Transforming supply chain visibility into container management
From pandemic concerns to geopolitical unrest, the global supply chain has experienced significant disruptions that have impacted manufacturers and companies of all sizes and industries. Another issue that has exacerbated this issue is consumer expectations.
Consumers demand fast and transparent delivery of their products. In recent studies, roughly 93% of consumers want on-demand transit updates, and 47% of people claim that they will not purchase products from a brand that does not offer this visibility.
With ocean-bound shipments contributing to 90% of global trade and container shipping schedules dropping to 40% for reliability, companies, manufacturers and shippers must change their supply chains to improve delivery times and increase shipping visibility. Understanding the root causes t of supply chain delays and visibility can allow you to develop better container management strategies.
Supply Chain Challenges
There are several common and recurring obstacles that create supply chain delays. Labor, capacity, and equipment shortages, long unloading lines at rail yards/ports, rerouted vessels and ocean-related weather delays have long been the main factors of supply chain challenges.
Yet combine these with the slow adoption of digital technologies for supply chain transparency and it’s no wonder that companies are alienating much of their existing consumer base while struggling to bring in new buyers. A major contributing factor to supply chain visibility problems is a lack of communication.
A robust supply chain requires smooth interaction between everyone who comes in contact with the shipment. Whether it involves the drayage company, warehouse manager or 3PL, every party must coordinate communication between all stakeholders at the appropriate times with real-time updates on the status of all container shipments.
It is time-consuming to gather and relay information about thousands of constantly moving shipments between different locations. Finding a means to gather and communicate this data effortlessly between companies as well as consumers becomes the ultimate goal of supply chain visibility.
Data Is Key
Supply chains create a large amount of data. Capturing this data, verifying its accuracy and integrating the information into container management strategies allows shippers to avoid many costly delays that impact their operations. There are several ways to accomplish this.
Digital tracking technology monitors every step a container makes in their journey. From GPS trackers on trucks to RFID tags on containers, this information becomes virtually transmitted to satellites into centralized network software for later use.
Users can then verify and use this data when it becomes automatically placed into a centralized platform. Authorized users can see this information in real-time, allowing drayage companies and warehouse managers to make instant, smarter decisions to improve container shipping procedures.
You can instantly reduce dwell time at ports and rail yards, reroute ships and trucks due to weather hazards, and understand loading/unloading times by accessing data through a user-friendly interface. Communication becomes streamlined between each company involved with the shipment since the data becomes automatically captured through electronic devices.
When it comes to supply chain visibility, having the right information at the right time can make operations more efficient for everyone involved. Improving visibility requires gaining the data you need to make enterprise-wide decisions. Investing in digital technologies is a viable and cost-effective solution.
