Efficiency through technology. Embrace and invest in user-friendly mobile applications and route optimization software to streamline operations. This should include real-time navigation and traffic updates, which allow workers to make better decisions on the road.

Implement a digital proof of delivery system to enhance accountability and eliminate paperwork that will remove the administrative lift off your team.

Training and development. Provide regular training sessions to equip your team with the knowledge and skills they need to excel. Training should cover everything from safety protocols and customer service to efficient delivery methods that can significantly boost their confidence and performance.

Foster an environment where your workers continuously learn. That shows your commitment to their professional growth.

Fair compensation and benefits. Fair wages, overtime pay, and performance-based incentives motivate your team to consistently meet and exceed customer expectations. Prioritize providing comprehensive benefits including access to healthcare services and mental health support. This is an easy way to keep employees happy and loyal to your brand.

Work-life balance. Implement flexible scheduling options that cater to your delivery workers’ individual needs. Allowing your team to attend to personal responsibilities without compromising their job performance is essential to prevent burnout and maintain a happy and productive workforce.

Open communication channels. Create a culture of open communication where your delivery workers feel heard and valued. It’s healthy to provide constructive feedback on performance and customer interactions. Be receptive and take actions that ensure your employees feel their voices are heard.

While investing in the well-being and satisfaction of your delivery workers is a matter of corporate responsibility, it’s also a strategic move that pays dividends in improved customer service and operational efficiency.

Generally, customer satisfaction is a leading reason consumers often return and then stay loyal to certain brands. Many things contribute to this, like a positive attitude and professionalism that leaves a lasting impression.

Additionally, satisfied customers are more likely to recommend your services to others. This fosters a strong company reputation that can attract new clients and partnerships while building rapport with existing ones.

A Ripple Effect

Beyond your delivery workers, think of your larger administrative team. When your workers are happy, this reduces company turnover which can be costly and disruptive. Dedicated employees are invaluable to your logistics operation and should never be taken for granted.

By leveraging technology, providing training and competitive compensation, promoting work-life balance, and fostering open communication, you can ensure your biggest assets continue to drive your operation toward excellence.

A happy delivery team leads to happy customers and a thriving business.

The post Delivery Workers Are Your Biggest Asset appeared first on Inbound Logistics.

This premium service goes beyond traditional shipping, offering an enhanced delivery experience. But what exactly is white glove delivery, and when should you consider using it?

What Is White Glove Delivery Service?

White glove delivery service goes above and beyond the typical delivery services shipping companies provide. Instead of just dropping a package at a customer’s doorstep or front door like in standard delivery, white glove services ensure that the shipment arrives with the utmost care, right to the room of your choice. 

This type of service often involves a team of experienced professionals trained to handle delicate items, from fine furniture to expensive artwork. These experts transport your items and offer additional services such as unpacking, installing, and removing packing materials like bubble wrap and packing peanuts. 

Special care is taken, with specialized equipment and padded vans, to ensure items arrive in pristine conditions.

Benefits and Drawbacks of White Glove Delivery Service

White glove delivery stands out in the realm of delivery services for its exceptional service quality. However, like every premium service, it comes with perks and pitfalls. Let’s delve into them.

Benefits of White Glove Delivery Service:

• Special Handling: White glove services prioritize safely handling fragile goods, ensuring that items like delicate artwork or sensitive electronics are treated with special care during moving.
• Customized Service: Beyond transportation services, white-glove service providers can offer extra services such as product assembly, evening deliveries, and even setting up electronic devices.
• Peace of Mind: Insurance coverage often comes as standard, ensuring customer satisfaction if anything goes awry. Additionally, some companies even offer CCTV surveillance while transporting valuable items.
• Eliminating Heavy Lifting: Especially beneficial for heavy or oversized items, customers can avoid the strain of moving fine furniture or other large goods.
• Environmental Controls: As mentioned, some shipments, especially art gallery pieces or sensitive items, require temperature-controlled vehicles. This ensures that the products remain in their optimal state during transit.

Drawbacks of White Glove Delivery Service:

• Cost: One of the main drawbacks is the white glove shipping cost. Given the exceptional service, specialized equipment, and sometimes even temperature-controlled vehicles, the costs can be higher than regular cardboard box shipping.
• Availability: Not all companies offer this type of service. While many businesses in urban areas might have access to couriers and white glove deliveries, those in more remote areas might find such services limited.

In conclusion, white glove delivery service is an upgraded version of standard shipping that focuses on delivering an unparalleled customer experience. 

It’s an excellent option for those who prioritize their items’ safety and care, but weighing the benefits against the additional costs is essential.

