What factors should you consider when your freight forwarding is time critical?

3 tips for ensuring the smooth delivery of time-critical shipments 

Inevitably, there will always be certain logistics operations that can be described as “time-critical”. Time-critical road shipments may be arranged, for example, in situations where medication or medical equipment is required to save lives, or in certain sectors such as the automotive, aerospace, or semiconductor industries. 

But given all the risks and disruptions that could arise for any time-critical shipment, such as issues with documentation or adverse weather events, what steps are likely to be most effective in ensuring consistently timely delivery of urgently needed goods? 

Work alongside a freight forwarder that values transparency and communication 

If you are considering joining forces with a particular freight forwarding firm for your time-critical shipments and they communicate the importance of complete transparency from an early stage of your relationship with them, this is usually an encouraging sign. 

After all, even when every conceivable arrangement and safeguard is put in place, it is impossible to guarantee that delays or hold-ups won’t occur. 

So, if such obstacles do appear, you will want to be working alongside a freight forwarder that is skilled and experienced in devising immediate contingency plans, and that keeps you constantly updated on the situation. 

Ensure the labelling and documentation are compliant with requirements 

When you are packaging goods and arranging for them to be transported across national borders, your concerns about the labelling of the given package should never be limited to making sure you have used the right postal address for the recipient. 

Time-critical road shipments and other urgent deliveries depend on the labelling being entirely compliant with the requirements for the specific type of shipment, as well as the territories that the package might be passing through. 

Any mistakes in this regard can cause avoidable delays. So, it is another aspect of your shipment that you should be unafraid to discuss in depth with your freight forwarder. 

Draw upon technology to help ensure the most efficient delivery routes 

We wrote recently about how artificial intelligence (AI) solutions are already permeating the world of freight. AI has made a big difference in formulating delivery routes that offer the greatest likelihood of a smooth and trouble-free journey through the supply chain for a given time-critical shipment. 

Such typical risks to time-critical logistics operations as harsh weather conditions and traffic delays can be accounted for by today’s powerful AI algorithms, thanks to their ability to process vast quantities of data. 

The execution of successful time-critical shipments – using methods such as road, sea, and air transportation – can be logistically challenging for freight forwarders, as well as stressful for importers and exporters. 

This further underlines the importance of working alongside genuinely trustworthy, forward-thinking, and well-established freight forwarding solutions providers – such as KTL – to help ensure on-time deliveries on every occasion. Please feel free to contact us to learn more.