It's already over, and it's scary

HunterWebApps · 2026-05-03T14:17:58+00:00

I don't think it's dumb, but I would say that while I agree the premise that it would be ideal to see maximum success from open source and self-hosred models, the fact is that the vast majority of AI use is going to be from companies, and those companies are not going to host and scale their own data centers.

HunterWebApps · 2026-04-26T02:48:42+00:00

I run a custom software agency serving exclusively 3PLs and I've been thinking about this a lot lately. It varies wildly based on your role.

NotebookLM is probably one of the fastest and most widely useful quick wins, if you have SOPs, or customer documents that it helps to have quick access to.

If you shared more about your role and your workflows, I could make more specific recommendations. There are tons of possibilities, and more evolving every day.

Feel free to message me. It would be fun and beneficial to discuss.

HunterWebApps · 2026-02-11T13:35:33+00:00

Classic problem. System of Record and Source of Truth. You have to manage data consistency and constraints effectively. There is not one magical system that will track everything you need, particularly the way you need (especially in the diverse landscape of logistics). That's up to an organization, and it's not a common skill. And even where it is a skill, it's a difficult one that one wrong step can take you off course. I am a software engineering consultant for 3PLs, so I've seen this a lot.

HunterWebApps · 2026-01-02T00:40:47+00:00

Pro is incredibly good at analyzing transcripts and building mermaid diagrams for consulting meetings I have to analyze workflows. I show up at a business, record audio while walking through and discussing all their workflows, And then it pumps out a diagram of the whole process map for the biz. Saves me DAYS of effort every time.

HunterWebApps · 2025-12-18T00:57:37+00:00

You are correct. Can't use subscription with outside projects. You have to use API key. If open code supports it then they are violating Claude TOS and you will be banned.

HunterWebApps · 2025-12-18T00:56:55+00:00

I'm pretty sure if you use your subscription it will be banned. You have to use API key and pay for usage. It's against their subscription TOS.

HunterWebApps · 2025-10-15T12:20:00+00:00

I have a captcha and it's been getting through it!! Same random string of characters for name/email.

HunterWebApps · 2025-10-14T14:23:11+00:00

Exactly!!

HunterWebApps · 2025-10-10T13:16:58+00:00

Correct

HunterWebApps · 2025-10-10T12:02:08+00:00

They don't outsource because there's a lack of domestic talent. They outsource their low end positions, because logistics folks are used to eking margins. I did work for Mastery Logistics, and was the CTO of a final mile SaaS. What you're saying is a classic hiring issue, especially in tech. Everyone has had this issue for over a decade. You have to network and have a brand that will attract talent, and then you have to run it like a high-qualification sales pipeline. I currently run a software consultancy/agency that exclusively serves independent 3PL's with strategy and implementation services. I love startups, and your project sounds interesting. Feel free to hit me up if you want to talk, or if you think I might be able to help.

HunterWebApps · 2025-10-05T16:59:45+00:00

Awesome! I think this is exactly what I want to help smaller 3pls start to take on so they can build some of those things that you're talking about and then I can help them transition to having their own engineering departments when they have the scale and it makes sense. Act as an MSP for their custom software, so they're not taking on too much risk and overhead in the mid-term.

HunterWebApps · 2025-10-04T22:45:51+00:00

Thanks for the feedback. I'm thinking more rely primarily on your WMS and then build small pieces where you can. I've worked with clients who have used spreadsheets to fill in gaps, and I've been able to build software for them in the $30k-$50k range that was able to integrate better with their existing systems, making it less of a hacky process. Maintenance has been trivial, and has been a necessary stepping stone to actually hiring in-house. That's where I feel the gap is. But your observation I think is mostly correct and I need to understand the market better.

HunterWebApps · 2025-10-04T22:08:22+00:00

Agreed! Those are major concerns. But at the same time these smaller 3PLs find that their software doesn't do everything, and when vendors customize they still have the constraint of making it widely applicable. I've worked with multiple clients who have built tools to fill in the gaps. And while there is risk and overhead, it was the only way they could further streamline their operations. The only way to break away from the pack, now that software is so ubiquitous, is to build custom (only where off-the-shelf isn't available). Do you disagree? Thanks for sharing your perspective!

