Interview with Luis Azcona, Extended Support Manager
“We go beyond incident resolution, actively supporting the ongoing optimization, evolution and operational efficiency of our customers’ TMS platforms.”
Hello Luis. What does BlueGistics mean to you?
For me, BlueGistics is a company specialized in TMS solutions that stands out for its customer proximity and customer-oriented approach. Its main value lies in the ability to listen, deeply understand customer needs, and deliver tailored solutions that truly add value.
There is also a strong team spirit, where collaboration goes beyond individual projects, creating an environment where support, knowledge sharing, and lessons learned are continuously exchanged across the organization. This fosters a proactive and collaborative culture that supports both professional development and high-quality customer service.
What is your current role at BlueGistics?
I currently work as an Extended Support Manager, coordinating the centralized management of incidents across different customers. I act as the main point of contact for customer communication, ensuring close and effective follow-up.
In addition, I perform a global analysis of incidents to identify improvement opportunities and propose actions that help optimize the quality and efficiency of the TMS solution.
What is BlueGistics’ BY TMS Extended Support?
BlueGistics’ Extended Support service for Blue Yonder TMS goes far beyond simple incident resolution within an SLA. It is a comprehensive and proactive support model where ticket management is centralized, with personalized follow-up and continuous communication with the customer.
The service not only ensures compliance with service levels (response and resolution times according to criticality), but also drives continuous improvement in the use of the solution. To achieve this, incidents are analyzed globally using root cause analysis methodologies to identify recurring issues and propose preventive solutions.
In addition, Extended Support helps customers in the evolution of their solution by keeping them updated on new releases and functionalities, gathering and analyzing new requirements, and providing guidance for future projects.
Overall, it delivers significant added value by providing operational reliability, close customer support, and a service that acts as a true partner in the optimization and evolution of the TMS.
What profiles are part of the support team, and how do you manage all incidents?
This is a question I particularly value because I am very proud of the team we have. We not only work with the objective of delivering high-quality incident analysis and resolution, but also of supporting customers in understanding the solution and avoiding issues caused by lack of knowledge.
The BlueGistics support team is structured into two levels. On one side, first-level support is composed of professionals with transportation and Blue Yonder TMS experience, capable of resolving most operational incidents quickly and efficiently. On the other side, second-level support consists of highly specialized functional and technical consultants who handle more complex or structural cases.
Incident management is centralized, with prioritization based on criticality and full SLA compliance. In addition, we promote continuous communication with customers and a proactive approach where we not only solve problems, but also analyze their root causes and work on preventive solutions to avoid recurrence.
From your experience, what are the most critical incidents that usually appear in a productive TMS environment?
The most critical incidents are usually those that directly impact daily operational flows and can potentially block business activity. This includes, for example, issues in load planning, optimization failures, integration interruptions with other systems, or errors preventing transport execution or tracking.
These incidents can seriously affect or even stop normal daily operations, generating a direct impact on business performance and customer service. Therefore, they require immediate prioritization and fast resolution.
How do you manage continuous improvement from the support side?
As mentioned before, continuous improvement is a key pillar of support at BlueGistics. It is mainly based on root cause analysis and close, ongoing collaboration with customers.
Through this analysis, we identify recurring patterns or issues and propose corrective and preventive actions to avoid repetition. In addition, we maintain continuous communication with customers to support them in optimizing the use of Blue Yonder TMS by sharing best practices and identifying improvement opportunities.
As part of this approach, we also propose specific training sessions aimed at covering knowledge gaps and reinforcing the efficient use of the solution. In this way, support not only resolves incidents, but also actively contributes to the evolution and efficiency of the system.
How important is proactivity in support?
Proactivity is essential to anticipate issues and minimize their impact on operations. At BlueGistics, support is not limited to reacting to incidents; we also work to identify potential risks before they escalate.
This includes continuously monitoring critical areas such as job executions, system integrations, and the overall performance of Blue Yonder TMS. Additionally, incident pattern analysis allows us to identify trends and act preventively.
Thanks to this approach, it is possible to progressively evolve and optimize the system, in some cases without the need for large-scale projects, improving the overall stability and efficiency of the solution on a day-to-day basis.
What additional value does Extended Support provide beyond incident resolution?
In addition to what we already discussed, there is also close collaboration with project teams, ensuring that certain issues do not remain temporary fixes but can evolve into more structural improvements.
This contributes to greater solution adoption and continuous evolution aligned with business needs.
Is the Extended Support service available only for projects implemented by BlueGistics, or is it open to all companies using Blue Yonder TMS?
BlueGistics’ Extended Support service is available to any company using Blue Yonder TMS, regardless of who implemented the solution.
However, based on our experience, we usually see lower incident volumes and greater stability in environments implemented by BlueGistics.
This is due to a solid implementation approach aligned with best practices and a long-term vision, which later facilitates operations and support activities. In addition, when incidents arise in these environments, they are typically resolved faster thanks to the detailed knowledge of the design and direct access to the implementation team.
In any case, our service is prepared to adapt to different scenarios, delivering value both in mature environments and in those requiring deeper optimization.
Blue Yonder TMS already includes a support plan within its license. Why do you believe companies still need BlueGistics’ Extended Support?
Blue Yonder TMS Essential or Premier Support properly covers standard support needs for the solution. However, BlueGistics’ Extended Support provides an additional layer that is much closer to the customer’s daily operations.
For example, regarding incident management, we work with tools such as Freshdesk, which allow us to offer a personalized ticketing portal adapted to each customer, facilitating communication, tracking, and prioritization according to real operational needs.
Furthermore, the key differentiator lies in our deep knowledge of the customer environment, close communication, and continuous support approach. This translates into more agile management, a better understanding of the business impact of each incident, and a focus not only on issue resolution but also on optimizing the day-to-day use of the solution.
In summary, both services are complementary: while Essential/Premier Support provides the base coverage, Extended Support adds personalization, proximity, and an operationally aligned approach.
What is the cost of Extended Support for a company interested in contracting the service?
The cost of BlueGistics’ Extended Support depends on several factors, such as the service scope, support coverage model (for example, 8×5, 9×6, 24×7, or customized models), expected incident volumes, and the specific needs of each customer.
Beyond the cost itself, companies working with us see this service as an investment. It helps reduce the operational impact of incidents, improve efficiency in the use of Blue Yonder TMS, increase end-user adoption of the solution, and avoid costs related to downtime, errors, or inefficiencies.
In this sense, the value delivered in terms of operational continuity, optimization, and customer support often translates into significant medium- and long-term savings for the company.
Any company using Blue Yonder TMS and interested in the Extended Support service can contact us so we can evaluate their case and provide a tailored proposal.
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