Who Is Using White Glove Delivery?

In today’s highly competitive market, individual consumers and businesses are leaning towards white glove delivery to ensure the utmost care and special handling of their items. 

Individual Consumers

For many individuals, purchasing high-value items like expensive artwork, antiques, or even high-end electronic devices often necessitates more than just regular shipping. They’re looking for assurance that their investment is handled with care from the point of shipping to the moment it’s set up in their homes. 

For these consumers, white glove delivery isn’t just a service; it’s a necessity. They expect timely deliveries, product assembly, and installation services to be part of the package, ensuring their purchases arrive in perfect condition and are ready for use.

Businesses (B2B and B2C)

Companies, irrespective of whether they’re catering to other businesses (B2B) or individual customers (B2C), are realizing the value of providing exceptional service. For B2B, white glove service delivery becomes essential when transporting sensitive items like lab equipment or setting up an office space with fine furniture. 

Ensuring timely and safe delivery of these items can cement a long-lasting business relationship. 

What Products Benefit From White Glove Delivery?

As the demand for white glove services continues to grow, it’s apparent that certain product categories and industries benefit the most from this enhanced delivery experience.

Electronic Devices

• High-end audio and video equipment: Such devices need special care during transport and expert installation upon delivery.
• Home appliances: Installation of refrigerators, washing machines, and ovens often requires experienced professionals to ensure safety and functionality.

Medical and Lab Equipment

• Sensitive medical devices: Devices used in surgeries or diagnostics must be delivered with the utmost care and often need installation by specialists.
• Laboratory equipment: Ensuring these items are transported without damage is critical as they’re pivotal in research and testing.

Retail and E-commerce

• Furniture: When dealing with fine furniture, ensuring it arrives without a scratch and is set up properly is crucial for customer satisfaction.
• Expensive or fragile items: Anything from designer clothes to delicate glassware can benefit from the special handling and care of white glove shipping services.

By offering white glove delivery, companies and individual sellers can ensure that their products, whether a delicate piece of artwork or critical medical equipment, reach their destination in pristine condition, resulting in enhanced customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Is White Glove Delivery for You?

In today’s fast-paced, customer-centric world, how products are delivered can significantly influence a company’s reputation and customer loyalty. More than just ensuring a product reaches its destination, the delivery experience matters immensely.

Enter white glove delivery—a service that goes the extra mile to provide an exceptional delivery experience. But is this premium service the right choice for you? Let’s delve into some scenarios where white glove delivery might be the game-changer you’re looking for.

Imagine you’ve recently opened a boutique furniture store. You offer beautifully handcrafted, intricate designs that set you apart in the market. Your products aren’t just furniture; they’re pieces of art.

The last thing you’d want is for a customer to receive their carefully chosen piece with a scratch or dent, simply because of transportation mishaps. White glove delivery ensures that your fine furniture is transported with care and set up perfectly in your customer’s desired location, enhancing their overall shopping experience with you.

Or perhaps you’re an entrepreneur who has entered the booming world of e-commerce with a unique offering: handmade, delicate ceramic decor.

These items, though sturdy in appearance, require gentle handling, more than what a regular cardboard box filled with packing peanuts can offer. By opting for white glove shipping, you’re not only guaranteeing your product’s safe delivery but also sending your customers a clear message that their purchase is valued.

Consider also the scenario of a medical startup providing advanced equipment to clinics and hospitals. This isn’t standard delivery; the machinery is often cumbersome, delicate, and requires expert handling.

A simple drop or mishap could compromise the machine’s functionality. White glove services in this context become more than just a luxury—they’re a necessity. The specialized equipment is handled only by experienced professionals who understand its importance, ensuring its arrival in optimal condition, and ready for immediate use.

Moreover, think of art galleries or auction houses dealing with rare and invaluable art pieces. From sculptures to paintings, each item is unique and often irreplaceable.

Shipping these items in a temperature-controlled vehicle, with extra padding and care, and ensuring they’re hung or placed correctly at the delivery destination, can greatly influence a gallery’s reputation and client trust.

Frequently Asked Questions About White Glove Delivery Services

Navigating the world of delivery services can be daunting, and several queries arise when considering the premium offerings of white glove. Let’s address some of these common questions.

Is white glove delivery worthwhile?

Absolutely. For delicate, expensive, or cumbersome items, the exceptional service, safety, and customer satisfaction it provides can be invaluable, especially in competitive markets.

What is white glove service in trucking?