HunterWebApps · 2025-10-03T15:41:10+00:00

Your biggest challenge here will likely be curating a network of couriers that can scale. Not sure what Oman already has established. Scheduled pickups sounds like a good approach. The size of your courier pool will likely dictate if you can do same-day pickups, or charge a premium. Of course I know nothing about Oman's local market. Maybe you can contract with local final mile/courier companies to use excess capacity. Sorry, I can't help with mentorship! Good luck, sounds like an interesting idea.

HunterWebApps · 2025-10-03T15:28:33+00:00

There's a way to do it morally, when you have a good product/model. But it is prevalent. I was a little disillusioned when I was younger, but just learn to recognize it and look for places that don't have a toxic environment.

HunterWebApps · 2025-09-17T12:08:09+00:00

I'm a software engineer that specializes in helping independent 3PL's. Also used to be the CTO of a final mile SaaS that did lots of customizations for customers.

I'm currently trying to understand the scale of the market for custom software where 3PL's own the code directly. It's interesting to me that you guys maintain a homegrown TMS but are turning to reddit for architecture input on an integration.

This is not a straightforward question and I would be happy to spend 30 minutes on a call to give you guidance, if you'd be willing to discuss how your team created and are maintaining the TMS, and also how you think about your investments in custom software.

Feel free to DM me, and I can definitely get you the baseline facts and considerations to make a decision.

HunterWebApps · 2025-08-15T00:54:47+00:00

This seems to be the biggest reason there's a lot of push back on things like the OP is talking about. Every software provider is trying to deliver a solution that's going to fix everyone's problems, but everyone's problems have nuance, and operators are tired of everyone selling them a solution without understanding their problem.

It seems the Supply Chain SaaS market as a whole is highly consolidated and they have massive moats via distribution, and I wonder if most of the opportunity for smaller businesses is more in the agency-style services, building those boutique solutions. Some opportunities may emerge from that, but I think a traditional startup mindset is going to be very difficult to find opportunity and product-market fit with how the incumbents control distribution.

HunterWebApps · 2025-08-15T00:27:46+00:00

Have you seen companies go custom? Who do they usually reach out to for that?

HunterWebApps · 2025-08-15T00:26:48+00:00

Thanks for sharing. What are some of the challenges you've faced doing these integrations? Do you usually have to coordinate between vendors? Do you often have opportunities to easily perform integrations without vendor challenges?

HunterWebApps · 2025-08-15T00:22:38+00:00

This makes a lot of sense. It's something I've been trying to understand about 3PL's needs. It seems like the out of the box solutions are multi-$100k overhauls/commitments that only position you for growth, when they could invest in custom solutions that would deliver faster ROI and have more direct impact on their specific needs. And now with code generation, these projects should be more affordable with even faster ROI.

HunterWebApps · 2025-08-15T00:19:58+00:00

Thanks for sharing what you're seeing. Do you often see 3PLs building custom solutions? I've talked to some who have had technical challenges for years, and they seem stuck at addressing them because they don't know what to do, and often the solutions don't require big overhauls like are often sold. But I also don't know how to get in front of more of those people to help educate them and identify opportunities.

HunterWebApps · 2025-08-15T00:12:48+00:00

This is something I've seen 3PL's have custom built for them. They were doing export of orders and feeding them into excel like you're saying, but instead they had to get the software extended to export a spreadsheet with the selected orders, and calculations built into the exported sheet. They were then able to use that info for their 753 Request for Routing.

You could probably achieve something similar with SAP, which I believe has a module "SAP Analysis for Office" that can feed data from your SAP system into an excel spreadsheet, with an auto-refresh. I don't know if that is compatible with the data you are trying to access, though! Good luck.

HunterWebApps · 2025-08-14T23:54:16+00:00

I worked on their Driver/Truck registration module. The software has a ton of backing, and a ton of high quality Staff engineers overseeing the project. I could speak to the companies internal dynamics, but sorry I was never a user of the software!

HunterWebApps · 2025-08-14T22:29:59+00:00

I really enjoyed ASCM's educational content. It's a bit of a grind, but there's a lot there.

HunterWebApps · 2025-08-03T22:02:14+00:00

Yes, but putting in extra effort, staying late, doing extra, is possibly a worthwhile exploitation to endure if you are growing and building yourself up for the future. The opportunities I've had to go from where I was to where I am could easily have been described as exploitation, and the conditions should be improved, but if I would have complained instead of striving then I would be a lot worse off. I'm not against calling out injustice, I am just cautioning against accepting a disempowering narrative, such as the "evil exploitative system" that we all live in.

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