5 IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO IN PREPARATION FOR LOGISTICS PEAK SEASON.

High sales volume  is what every logistics firm yearns and works for because not only is it what gives it competitive advantage; it is what brings in revenue. The ability to manage this high sales volume is what determines how successful the logistics business turns out or how it doesn’t. This means that at all times, the business must put things in place to ensure that rising cargo volumes are met with equivalent resources to support its accomplishment.

Research has shown that air and sea cargo traffic is highest between the months of September to December –  even up to March and inadequate preparation by Shippers and Forwarders for the huge volumes that come with it, appears to constitute the largest logistics gap on a Year on Year basis. These gaps have been attributed to infrastructural and human factors.

Efficient, accurate operations during the peak season do not happen by accident. Peak season planning requires insight into current operations, looking for clues to where weaknesses will appear as volume and activity levels increase. Successful peak season planning means learning how to identify these small clues and planning how to keep the issues under control. This article will identify key areas and highlight considerations that will help provide insight into your peak season planning.

Here are tips that can help manage peak season demands;

1. Plan ahead:

It takes year-round planning to ensure that Edas Global Supply Chain Limited is ready for the peak season. This may include hiring contract employees to assist with anticipated increases in volumes, as well as working with customers to manage their increased shipping volumes and greater pressures on delivery timelines. From a logistics standpoint, shippers and businesses need to communicate honestly with one another to help facilitate delivery queries and expectations. By planning ahead to manage expectations around deliveries, businesses can prevent unexpected frustrations and ease workload pressures throughout the supply chain. Ultimately, trusted relationships drive further business, so planning and preparation, particularly during peak, is worth the reward of return customers.

2.  Making bookings earlier:

The importance of making early bookings cannot  be over emphasized. Prior booking of shipments with the carriers, organizing the documentation processes to dispatch shipments early enough are some ways shippers are saved from unfavorable  delays. This can only happen when there is effective communication and genuine commitment to collaboration between Shippers and Forwarders who are the intermediaries between the carriers and the customer. Again, booking for trucks well ahead of time will allow Forwarders to clear their schedules early enough and ensure that cargo is delivered just-in-time.

3: Contract the services of  a strategic 3PL or 4PL partners

Among all the decisions we must make when shipping orders, choosing a reliable logistics partner is essential for ensuring the profitability of the operation, especially during the peak seasons. Diversifying the options of suppliers opens a combination of freight contracts, different transit times options, and different levels of service. However, companies want to hire a partner that understands their business, and thus they must choose wisely. Setting up a system to manage the string seasonal demands is complicated; instead, an outsourced logistics supplier will help with that so companies can focus on their core business. Of course, the right time for hiring the services of a logistics partner for the high season is before it arrives. Contact Edas Global Supply Chain today.

4. Know, communicate and enforce the expediting levels peculiar for every request:

No matter how efficient fulfillment is there will always be more expedited order requests during peak. As such, it’s essential to determine what increased levels of special handing can be supported without impacting other service levels. Establish, track and communicate expedite levels and capacities as early as possible. Create the concept of an order expedite budget with customer service. Without an effective level of prioritization, an operation could be overwhelmed with expedite requests if managers don’t establish and enforce capacity limits. The time to do this is well before peak season arrives.

5. If you haven’t yet, start now to communicate your shipping needs to Edas Global Supply Chain Limited. Edas Global will start working on it and put things in place to ensure that your business has all it needs to meet your demands this season and beyond. Send us a mail via info@edasglobalsupplychain.com; or call +234708821886.