In trucking, white glove service refers to specialized transportation services beyond standard delivery, including handling, setup, and removal of packing materials, ensuring the utmost care and precision.

What is meant by white glove delivery?

White glove delivery is a premium service offering specialized handling and delivery of items, ensuring they’re transported safely, unpacked, assembled, and placed precisely where the customer wants.

Wrapping Up

White glove delivery services offer a unique and unparalleled delivery experience that goes beyond the typical drop-off. Whether you’re a business or an individual, understanding when and why to use this premium service can make all the difference in ensuring products reach their destination in pristine condition and to the utmost customer satisfaction.

As the e-commerce and shipping industry continues to evolve, white glove service stands out as a gold standard in delivery, providing peace of mind, safety, and an exceptional customer experience.

The post White Glove Delivery: Meaning, Benefits, and Drawbacks appeared first on Inbound Logistics.

Take the Port of Kennewick, Washington, for example, which was hit with ransomware that completely locked access to its servers. The attackers demanded $200,000 in ransom to restore access to the port’s servers and files, and it took nearly one week for port authorities to access their data. That meant loss of port revenue and blockages in the smooth flow of the supply chain.

Prioritizing last-mile logistics security—whether in warehousing, inventory management, or shipping and receiving—begins with creating a comprehensive culture of security from top to bottom.

How to Build a Security-Focused Team

Knowledgeable and experienced leaders must communicate the importance of security and bring on the right personnel to dispel that value throughout their processes and their teams. As risk and cybersecurity processes become more intertwined, these professionals are joining forces to ensure seamless communication and workflow.

For example, positions such as Head of Technology Risk now require candidates with a comprehensive cybersecurity background. Even professionals with an NSA background are moving into Head of Risk positions, which is a new trend that has emerged in the past few years.

Candidates who understand how the technology is made are highly attractive. Technical professionals with this experience can help companies understand how to shore up protections and what solutions to prioritize without unnecessary spending, especially when considering how to secure the data that has left their organizations and is now in the hands of employees and external partners.

Professionals who are seasoned in modifying infrastructure and creating processes that allow for further system development—while having security in mind from the beginning—will be crucial in building this security-focused culture.

The next step to ensure every inch of the supply chain is assessed for cyber-vulnerabilities and that security is addressed is an all-encompassing strategy.

Take a beat and assess every potential touchpoint that is vulnerable to a cybersecurity threat, such as real-time delivery tracking, port vulnerabilities, 3PLs, bring your own device (BYOD) policies and cloud-based apps. This creates a clear map of where a company is most at risk and helps leaders assess and develop a strategy to strengthen the supply chain’s defenses.

The Human Touch

Since 85% of all attacks involve a “human-element,” train and educate employees on cybersecurity, and communicate clear policies and procedures that promote awareness to mitigate risk. When new software or hardware is the solution, leaders must also ensure that their teams are properly trained on any new technologies and have the knowledge and skills to spot potential threats before they strike.

Strengthening last-mile logistics security comes down to creating a holistic security-forward culture through a team that can prioritize and address external and internal risks simultaneously. These factors will boost last-mile logistics security and protect  against cyberattacks that could be detrimental to the bottom line.

The post A Team-Centric Security Approach Protects Last-Mile Logistics from Cyber Risks appeared first on Inbound Logistics.

Ensuring those packages get to the right recipients, safely and on time, presents numerous logistics challenges. And the challenges often get dicier, as well as pricier, toward the end of each delivery.

The final mile of a parcel delivery can account for more than half—53%—of total shipping costs. While a similar statistic doesn’t appear to exist for the final inch of deliveries, it’s likely this step also accounts for a substantial portion of logistics expense.

Navigating the final inches of a delivery often becomes a complex endeavor. Drivers trying to access parking spots and buildings often find much of the territory unmapped, says Anne Goodchild, professor of civil and environmental engineering and founding director of the Urban Freight Lab at the University of Washington. The Lab coined the term “final 50 feet” to refer to the actual delivery of goods.

Among the questions drivers might need to answer, often while in traffic, are these: which door should be used if a building has several entrances? Where is the nearest parking space to the correct door? Adding to the challenges is the fact that many of these spaces, like sidewalks, are shared with others.

Figuring out how best to traverse the last step of a delivery is both challenging and increasingly necessary, as more consumers rely on home delivery, whether to help them manage busy schedules or because it’s difficult for them to get out, even to access necessities such as food or medicine, says Melissa Twiningdavis, senior managing director, supply chain operations at Accenture.

