Navigating B2C freight – arming your business with the right tools

Navigating B2C freight – arming your business with the right tools

The current global environment has been challenging for businesses that have needed to adapt their business model and service offerings to continue to trade throughout the pandemic. Many businesses have introduced eCommerce platforms – as a way to combat lockdowns and restrictions – which has allowed them to continue trading and to stay connected with consumers.

One of the most significant areas that sees change when moving to an eCommerce platform is the business’s logistics. Businesses start needing to manage B2C freight on top of their existing B2B freight. This change presents challenges like shop integration, managing residential deliveries, product returns, packaging, and maintaining customer service satisfaction.

When businesses move to B2C deliveries, one of the biggest priorities is finding Carriers that are structured (and priced) to suit their freight profile – including servicing residential addresses.

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Planning your freight leading into Christmas

Planning your freight leading into Christmas

November and December is the busiest time of the year in Logistics. Businesses ramp up production in preparation for having inventory moved out by the Christmas break. Consumer purchases also increase as November cyber sales and Christmas shopping begins.

Since the COVID pandemic peaked in Australia in March, the demand in freight has been consistently at the same level that carriers see over November and December each year. Transport giant AusPost has seen a 170% growth in Victoria as well as an 80% growth nationally.

This sudden and consistent increase for freight services has put significant strain on the logistics industry. Usually, carriers have months to prepare leading into a peak freight period to ensure they have the workforce and facilities to handle this increase in demand, whilst also maintaining the service levels expected of them. In 2020, there was almost no notice at all. On top of this demand for services, Victorian depots have been instructed to decrease their workforce by 33% to adhere to operational restrictions put forward by the government.
Melbourne is home to the biggest container port in Australia which is a vital link to our National Supply Chain. As businesses rely heavily on the transport industry to navigate their products both nationally and internationally, freight and logistics services are recognized as essential to the Australian economy and will continue to trade under tighter restrictions.

During a press conference on Monday the 3rd of August, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed that “significantly different conditions” would be introduced for essential services to adhere to strict guidelines whilst operating during Stage Four.

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Ensuring that your freight travels

Ensuring that your freight travels

Competition in business looks very different from industry to industry, business to business. Everyone is trying to have a point of difference to have an advantage over their competitors. One such way, especially in the auto parts industry, is allowing their customers to have later cut off times in ordering their parts for same day or the next AM delivery. However, these businesses don’t consider how they will be able to fulfil that delivery window.

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Selecting the right Carrier and service

Selecting the right Carrier and service

The art of managing your businesses freight is educating yourself as to which carriers are inline with the type of freight you need moved, ensuring that the tech you are using is helping and not hindering your freight processes and securing rates for your freight that enable you to move your products efficiently around Australia. Having the ability to quote and book your freight online with options for the cheapest or the quickest…

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The benefits of 3PL outsourcing

The benefits of 3PL outsourcing

When your despatch manager is trying to get the cheapest quotes or the quickest possible ETA to book that parcel to get to one of your major clients, do you ever wonder “I wish there was a quicker way”?

Chances are your despatch manager is having to go onto various carriers’ websites or portals to enter the same details over and over to then have to write down the price they have been given. Only to have to go back into the selected website once they have determined the best option and then enter all the details. In some cases, having to start all over again. I’m guessing you’ve just lost about 10 minutes following that process.

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