Driving a High TMS Adoption Rate with Proactive Enablement

Having a powerful Transportation Management System (TMS) is one thing; actually driving broad adoption across teams is another. Some shippers boast minimal support tickets—ostensibly a sign of “great system stability”—but in reality, the low ticket volume often masks underutilized modules, fragmented workflows, and missed opportunities for automation. This post delves into why low ticket counts can be a red flag, and outlines strategies to engage users, expand module usage, and gather meaningful roadmap input.

The Hidden Trap of “Low Ticket Volume = Success”

1. System Stability vs. Functional Utilization
   • A large chemicals manufacturer reported only three support tickets in 2024 and zero in 2025. On the surface, operations seemed frictionless.
   • However, root-cause analysis showed that frontline planners relied exclusively on basic tendering and reporting functions. Modules such as “Equipment Tracking,” “Station View,” and “Yard Management” sat dormant.
2. Executive Collaboration vs. Grassroots Adoption
   • C-Suite and VPs were invited to co-design the roadmap; some even volunteered for beta testing. Yet day-to-day users didn’t know these modules existed.
   • This disconnect between leadership enthusiasm and operator engagement can block ROI from TMS investments.
3. Decentralized User Skills
   • In enterprises with multiple sites or divisions, each region often develops its own workarounds (spreadsheets, whiteboards, quick‐fix macros) rather than adopt a universal best practice.
   • Planners at a national retail chain, for example, created siloed “macro‐enabled Excel tools” to track detention. Only a handful ever logged into the TMS’s “Accessorial Management” module.

Step 1: Conduct a Functional Usage Audit

1. Module Activation vs. User Engagement
   • Extract user logs to identify which modules have zero or minimal clicks over the last six months. For example:
     • Equipment Tracking: 5 users total, each with < 10 clicks per month.
     • Station View: 2 users total, primarily used during month-end.
   • Compare this against modules heavily used (e.g., Load Tendering, Rate Management).
2. Identify “Feature Champions”
   • Survey power users to find out who is already using underutilized modules. These “Feature Champions” often have informal “tips and tricks” they can share with peers.
   • Host short interviews: “Which TMS modules do you use daily? Which ones do you never touch?”
3. Map Adoption vs. Business Impact
   
   • Create a matrix, mapping out the critical aspects of each team, roles, usage statistics, responsibilities, and impact.
   • Modules with high business impact but low usage become priority “adoption drives.”

Step 2: Create a Tailored Enablement Plan

1. Role-Based Training & Playbooks
   • Operations Planners (day-to-day tenderers): Focus on advanced features in the “Tender Monitoring” and “Carrier Scorecard” modules. Show how to reduce double-tendering by 30 percent.
   • Customer Service Teams: Emphasize “Shipment Visibility” and “Accessorial Exception Management.” Teach reps to proactively notify customers when a load deviates by > 4 hours.
   • Finance & Procurement: Deep dive into “Freight Accrual Reports,” “True Spot vs. Forced Spot” analytics, and “Carrier Performance KPIs” so they can tie transportation data directly to P&L statements.
2. Lunch-and-Learn Webinars
   • Host a 45-minute session each month, rotating through one underutilized module at a time. For instance:
     • April: “How to Leverage the Equipment Tracking Module to Reduce Asset Losses”
     • May: “Mastering Station View for Real-Time Terminal Activity Insights”
   • Keep each session interactive—incorporate real tickets or “problem statements” submitted by attendees. Use live demos to solve those problems on the spot.
3. On-Demand “Micro-Learning” Videos
   • Produce short (3–5 minute) tutorial videos focused on specific tasks, such as:
     • “How to Configure Event‐Based Mobile Alerts in the Yard Management Module”
     • “How to Create a Custom Accessorial Charge Rule in Under 2 Minutes”
   • Host these videos in a central “TMS Knowledge Base” so users can search by keyword (“equipment,” “yard,” “station”) when they encounter issues.
4. Gamification and Incentives
   • Launch a “TMS Mastery Challenge”:
     1. Assign points each time a user completes a predefined task in an underused module (e.g., creating a new accessorial rule = 5 points).
     2. Offer rewards (e.g., gift cards, company swag) to the top three point earners each quarter.
   • Publish a “Leader Board” on the company intranet, showing which regions or divisions are adopting new modules most rapidly.

Step 3: Foster Continuous Feedback and Co-Development

1. Quarterly “Feature Feedback” Workshops
   • Invite both frontline operators and executives to review upcoming TMS enhancements—especially for modules that aren’t broadly used yet.
   • Use “breakout groups” to have junior planners discuss pain points (e.g., “Station View is confusing; can we simplify the UI?”), then present those findings to the TMS implementation team.
2. Beta-Testing Opportunities
   • When new features (especially in barge or rail enablement) are ready for testing, proactively recruit “Beta Champions” who have demonstrated high engagement and willingness to learn.
   • Provide a structured feedback form focusing on usability, reporting gaps, and missing fields—so product teams can iterate quickly.
3. Monthly “TMS Adoption Metrics” Report
   • Distribute a one-page snapshot that shows:
     • Number of active users per module (week over week).
     • Top 5 “growth modules” (e.g., Equipment Tracking usage up 45 percent month‐over‐month).
     • A list of “possible deprecations” (modules that have zero new users in 6 months).
   • This “Health Check” report keeps adoption top of mind for senior leadership.

Real-World Success Story: Turning “Stable but Stagnant” into “Active and Growing”

A global manufacturer discovered that although their TMS had only two open support tickets in the last year (virtually unheard of), their yard-management and equipment modules were dormant. After implementing the audit and enablement steps above:

1. Module Adoption Jumped 250 percent: By quarter 2, 40 users were actively using “Equipment Tracking” (versus 2 in quarter 1).
2. Reduced Container Losses by 18 percent: With better equipment visibility, operations flagged “out-of-place” assets 30 percent faster, recovering containers before demurrage fees kicked in.
3. Improved Planner Productivity: A dedicated “Tender Monitoring” session reduced double tenders by 60 percent, saving each planner roughly 3 hours per week.
4. Stronger Roadmap Input: Beta testers identified a critical UX glitch in the “Station View” module’s filter settings. Once fixed, adoption surged again—validating the power of continuous feedback.

Conclusion

Low ticket volumes can be misleading: they may signal a stable system, but often conceal underutilization of valuable TMS functionality. By auditing module usage, tailoring role-based training, incentivizing exploration through gamification, and fostering ongoing feedback loops, logistics teams can unlock the full potential of their TMS investments. The result is a more agile, data-driven organization—one where every user knows which feature solves which problem and can confidently navigate from tendering to settlement, fully leveraging the system’s capabilities.

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