A Dose of Medical Deliveries

While discussions about last mile often focus on deliveries of consumer goods, delivery of medical items is poised to skyrocket. The prescription delivery services market, for instance, will grow by 17.8% annually through 2030, predicts Future Marketing Insights. These deliveries often bring even more complexity to the final inch, as they require temperature and other controls.

A number of solutions show promise for helping shippers navigate the last inch of deliveries. They include software to more efficiently route delivery vehicles, community lockers, cargo bikes, crowdsourced delivery models, and the use of brick-and-mortar retail stores. Even drones are being piloted in a few areas.

“We’ll see a lot of creativity and innovation in this space in the coming years,” says Gary Nemmers, chief executive officer with Magaya, a logistics software provider.

Final Inch Challenges

Congestion makes deliveries in urban areas tricky and time consuming. Delivery vehicles and trucks spent 28% of their trip time cruising for parking in downtown Seattle, according to a recent study by Goodchild and Giacomo Dalla Chiara, research associate, at the University of Washington.

Porch piracy, or package theft, is another concern. In 2022, about 260 million packages disappeared from porches and front doors across the United States, reports Safewise, an online resource providing safety tools and information.

Consumers increasingly expect visibility to the changing status of their orders, from when it’s picked, to when it heads to a distribution center, and when it arrives at their front door, says Jeremy Tancredi, partner in the operations excellence line with West Monroe, a digital services firm.

As the value of the delivery increases, so do expectations. Many consumers want to know the delivery time and then see a picture of the package near their front door.

It’s not only consumers who are looking for this information. All constituents involved in a transaction, such as distributors and retailers, want “one version of the truth,” says Jeff Abeson, vice president with Ryder Supply Chain Solutions. “It’s a huge challenge.”

Despite the challenges, the customer experience is “paramount,” when it comes to executing the final inch, says Nathan Lease, senior director, logistics research and advisory with Gartner. It’s often online customers’ primary interaction with a brand.

Even as many consumers want rapid delivery, they’re also considering the environmental impact of their delivery choices. Some firms now offer multiple shipment options, and show the carbon impact of each.

Final Inch Solutions

A growing range of technology solutions is available to help shippers meet these challenges. They tend to be at different points of maturity, and it’s not clear any are perfected.

“We’re in a phase of experimentation and ideas,” Goodchild says. Rather than look for a single “best idea,” it’s likely different solutions will apply in different scenarios.

So, a shipper may use a parcel company to reach suburban customers, and then lockers and cargo bikes when delivering in an urban center.

Here is a look at some of the most promising solutions.

Route-Optimizing Software

Investments made in artificial intelligence (AI) technology can optimize routes to both conserve fuel and minimize mileage and wear on delivery fleets, explains Raj Vaughn-Patel, manager and SAP retail lead with Clarkston Consulting.

The ability to help shippers save time and money is helping to drive the market for route optimization software, which is expected to grow by nearly 11% annually, according to a Research and Markets report.

Delivery Robots

While they may look like something from a futuristic film, delivery robots that can take packages from a vehicle to the doorstep are already in use.

For example, Starship Technologies’ autonomous robots have made more than five million deliveries to date, according to the San Francisco-based company. Sensors and one dozen cameras allow each robot to see where it’s going and navigate around people and objects. Each robot is tracked with GPS to within one inch, and can be unlocked only with the customer’s phone.

Drones

Drone delivery has been talked about for years, but hasn’t really taken off. “The technology has been more than capable for quite a while,” says Ryan Walsh, founder and CEO with Valqari, which makes drone landing stations, among other products. Valqari’s stations have been deployed in golf courses, stadiums, and campuses.

What has lagged are regulations, Walsh says. With limited exceptions, most drones in the United States currently must fly within the pilot’s line of sight. That eliminates a good portion of the market.

However, a few drones are in operation. In mid-2022, Amazon announced it would begin drone deliveries in Lockeford, California, and College Station, Texas. More recently, Amazon launched the next generation of its drones.

In February 2023, Senator Mark Warner (D.VA) introduced the Increasing Competitiveness for American Drones Act of 2023, which has gained bipartisan support. Among other provisions, the bill requires the Federal Aviation Administration to establish a regulatory pathway for certification or approval of unmanned aircraft systems to enable commercial operations that are beyond visual line of sight.

Drones tend to make the most sense as the delivery distance increases, Walsh says. For example, it’s likely more efficient to have a drone deliver a burger to a consumer who’s five miles away, than to have the consumer drive to get it.

Valqari’s landing station technology precisely aligns packages and drones, allowing for reliable package loading and unloading regardless of where the drone places the payload.

