While peak seasons can vary depending on your business, making sure that you have all the bases covered when it comes to freight handling is essential. On one level this is about ensuring that you have the resources available so that your products get from A to B without any hold-ups. On another, it means having strategies in place if something does not go according to plan. It is particularly important during periods such as Christmas where so many goods are being transported.
With the complexities of Covid and Brexit looming having a structured plan and a great freight forwarding partner like Equator is essential to success this year and next. There are several things that you can do as a business to ensure that peak season goes as smoothly as possible. Here are our top tips:
- Plan Early
As with anything associated with busy periods, you are going to be operating in an environment where freight levels are dramatically increased, and availability is at a premium. It’s important to have your freight moving strategy nailed down well before the intensity rises.
There may well be unforeseen circumstances that cause you a headache during the peak season, but strong planning can ensure these are handled effectively and delays kept to a minimum. It’s important to know what strategies you are going to use, for example, if freight is delayed because of bad holiday traffic.
Work with your forwarding company well before peak season to ensure all the bases are covered.
- Use Electronic Tracking
Freight tracking means that you know where your goods are at any one time and that can help with your overall management in high-pressure situations. It is an essential part of goods transportation nowadays and means you can cope with delays and improve communication or put in strategies if there are delays at this important time.
- Choose Your Freight Company Carefully
Building a relationship with a shipping company that you trust is even more important during peak times. The last thing you want is to be chasing up deliveries with a freight forwarder that is overwhelmed or simply not delivering what you need.
A company that has a track record of getting deliveries through on time during busy periods is essential. Look at the technology they use and build a relationship with them before you reach the peak season so that you know what to expect.
- Be Flexible
There is no doubt that you will have to demonstrate certain flexibility during peak seasons when logistics across the board are likely to be stretched. Be prepared to search for the right loads and rates and have a strategy in place for dealing with pressure situations.
This means that you need to build a strong relationship with your freight forwarder to ensure that you are kept in the loop with any potential problems and have a route to find the solutions that you need. That includes making sure that you can deliver on your side of the process and keep your reputation intact.
- Have Good Communication
Finally, good communication is the backbone of any successful business. Even with the best planning in the world, there are always going to be delays with goods stuck at ports or on the road because of holiday traffic. If there are problems, it is important to be able to contact drivers or your freight forwarding company to find solutions.