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46 DC VELOCITY DECEMBER 2018 www.dcvelocity.com
ed comes up, the DC will alert UPS
via e-mail. When there’s a potential
problem or an issue requiring special
handling, however, a phone call to
alert the carrier and discuss a solution can be helpful, she says.
Take advantage of technology.
Many small-volume shippers rely on
their carriers’ free software to man-
age their shipments. But some say
they’d do better to use commercial
parcel management software with a
broader array of capabilities. “Most
shippers know where their packages
are going, but they don’t have the
entire view of what UPS, FedEx, or
the USPS are doing,” Parker observes.
With the right technology, however, they
can identify where and why there might
be problems and bottlenecks, and take
steps to avoid them. Such early warning also gives shippers time to alert the
end-customer, she adds.
Some shippers use a transportation
management system (TMS) to manage
their parcel shipments. About 46 percent
of respondents to a 2018 survey conducted for the TMS provider MercuryGate
said they are using a TMS or comparable
technology for that purpose. According to
MercuryGate, a TMS with parcel capabilities lets shippers compare rates and services without having to switch software or
websites, select the right carrier based on
cost and service, and keep current on carriers’ rules, service changes, and pricing.
It also facilitates decisions on when and
where to consolidate shipments or switch
modes to reduce transit times.
KEEP THE CUSTOMER SATISFIED
Because late parcel deliveries strongly
impact customer satisfaction, it’s worth
taking steps to prevent them. “It may
cost you more to expedite,” Snyder com-
ments, “but if you’re trading off delight-
ing the customer [against] ruining their
holiday, then you have to balance the
cost of an expedited delivery against the
post-purchase experience that will deter-
mine a consumer’s loyalty.”
But what if, despite everyone’s best
efforts, a shipment is late? Wilkinson
advises being proactive: Make sure the
customer knows how to reach you. If
there’s a problem, respond quickly. If
you see that an order may be late, let the
customer know in advance. And “have
Don’t wait too long to think about all
this. “It’s important to understand that
Dec. 26, 2018, is the time to start planning
for the 2019 peak season, not October
of 2019,” Wilkinson advises. “You can’t