Locker systems

While lockers are not new technology, they’re starting to be deployed in new ways to help with the last inch of delivery. Lockers “separate the customer from the carrier, but in a secure way,” Goodchild says.

What’s less clear is how much demand exists for lockers. As Abeson notes, if a consumer can order online and receive their shipment in one or two days, or get it at the store—to which they may already be going—how much benefit do lockers add?

Lockers tend to be most useful when they’re located near where people are biking, bussing, or walking, says Spencer Shute, principal consultant with Proxima, a supply chain consulting firm. Then, they can stop by the lockers when they’re already out and about.

What about lockers at consumers’ homes? “We’ve seen a lot of misses about what a porch locker can look like,” Twiningdavis says.

However, the idea might come back around. Software already exists that allows some drivers to open the boxes by scanning a QR code. The main hurdle is cost, as the boxes operating the software cost several hundred dollars.

Crowdsourced delivery

Crowdsourced delivery models, which use networks of local, non-professional couriers to deliver packages to customers’ doors, are often associated with meal delivery services such as Doordash. They are now branching into other areas.

One driver behind the interest in crowdsourced package delivery is the way it solves for a lot of the final-inch challenges retailers face, such as cost and the environmental impact of deliveries. It also offers flexibility.

The downside? “Companies can lose control of their brand,” Abeson says.

If a company is going to engage a third-party delivery company, a few steps can make the partnership more productive.

“Do proper sourcing selection and due diligence, as it’s a critical touch point with your customer,” says Ben YoKell, managing director with Grant Thornton.

A number of agencies have rushed into the market, and not all are fiscally prudent or financially stable, and it’s such a new market that it can be hard to find records. Proper vetting is critical.

It’s also important to consider technology integration with your third-party providers and couriers, so you can provide customers with tracking and other information.

“It’s reasonable to expect that your external providers can integrate to provide visibility,” YoKell says.

Cargo Bikes

In congested urban areas, cargo bikes can help streamline deliveries.

A study from the European Transport Research Review found cargo bikes to be more cost effective than delivery trucks in some cases, including delivery routes that were less than about two miles from a distribution center, with 50 parcels per stop, and with a high density of residential units and low delivery volumes per stop.

Since 2009, B-Line has provided cycle logistics services in Portland, Oregon, through its colorful cargo trikes. The company’s fleet of about one dozen trikes often transports food and beverages from growers and manufacturers to the city’s restaurants.

“This way, a produce company doesn’t have to take 53-foot trailer into the urban core,” says Franklin Jones, founder and chief executive officer of B-Line.

Instead, the company can bring its products to B-Line’s urban consolidation center, where employees break down the pallets and deliver them to restaurants, bodegas, and grocery stores, along with some front porch delivery for CSA (consumer supported agriculture) and similar programs.

Since the trikes traverse within a four-mile radius, they’re often able to criss-cross deliveries. So, a bike might deliver produce to several restaurants, head to the bakery next door, pick up bread, and deliver that to several other restaurants.

The typical trike completes between three to five routes daily and can carry up to 600 pounds at a time. B-Line also does a notable volume of parcel deliveries from office supply stores.

B-Line’s trike and truck delivery system enables fast deliveries to local accounts, ranging from restaurants to regional retailers.

Leveraging Physical Stores

As part of their efforts to tackle last-inch shipping challenges, some shippers are turning to physical stores.

“We are seeing retailers more creatively leverage their existing brick-and-mortar presence to optimize the fulfillment of orders for deliveries, reduce the total distance the deliveries need to travel to the customer, and save on fuel costs,” says Vaughn-Patel.

In effect, stores are “starting to act like mini distribution centers,” Shute says. This works particularly well when the fulfillment center is one or two days from the store, as the store can then hold products closer to customers.

Some shippers even are tapping other retailers’ physical store infrastructure. Amazon, for instance, has partnered with retailers, including PacSun and GNC, to offer same-day delivery in some cities.

Delivering A Seamless Experience

It’s likely that multiple solutions will continue to help shippers tackle the challenges of the final inch. The optimal solution for a specific delivery likely will depend on the size and type of product and the delivery location.

No matter which solutions a shipper uses, the goal is “a completely seamless consumer experience between social, mobile, digital, and physical,” YoKell says.

At the same time, retailers will get smarter about pricing these services accordingly. “The market is willing to pay to get what they want, if they get what they want,” YoKell adds.

What is the Final Inch?

How do you define the “final inch”? The experts weigh in:

“It’s getting the shipment to the final customer,” says Spencer Shute of Proxima. This won’t necessarily be through a distribution network, but could be through third-party carriers or other solutions.

