Global furniture manufacturer Inmod has been thriving with an optimized supply chain for nearly 20 years, company managers say. Still, they were looking for a smarter way to manage transportation operations. 

In 2003, online retail was new to many, and the concept of shopping for furniture on the web proved difficult for most consumers to fathom. Moreover, “iconic modern design” was all but exclusive to the few who could afford it. 

Nevertheless, the company developed a small collection of American-made classic furniture and lighting reproductions, which apparently caused a buzz that consumers connected with. Looking to create a truly tactile online experience, Inmod developed fully-interactive online apps allowing customers to design their own furniture, bedding and pillows in real time with almost limitless choices. All products were domestically manufactured. 

The manufacturer has been recognized for three consecutive years as one of the fastest-growing companies in America by INC500|5000, and as a top online store by Internet Retailer. However, it needed a way to keep its standard of quality and customer service high, all while reducing the amount of time spent processing an increasing number of shipments.

With their old process, Inmod’s logistics team could spend upwards of 15 minutes to quote a single shipment. This was because each of their six carriers at the time had their own website into which all shipment information had to be entered before receiving a rate quote. Time savings was an area identified as an opportunity for improvement, and in 2015 the Inmod team found the solution to their problem by implementing Kuebix TMS. 

The Kuebix client list numbers about 130 companies in the furniture business: some 61 manufacturers, 43 wholesalers and 26 retailers. Dealing with items for homes, offices, health care, hotels and restaurants, Kuebix managers feel they understand the challenges of the furniture industry: claims management, final-mile delivery, shipment tracking, optimization, blind shipments, parcel for returns and replacement parts.

Kuebix was started in 2008. Its SaaS-based TMS is well suited for smaller companies or less complex supply chains, but it will scale for the largest enterprises or more complex supply chains as well. Kuebix managers says they are “democratizing” the rating, booking and tracking of freight with the company's free TMS, Kuebix Shipper, which can be ready to use in minutes. 

More complex supply chains choose from a wide array of premier applications and integrations to configure a solution for their exact business needs. Kuebix also offers managed service programs to businesses looking to partially or fully outsource transportation management.

One of Kuebix’s core features is the ability to view and compare rates side by side to choose the best price and service type for each shipment, saving time and money in the process. By leveraging this functionality, Inmod has saved roughly 40 hours each week. Since implementing the Kuebix TMS, Inmod has been able to increase its carrier network from six providers to 10. 

“Kuebix makes it extremely easy for our staff to quote shipments, book shipments and manage freight invoices, saving us countless hours,” says Brian Greenspan, COO at Inmod. “We can quote them all at once, easily choose the best carrier, create the BOL and schedule the pickup with an easy-to-use interface. In addition, we can easily pay carrier invoices and discover exceptions using Kuebix’s automatic invoice and quote matching technology. Kuebix has allowed Inmod Furniture to increase our shipment volume without increasing labor costs.” 

In addition to helping Inmod add hours back into its supply chain, Kuebix has been able to eliminate waste in other, initially-unexpected areas. For example, Kuebix’s automated invoice auditing process has helped the manufacturer's billing department save approximately 10 hours a week. This is accomplished via an API integration that matches up each invoice against the quoted amount.

Understanding its financials is another area Inmod has been able to gain more control over. Before Kuebix, Inmod hadn’t been able to get a good indication of its overall cost per pound by carrier. The reports within the technology now allow Inmod to see precise metrics regarding these figures. 

The company continues to integrate new time-saving features and is currently adopting Kuebix’s claims management processes. By expanding its supply chain capabilities with Kuebix, Greenspan says, Inmod is well equipped to continue its growth in the furniture industry.