According to the recent research ran by Statista, 41% of global shoppers said they hope to receive purchased items within 24 hours. What’s more, even 24% of them expect their deliveries to be done within 2 hours from ordering. These statistics show that time of delivery become the real factor for achieving competitive advantage and client’s satisfaction in B2C sector.
However, it’s also essential in B2B sector. Any delay in the shipping can lead to substantial costs – the most notable example lies in the automotive industry where delayed deliveries can halt the entire assembly line, leading to expensive downtime and missed sales.
Particularly in automotive sector, stopped production costs companies even 200k€ for every hour. This also relates to many different sectors such as aviation, FMCG, pharmaceuticals as well as fairs & events, which require deliveries only in the restricted time-windows.
These statistics underline the necessity for transport managers to grasp and tackle the risks and costs linked to delayed deliveries in the transport industry. As we delve into the subject, we’ll discuss strategies for optimizing delivery times in the shipping process across Europe.
What are the most common reasons of delays in deliveries?
Inaccurate information about cargo properties during ordering process
It may sound obvious that dimensions of cargo must be precise, and weight cannot exceed the truck’s maximum capability and dimensions. However, in transport industry, this kind of mistakes happen. Details and dimensions of your cargo have to be as precise as possible.
Make sure the Shipping Agent you work with chose a proper truck and checked if it can be loaded by back or by side. Any misinformation’s can require waiting for different, bigger truck or disassembly of goods at place (which is also not always possible).
If the information about the weight is incorrect, there is a risk of overloading. This can lead to hight tickets and reloading cargo to another truck. It may extend the transit time for a few hours.
TIP: If you cooperate with expertized Transport Company – once you provide the dimensions and weight of your cargo – the experienced Shipping Agent should propose you the most suitable truck (van, semi-truck, FTL) and also option for cost optimization if your cargo can be transported in shared truck space.
What’s more, in terms of reducing the risk of delays, your Transport Partner must have a strict checklist of verification of your cargo at the loading and unloading place.
The best way to do that is a separated department in transport company responsible for on-time delivery which go through the strict list with the driver at the loading and unloading place.
This requires verification of the quantity, type of the cargo and CMR document. If it is not correct, you should be contacted quickly to clarify it at the stage of loading. You may require the photo of loaded and unloaded cargo to make sure that matches your order
Incorrect information about loading and unloading points
Shipping cargo is not only based on information about the cargo, but also a lot of outside factors, related to points of loading and unloading. Giving wrong addresses, not knowing the contact person for loading or unloading, not checking the company’s opening hours – all these can lead to delays.
The truck you booked cannot be held at the loading or unloading place if they are closed as they need to go to the next points of deliveries. If the loading place is closed and your cargo cannot be loaded it may incur additional cost for cancellation which can be avoided.
TIP: Make sure to give your transport partner a proper Reference Number when the loading or unloading is located in the big warehouses or distribution centres. Check if your customers have a lunch break during planned unloading hours or when their facilities are opened. Remember, that if you are seeking to organize transport with fixed loading/unloading hours, point it out while booking an order.
Lack of control and monitoring of cargo during transit
It doesn’t matter if you are shipping your goods 200 or 1500 kilometres away, lack of control and shipment monitoring can lead to huge delays and even whole cargo lost.
European roads might look like really predictable, but in fact they are full of situations which require fast reaction of trained staff, such as: traffic control, steal attempts, trucks failures and drivers’ diseases.
TIP: A dedicated departments inside expertized transport companies are able to react fast and ensure timely cargo delivery, so it’s good to consider this factor while choosing a transport company.
What’s more important, it’s always better to cooperate with firms which are able to monitor cargo 24/7 and provide you with real-time status. Also, operators with large network of vans can rapidly provide a substitute truck. Systems with Estimated Delivery Times (ETA) are also very helpful in organizing an efficient supply chain in your company.
Incorrect dates and route
TIP: Planning starts when you set up a date of loading and start looking for a solution. It’s good to plan shipments in advance as early as possible – for example, at Quote&GO we enable to plan transports for even 30 days with a guaranteed price & truck. This gives you a confidence and certainty that your goods will be loaded and delivered on time. If you are not sure whether your cargo needs customs clearance, you can ask about this your Shipping Agent.
Summary
Transport delays affect manufacturers, distributors, and customers. Often, these delays come from communication breakdowns, misinformation and lack of control over transport process. Addressing these issues can significantly reduce or even eliminate delays.
So, make sure you are cooperating with a transport partner that is ready to provide you information about your cargo 24/7, on every day a week, but also swiftly react in case of any problems on the route.
While 11 years on the transport market we’ve implemented a lot of procedures which led us to 99,2% on-time-delivery rate in the whole Europe.
This includes not only direct, in-land deliveries, but also international shipments that require ferry crossing, customs clearance and part-load deliveries. This last solution is becoming more popular from month to month, thanks to several benefits, including cost efficiency.
Want to check by yourself? Go to quoteandgo.com and take advantage of reliable transport service.
