Why Most TMS Implementations Fail Before They Start

Finding the right Transportation Management System (TMS) shouldn't feel like a shot in the dark but for most shippers, it does. In this episode, we sit down with Dave Pattelli, a supply chain and logistics technology veteran with roots in LTL carriers like Consolidated Freightways, Mid-States Express and Roadrunner, and SaaS experience at Kuebix (acquired by Trimble), Shipwell and G2Mint.  Dave is now the founder of PreShiftIQ, a matching platform designed to connect Shippers, Brokers and Carriers with Vendors that meet each party's unique needs.

🔑 KEY TOPICS COVERED:

1. Dave's 30+ year journey from union LTL carriers to the SaaS world — and why "it takes one to know one" matters in supply chain tech sales
2. Why AI can't reliably distinguish between what a TMS vendor actually does vs. what their marketing says they do and how that puts buyers at a serious disadvantage
3. How Dave is personally interviewing 100+ TMS vendors to build a verified, neutral matching engine with 27 data points
4. The #1 mistake shippers make before even talking to a vendor: not knowing who they are or what their data says
5. Why tribal knowledge and multi-system fragmentation ("If Bobby's not here, it doesn't happen") is silently destroying your operating margin
6. The truth about buying committees: how to align 3–5 stakeholders with different needs without derailing the deal
7. Best-of-breed vs. all-in-one: why the shift toward connected, API-first ecosystems may serve most shippers better than a single platform that does everything "okay"
8. How to build a real ROI case and why chasing rate savings while ignoring workflow inefficiency leaves money on the table
9. The EDI blind spot: why overlooking carrier connectivity during TMS selection can poison a new vendor relationship from day one
10. How to use analytics beyond year one to keep extracting value from your TMS investment

⏱️ TIMECODES:

00:00 — Intro & Dave's background (LTL to SaaS) 

01:34 — Cubics, Trimble acquisition, and the shipper TMS model 

06:28 — Why Dave went independent & the problem he's solving 

07:03 — AI, flawed data foundations, and the matching app concept 

08:42 — Interviewing 100+ TMS vendors to build a neutral database 

10:06 — The 14-section buyer assessment & the 27-dial matching engine 

12:19 — TMS is an umbrella term the categories shippers don't know exist 

13:15 — The biggest buyer mistake: not knowing what you need 

15:45 — Change behavior, SOW clarity, and why doubt kills ROI 

18:04 — ERP parallels: long buy cycles and high-stakes decisions 

22:13 — Buying committees and navigating multi-stakeholder deals 

23:31 — Best-of-breed vs. one-size-fits-all platforms 

24:10 — Integrating ancillary tech (yard management, highway, dock scheduling) 

28:20 — Building the ROI case and avoiding stalled deals 

33:13 — Real example: $8–12M saved through carrier RFP before TMS even launched 

35:29 — Visibility, analytics, and drilling down for continued savings 

38:26 — External carrier considerations: EDI and communication blind spots 

40:22 — How PreShift IQ shortens the sales cycle for both buyers and vendors 

43:09 — How to connect with Dave & what's coming next for PreShift IQ

🔗 RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED:

1. PreShift IQ (Dave's company): https://www.preshiftiq.com
2. Connect with Dave on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-pattelli/

💬 Enjoyed this episode? If this conversation saved you from making an expensive TMS mistake or gave you a new lens on how to buy smarter. Drop a comment below and let us know your biggest takeaway!

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