Are you shipping to UNFI, KeHE, Wakefern, C&S or another major retailer? Are you confident in your transportation provider's ability to service your retailers' distribution centers reliably and leave a good impression? As the last point between you and your retailers, your transportation provider must be on-point to help you avoid chargebacks, rejected loads, lost business and a damaged reputation. Don't make the mistake of selecting a transportation provider or carrier for the wrong reasons, because it could cost you dearly in the end. These are some of the top transportation missteps that your retailer's DC's can't stand:
Not following routing procedures: It's essential for distribution centers to manage the flow of inbounds to operate efficiently, therefore many retailers opt to for their DC's to function on schedule and utilize preferred carriers to accomplish this. It's up to you and your transportation provider to know the scheduling procedures and carrier requirements of your retailer's distribution centers well in advance of the required delivery date.
Unreliable carriers: Late deliveries, poor communication, uncleanly trucks and spotty driving records lead to issues that will frustrate your customers and impact your bottom line. Proper carrier screening and onboarding techniques (See: Raising the Bar on Motor Carrier Screening and Onboarding Processes) can help you root out unreliable carriers that may cost you business.
Incorrectly loaded trailers: Are your pallets loaded properly? Are your carriers utilizing airbags or bracing and blocking when necessary? Is the trailer temperature being monitored and maintained properly? An incorrectly loaded trailer can lead to a shifted load and damaged products, which the retailer either has to deal with on their end or reject for you to figure out. In the end, there will chargebacks, damages and delays to be resolved.
Carriers that don't work well with your loading facility: Does your carrier have a good relationship with your loading facility? If not, it could worsen all of the above issues and more. If there are delays during the loading process, it can snowball into pallets being loaded poorly, drivers rushing, loads shifting and late arrivals to the retailer DC. Many of these issues can be avoided by working with transportation providers and warehouses that you know and trust.
Are issues with your carriers creating tension between you and your customers? Don't let the situation become even worst. Transportation issues can quickly spiral out of control and affect your entire business. At Continental Logistics we value our partnerships with our customer and their customers (See: Names We Know). Contact our transportation operation, Continental Logistics, today to discuss what we can do for you.