“It’s the actual package hand off,” says Jeremy Tancredi, partner with West Monroe, noting that it’s enough to get it to the front porch.

The final inch means “the delivery is in your hands,” says Melissa Twiningdavis of Accenture.

It’s “delivering a package to an end customer conveniently, efficiently, and safely,” says Raj Vaughn-Patel of Clarkston Consulting. This includes value-added services, like signature capture or identity verification that are promised as part of the delivery service, he says.

The post Delivering Last-Inch Logistics appeared first on Inbound Logistics.

As a result, many enterprises have invested or plan to invest in technologies such as autonomous and “semi-autonomous” (some human monitoring may be required) trucks, delivery air drones, and land-based bots.

A Growing Market

The global autonomous last-mile delivery market was valued at $1.1 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach $5.6 billion by 2027 (a 20.9% compound annual growth rate from 2022-2027), according to a recent Research and Markets survey.

The market for this service is segmented by long and short ranges; hardware, software, and services solutions; and specific applications in the healthcare, logistics, retail, and food and beverage verticals.

The North American region is expected to dominate the autonomous last-mile delivery market, the survey finds, due to its greater use of automation in last-mile delivery.

A number of firms—including Walmart, Amazon, JD.com, and Alibaba—are starting to offer drone delivery services. They have introduced innovations and made investments to deliver packages over long distances without human intervention. At this point, the use of drones to deliver medical supplies and prescriptions has been the most effective.

Driverless last-mile delivery faces challenges, however, due to infrastructure limitations and government regulations. Underdeveloped infrastructure and weak internet connectivity can delay delivery time or lead to delivery to the wrong locations. So, in the foreseeable future, the growth of autonomous last-mile delivery by air drones may be limited to less congested areas and by land robots to urban areas and campus environments. These factors may reduce the success rate of autonomous delivery mechanisms, leading to a lower market growth rate.

If these limitations can be resolved or minimized, the cost benefits are potentially immense—it is estimated that land delivery robots can reduce delivery costs by up to 80-90%, as well as significantly reduce carbon footprints.

This is especially important as last-mile delivery makes up more than 50% of the total cost of shipping and is the least efficient part of the shipping system.

Before the growth in single package deliveries—primarily due to ecommerce—everything was transported in bulk, allowing for costs shared across all packages. The last-mile single package makes up the majority of delivery costs as there are few packages to share the fees.

With global small package deliveries increasing, costs will continue to increase, stressing the shipping industry and the consumer.

No one knows how big autonomous delivery will get, but it is a great example of a leaner and greener supply chain of the future.

The post Autonomous at Last? appeared first on Inbound Logistics.

Green careers boost sustainability

Identifying opportunities where a company can reduce its carbon footprint is the first important step in acting. Gathering sustainability metrics and carbon offsets may require onboarding more talent with knowledge and background in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), and Environmental Health & Safety (EHS).

Almost every job description in the supply chain mentions sustainability, and hiring managers are prioritizing candidates who have a background in EHS, whether that’s in their degree or job experience.

However, this is not limited to certain executive roles like chief sustainability officer. Companies are looking for candidates with technical EHS backgrounds across the board so that the entire team shares the burden of sustainability while implementing more eco-friendly strategies, rather than placing the responsibility on one person.

On the flip side, candidates are looking for companies that value sustainability and whether or not their values align. For many, it could be a driving strategy or change in mindset, while for others, it might be a social purpose—they will look at the core business function to see if it aligns with their personal values or goals.

After the foundation has been set with talent who can think holistically about sustainable business practices, then it’s time to make changes. Here are a few suggestions to consider when identifying opportunities to reduce last-mile delivery’s carbon footprint.

Move to micro-fulfillment. Moving product closer to consumers may help solve sustainability issues by reducing the climate impact from larger warehouse facilities and traffic congestion.

Micro-fulfillment centers in the form of smaller warehouse facilities, automated lockers, and click-and-collect points could reduce vehicle-related emissions by 16-26% by 2025, according to Accenture.

Sustainable and efficient packaging options. Looking into efficient packaging options that require fewer vehicles to go out on the road is a critical aspect of last-mile sustainability. More than shipping efficiency, looking into more sustainable options for the packages themselves could be the key to reducing waste generated in the supply chain.

Reducing the amount of waste produced by home deliveries through sustainable or eco-friendly packaging is a huge step in decreasing the supply chains’ overall environmental impact, especially in last-mile delivery.

