Freight costs are rising – but most shippers aren’t capturing the savings hiding in their own data. In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott Luton and Kimberly Reuter talk with Shannon Vaillancourt, President of RateLinx, about how companies can uncover 5–15% in transportation savings in weeks, not months, without running a full RFP. They discuss common overspending traps, the power of clean, unified data, optimizing carrier mix, and making smarter, data-driven decisions to reduce costs while improving operational efficiency. The episode unpacks key strategies for optimizing transportation spend without launching a full RFP, including identifying hidden costs across carriers, modes, and accessories, optimizing carrier mix with clean, unified data, and realizing anywhere from 5 to 15% in transportation savings in weeks rather than months. Listeners also get insights on managing LTL versus parcel shipments, evaluating carrier performance beyond on-time delivery, and understanding how poor master data can quietly inflate costs across networks. Together, they explore why real-time, integrated freight data is critical for decision-making, how companies can quickly act on actionable insights, and why relying solely on contracts or historical assumptions can leave money on the table. They share real-world examples where minor operational adjustments yielded millions in savings,…

Supply chains are facing pressure from every direction, from inflation and shifting consumer behavior to climate-driven disruption and rapidly evolving AI capabilities. For leaders, the challenge isn’t simply keeping up. It’s figuring out where to focus, how to make faster and better decisions, and how to turn emerging technology into measurable business value. In this episode of The Buzz, Scott Luton and special guest co-host Tanzil Uddin are joined by Dheera Anand, Partner at Bain & Company, to unpack some of the biggest forces shaping supply chain today. They explore the latest challenges at the Panama Canal, changing consumer behavior, and lessons in regional resilience from APAC before diving deep into AI and supply chain transformation. Dheera shares practical examples of how organizations are moving beyond AI experimentation and “pilot fatigue” to create real operational value. The conversation also explores high-frequency decision-making, the importance of choosing the right AI applications, and how AI could reshape integrated business planning through faster scenario planning, continuous monitoring, and an “always-on” approach to IBP. Key Takeaways Predictability and visibility are critical to resilience. Disruptions such as those affecting the Panama Canal demonstrate why companies need to understand their exposure throughout the supply network, not…