Some shipping delays occur at an organizational level due to human error or miscommunication between production, inventory management, and shipping systems. These issues have a clear fix once they’re identified.
Weather-related delays, on the other hand, might seem impossible to avoid. They’re not. The secret is to take action ahead of time. Integrating advanced GPS software and interactive weather maps with your company’s transportation system helps enormously when dealing with these four common shipping delays:
1. Blizzards
Snowstorms frequently close off roads, leading to detours and heavy traffic going into and out of major cities. When ice is involved, semi-trucks can easily slide off the road or collide with other vehicles.
The ability to see weather in real time – anywhere in the country – lets employees communicate optimum roads to drivers and avoid traffic jams.
2. Lightning Storms
Aircraft can’t afford to travel through lightning storms. One option is for pilots to shift course ahead of time. A better solution – if inventory allows for it – is for flights to take off earlier, making it into or out of destination airports before bad weather hits.
3. Severe Thunderstorms and Flooding
Heavy rain means slick road surfaces. The biggest hassle of flooding has to do with closed roads and bridges. They can strand trucks with no way to move at all. Storm detectors alert you automatically if bad conditions start to develop.
4. Road Accidents
The result of dangerous road conditions, traffic or excessive speed due to unexpected delays, accidents ground vehicles for hours or days. It’s essential to allow sufficient lead time for travel based on accurate weather forecasts.
Cutting-Edge Tech Is Key
Your business can use state-of-the-art tech to always stay one step ahead of bad weather.
- Hourly updated forecast models of wind, temperature and precipitation
- Real-time weather information
- Multiple layers for focusing on specific storm information
- Mobile device sync
These systems help your managers and drivers make good transport decisions that save time and money and improve customer satisfaction immensely. If you can provide excellent shipping service, make sure to include this in your Facebook advertising to set you a part from the competition.
Categories: Business
