Get ready for the Holiday Season in freight transportation
The Holiday Season in freight transportation is right around the corner, which means that sales and freight demand are rising. Keep reading to get some advice on how to plan your strategy for the last leg of the year in the most efficient way.
The end of 2021 is near, and the holidays and events that announce it are about to begin. Día de Muertos, El Buen Fin and Christmas boost consumer spending and freight market activity. E-commerce has promoted this in recent years and, moreover, has been on an upward trend during the Covid-19 pandemic. Companies must prepare ahead of time for this season, implementing effective and competitive strategies, so they are able to satisfy the increasing demand.
Digitization: More than Just an Option
Digital technologies have become a necessity in supply chains. Their success lies in helping companies consume data in a structured way, as a means to drive utilization and efficiency within their networks.
In order to increase online sales, it is essential to optimize your web page and to implement automation. This draws potential clients, for it makes customer service more agile and reduces the time and energy they invest in the purchase process. It also creates opportunities to get subscriptions and open up communication channels, through which companies can advertise offers and discounts to drive customer loyalty and sales. An efficient and attractive way to present this information is by using formats like digital video displays.
Introducing automation to the sales return process saves part of the time it takes to do it manually, reducing financial losses. Another alternative is to consolidate communication channels to streamline operations with the help of digital tools, which could also be used to predict and provide information on trends and areas of opportunity. Such strategies will make a difference in your company and will have positive outcomes in a market that turns more demanding and competitive every day.
Enlarging Capacity
Increasing operation and storage capacity is another useful way to satisfy seasonal demand and to make the most out of it. Allowing suppliers to send their products to distribution centers ahead of time and hiring additional personnel will help distribute the additional capacity efficiently and sort logistics out before workload accumulates and supply chains become saturated. It also contributes to diversifying risk, since trials can be run and strategies defined prior to the increase in consumption.
Diversifying your Network
Considering alternative collaborators could save the day when facing difficulties and unexpected events during peak season. It also promotes flexibility and reliability in the supply chain. Selecting your suppliers mindfully and taking their logistical processes into account will help anticipate delays and identify the ones that can serve as a backup if necessary.
Expanding Supply
This peak season, there is a high chance that products like toys, clothing, and electronic devices (mostly cell phones and computers) are scarce. Some reasons behind this are input and container shortages, port and warehousing congestion, as well as increasing rates. Expanding the catalog of your company and diversifying supply can mitigate these shortfalls and keep sales flowing, by keeping the attention of regular clients and attracting new ones.
Planning Ahead of Holiday Season in freight transportation
During the Holiday Season in freight transportation, demand and consumer spending are at their peak. The most important thing to do is to establish objectives, plan ahead, explore alternatives and invest in the ones that will help your company perform at its best. Make sure to take into account that delivery times can be variable because of the season and that supply chains will without a doubt be stressed. Have one or two weeks leeway in your logistics calendar, in case of delays or unexpected events.
As the industry recovers from the stress of this season and the overall situation of the market, we must strive to adapt and develop strategies, in order to overcome the adverse conditions we are facing. After all, transformation and growth come with challenging times and this peak season will surely prove to be a challenge.
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