

Then, consider how you manage your vendor network. How does your technology facilitate interactions with partners? Next, assess how your tools work together. Are they connected? How easy is it to use them and manage the flow of data? If they’re disconnected, is your team forced to manually transfer information between systems?

Evergreen Logistics struggled with this reality. Relying on multiple, unconnected tools left the small team entrenched in hours of repetitive manual work. Every task, from maintaining carrier compliance to managing orders and factoring payments, consumed the team’s time and resources. Worst of all, it hindered the company’s growth ambitions.

When it integrated an auto transport platform, Evergreen said goodbye to time-consuming manual processes, disconnected tools and a lack of visibility. They’ve since reported saving 30 hours of work a week along with a 40% increase in productivity and 50% increase in revenue.

A jumbled tech stack can cause major headaches and hold your company back. Take the first step toward your sustained success by  looking at your entire tech stack and consider how an auto-transport platform can bring your tools together in one easy-to-access place.

No. 2: Are your employees making the most of your existing tech tools? 

Before leveraging an auto transport platform, check the temperature of those who’ll be using it. Some folks might fight change, others will be uninterested in using new systems or others won’t use the tools at their disposal to their fullest potential.

Many times, this comes down to there being simply too many solutions or those solutions being hard to access and use. If employees don’t have a seamless workflow to access and leverage your tech stack, then forget it.

Again, a good place to start is looking at your current tools and figuring out which are critical to your team. Then it’s diving in further and identifying if there are any barriers getting in the way of your employees using them. Do your due diligence and talk to your team. Going straight to the end user will shine light on what’s going on.

If team members say they don’t understand how to use your solutions, schedule a training. If they say the tools are a pain to access or don’t easily connect with their workflows, then integrating with an auto transport platform is the way to go.

No. 3: Is your data centralized and easily accessible? 

For far too long, disconnected tech solutions have plagued the auto transportation industry. When tools operate independently they hinder a crucial business function: assessing data.

This was the challenge Kolby Robinson faced when he became the Logistics Director at AutoSavvy. While the company was poised for growth, it was being held back by outdated manual processes and decentralized data spread across multiple, disconnected platforms.

By integrating an auto-transport management system that connected its tools and consolidated all its data, AutoSavvy transformed its operation. The result: It’s now moving cars three times faster and is saving over $200,000 a year on headcount. It’s also grown to over 20 dealerships.

AutoSavvy’s success underscores the importance of integrating your tools into an auto-transport platform. Centralizing data simplifies the process of collecting, storing, and analyzing information, leading to better strategic decisions and business growth. When CRM systems, payment solutions, and IMS software data are consolidated, you gain a clearer view of your operations. With all your data in one place, your company can assess information more frequently, recognize patterns, take swift action and make necessary changes to drive growth.

Final thoughts

Integrating with an auto transport platform paves the way to automation, which means less stress for employees, better decision-making for leaders and a boost in productivity for all.

And accessing critical tools in one place gives employees more time to focus on tasks that need a human touch, like driving, problem solving and communicating with partners.

Remember: the auto transport industry is projected for continued growth, but still faces driver shortages, rampant fraud and intense competition. The best way to ensure your company’s success moving forward is to adopt new technology and make the most of it. You can achieve this intentionally and strategically by integrating with an auto transport platform.

Bek Abdullayev is the founder and CEO of Super Dispatch