Invest in carbon offsets. Planting trees, using solar or wind energy, or re-distributing resources like heat to offset emissions produced by the supply chain can make the last-mile more eco-friendly. If successful, offset investment could be increased to reduce emissions from the whole of the supply chain.

There are plenty of opportunities within the last mile or through personnel to make meaningful changes for greater sustainability, before it’s too late.

The post Greening the Last Mile appeared first on Inbound Logistics.

Tracking 60 Tons Across Two Continents

Shipping large, heavy, and irregular sized cargo isn’t simply a matter of getting it from point A to point B. It also requires flexibility to tackle unique challenges.

Take the case of a 60-ton autoclave moving from Germany to India. A German machinery and plant manufacturer commissioned DACHSER to ship the gas-tight sealable pressure vessel to India. The logistics company tapped its Air & Sea logistics team to precisely plan the shipment’s journey from Germany to Bangalore, India, tackling challenges along the way that smaller shipments do not face.

The autoclave left the plant in Coesfeld on a flatbed headed to Lüdinghausen. A 450-ton mobile crane then loaded the cargo onto an inland vessel that docked in Antwerp. Next, the autoclave embarked on a 21-day voyage to Chennai, India as break bulk.

After it arrived in Chennai, it still had 217 miles to travel to reach its final destination. This last leg was completed on the road, which required some special considerations.

For example, all 28 tires on the trailer needed to be replaced to allow it to navigate a railway underpass. Concrete separation blocks needed to be removed in one area so that the vehicle could turn around there, and excavation pits in the plant had to be filled in to allow delivery. In all, the last leg took two weeks to complete.

Five Tips To Tackle Big and Bulky

During the pandemic, consumers got used to having all types of items delivered, including large and bulky products, such as furniture and appliances.

But big and bulky inventory may be weighing down today’s supply chain. How should shippers respond?

Third-party logistics provider Kenco offers five tips:

1. Involve the customer where you can. Unexpected circumstances have a habit of popping up during delivery. Some shippers counteract this by asking customers to measure their spaces in their pre-delivery notes—giving delivery drivers a heads-up on any potential issues.

2. Final-mile or white-glove delivery? Final-mile delivery is faster and more cost-effective, but white glove improves the customer experience. Companies should examine what will propel their brand forward while keeping image and customer experience goals in mind.

3. Ensure you have a robust system. Customers expect the same tracking visibility for appliances and furniture as they do for smaller packages. This requires investments in technologies that optimize delivery routes, narrow down delivery windows, and communicate with customers. Skipping this step leads to tracking and customer experience challenges.

4. Have a reverse logistics strategy in place before you start. Without a plan to deal with a return rate that could reach 40%, companies risk filling available warehouse space with single-stack, unboxed returns. Avoid this by having a plan to receive and grade returns, then quickly re-box undamaged inventory for resale, process it for second-channel sales, or scrap it.

5. Lean on trusted partners. Shipping big and bulky items comes with a variety of issues. The right partner should provide expertise and guidance.

Expanding Project Logistics in The Great White North

A number of oil, gas, and offshore companies already call Eastern Canada home, but more are moving in with plans to expand renewable energy sources in the region. Case in point: work has already begun on World Energy GH2’s Project Nujio’qonik that will see 164 wind turbines built throughout Newfoundland’s largely rural Port au Port Peninsula. Big projects such as these bring big shipments, and logistics companies are ready to help.

Rhenus Logistics, for example, is opening two new business sites in Halifax and St. John’s. The company plans to kickstart its service operations related to onshore, offshore, project logistics, and transportation with customs clearance in Eastern Canada. The project logistics specialist also plans to focus its efforts on renewable energy and offshore markets.

Meanwhile, the Port of Argentia and Torrent Capital created a joint venture company, Argentina Capital, to focus on port infrastructure construction. The port is gearing up to host renewable energy companies proposing to establish facilities to produce wind energy, hydrogen, and ammonia. It is also expected to act as a staging site for offshore wind farm construction projects throughout North America.

Deliver On Time…Or Else!

Large deliveries come with a variety of challenges, but retailers need to keep their promises or it could lead to lost business. A study on big and bulky deliveries conducted by DispatchTrack shows that 61% of shoppers are unlikely to purchase from the same retailer again if the order didn’t arrive on time. The survey also finds that 44% of deliveries aren’t completed on time, so some businesses may want to take a harder look at their shipping procedures.

Improving communication and touchpoints with customers should be the first step. Customers’ top concerns are poor communication and an inability to track order status. In fact, half of the customers surveyed cite poor communication as the leading cause of a poor delivery experience. And while 90% of consumers say they want to be able to track big and bulky delivery orders online, 35% say they are unable to do so.

The survey points to areas where stores and shippers can focus efforts to improve the delivery experience. Consumers say the key components of a positive delivery experience are on-time delivery (66%), accuracy (57%), item condition (41%), speed (47%), and courteous delivery teams (38%).

Taking Big and Bulky to the Finish Line

Many businesses have standard operating procedures for shipping automobiles, but what happens when they’re asked to transport specialized, expensive, and unique cargo? AGI Bristol, for example, recently transported a Formula 1 car and simulator to Berlin.

The delivery required careful planning. The car and simulator were being shipped by road, so the team had to think creatively to guarantee no movement during transit. They placed pallets beneath the wheels, then strapped the wheels to the pallets. This method also helped by allowing the team to use a forklift when loading and unloading the car and simulator.

AGI Bristol also arranged a carnet—an international customs and temporary export-import document that is used to clear customs without paying duties and import taxes on merchandise that will be re-exported within 12 months.

The shipment reached its destination safely and without any hiccups, which helped AGI Bristol secure the contract to deliver the car and simulator to its next destination—a trade show in Dubai.

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It seems odd but, despite finely tuned distribution systems, e-commerce leaders now feel they have to add to their “legacy” fulfillment infrastructure, technology, and expertise with last-mile buildouts designed to be 2023-competitive.

How? By building out the concept of Fulfillment-as-a-Service (FaaS) as a brand enhancement for their current and future vendors, in the hopes of blunting more share gains by small and mid-sized sellers.

Last-mile guaranteed delivery windows offered by a growing group of gig final-mile solutions providers are empowering a pool of newer and smaller e-commerce companies, offering them the ability to side-step existing excellent Amazonian and Walmartian delivery expertise.

A Prime example of this trend is the Shopify and Flexport/Deliverr mash-up with its hopes of a solid offering of guaranteed delivery windows, usually within two days.

Beyond mashups, segment leaders are slapping on more than add-ons. Sam’s Club recently announced a weighty five-year buildout plan to expand and add 16 e-commerce fulfillment centers. Why? You guessed it—to compete with Amazon and expected delivery experience changes wrought and brought by new e-commerce sellers using fast, cheaper gig delivery services.

Low-cost delivery tracking technology and delivery performance metrics à la Uber, combined with dramatic shifts in consumer buying habits and young consumer culture, also drive this investment. SMB retailers and e-commerce companies have nailed down the click-to-sale. But meeting new age consumer delivery expectations without breaking the final-mile bank is crucial.

Even large e-commerce companies like Chinese-owned Temu are concerned with doorstep performance. Temu is currently offering a $5 bounty on any missed delivery window in the States. All this concern partially explains the growth of gig and gig hybrid final-mile delivery solutions such as Uber and new entrants like AxleHire and DutchX.

For the e-commerce giants—Walmart, Amazon, Shopify, Temu—there’s more than money to be made. They plan to grow their market share if they can stave off all the second-tier e-commerce companies and the hordes of new gig-delivery empowered entrants using ultra-fast delivery as a brand builder with vendors and customers. That’s why everyone is gettin’ Giggy with it.

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A study FarEye conducted with Researchscape International finds that retailers with more than $100 million in sales seek to improve the top key performance indicators of on-time delivery (74%) and cost per delivery (62%). But as supply chain complexities increase, on-time deliveries become more challenging.

To help solve this issue, many retailers outsource their delivery networks, but this comes with its own set of problems. For example, the initial report findings show that 84% of retailers that have outsourced their delivery networks now want more control over those networks. Visibility is the biggest reason why; 33% of retailers say accessing reliable information is a challenge.

To address these shortcomings, 77% of logistics providers say they expect to expand their budgets for last-mile delivery technology, and 82% say they will likely change or buy a new last-mile delivery solution in the next one to two years.

To enable more efficient, cutting-edge deliveries and lower costs, logistics providers are also evaluating electric vehicles (80%), autonomous vehicles (44%), and drones (38%).

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As part of a $9-billion investment, the USPS anticipates increasing the quantity of purpose-built Next Generation Delivery Vehicles to a minimum of 60,000. Of these, at least 45,000 will be battery electric by 2028. Plans call for vehicle acquisitions delivered in 2026 and thereafter to be 100% electric. As it explores the possibility of a 100% electric fleet, USPS also expects to purchase an additional 21,000 battery electric delivery vehicles through 2028.

Mail carriers also will see benefits. The new vehicles will offer air conditioning and advanced safety technology—options unavailable in the older models the USPS is replacing.

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