Month: <span>July 2021</span>

Over the last 15 months we’ve seen headlines telling about shortages in every area of the economy. From consumer goods to microchips, everyone is feeling the effects of a vulnerable supply chain and is assessing new options. Yet there is an opportunity for companies to restructure their supply chains and create new processes with their stakeholders in order to meet the demands of the customer.

One of the ways businesses can meet this challenge is to keep focus on their suppliers and stock on hand. By measuring and analyzing every aspect of the supply chain, businesses can diagnose where the pitfalls are and take steps to fortify their operations. This helps companies stay flexible and make smarter decisions.

The second way businesses can strike the supply chain balance is by working with a trusted carrier to ensure they can fulfill your order. Keeping communication channels open across the supply chain allows businesses to plan for the ebb and flow within their operations and communicating those shifts allows your carrier to construct a plan to meet your delivery needs. Working together on a consistent basis helps both companies in the long run, allowing the creation of a supply chain that can help you regardless of the circumstances.

The third method of striking a supply chain balance is by ensuring you’re using the best method of optimizing your freight. Working with your carrier to determine the best delivery system for your business allows you to find the best solution for your needs. When you’re shipping unique freight, your needs will be different than a manufacturer who fills a truckload on a routine basis. Optimizing your freight provides options, which are critical at a time like now when it comes to striking the supply chain balance.

Here at Zip Xpress, we understand the importance of providing great service to a customer. We partner with all of our customers, developing and optimizing their supply chain with our custom carrier solutions which fulfills all the needs of the business. Our customers find satisfaction because they can trust us when it comes to finding the right solution, no matter what their supply chain is facing. To see for yourself, start today with Zip Xpress!

Choosing the right method of shipping can be difficult. With so many ways to ship your freight, you may have concerns about whether you’re using the right service for your business. The good news is that there are multiple options when it comes to getting your shipment to the customer. You just need to make sure that you are choosing the method that best aligns with your priorities.

LTL

LTL, or Less-Than-Truckload freight, is usually less than 20,000 pounds, taking up six or fewer pallet spaces in a truck. LTL shipments are combined with other shipments going in the same direction, and usually optimized at an origin terminal and distributed for final mile delivery from a destination terminal. At Zip this is not the case, as all of our shipments are sent directly to the customer and our handling is reduced by up to 75%, ensuring that your freight will arrive undamaged and on time. This is generally a more cost-effective shipping solution, however it may take a little bit more time due to the optimization and distribution needs.

Truckload

Truckload freight takes up an entire truck. This means that the space inside is dedicated to your freight and will generally have a quicker transit time. This is often the right option when you have enough freight to fill a truck and need to have it delivered quickly. However, you will be paying for the entire truck, so this option isn’t cost effective for smaller shipments.

Expedited

When you need to expedite your freight, you are usually on a strict schedule, but might not have enough freight to justify paying for an entire truck. Expedited solutions can optimize your freight with other loads, but will place priority on your shipment. This may cost a little bit more than standard LTL service, but most customers find that it is well worth it. Our expedited service will help ensure that your products will arrive right when you need them to.

Headload

Sometimes you may have a shipment that sits right in the grey area – too large to be an LTL shipment, but not large enough to justify buying space on an entire truck.You are also concerned about paying for air due to the empty space. These types of loads are perfect for our Headload solution, which optimizes customer freight to provide superior service by ensuring that your freight will arrive undamaged and on time.

Here at Zip Xpress, we understand the importance of knowing your options when it comes to shipping your freight. That’s why whenever you reach out to us, we work with you to find the best option for your business that will ensure your freight will arrive undamaged and on time. These are called our custom carrier solutions, and we provide them to every customer we work with, which is why we maintain a 99% satisfaction with all of our customers. To see for yourself, start today with Zip Xpress!

One of our goals is to keep our shipments and transportation networks optimized at all times. All of our efforts are focused on this goal since optimizing shipments helps ensure that deliveries are made on time and undamaged. Optimizing transportation also has the benefit of creating a more sustainable fleet since there is a reduced amount of “empty space” that customers are no longer paying for. Here are a few tips manufacturers can use when it comes to optimizing their network.

Set Optimization Goals

Are you looking to get your high-volume shipments to customers as quickly as possible? Or do you manufacture high end products and are looking to make sure your unique freight always arrives undamaged? Optimization looks very different between companies and your ideal may look very different from a company in another industry.

Consider All Stakeholders

Freight optimization starts with the customer. Asking them about the frequency of deliveries, cost expectations and transportation schedules allows both companies to create an optimized network that works with all parties. Keeping carriers in the loop helps ensure they can work around your schedule and keep your customers satisfied by receiving deliveries when they expect them.

Anticipate and Communicate Hurdles

Optimization is a process. Expect there to be hurdles and keep all stakeholders in the communication loop. As long as all parties are working together, the hurdles will themselves smooth out and in time, the transportation network will be a fully optimized supply chain.

Work with the Best Carrier for Your Business

Every carrier is different and it’s important to find the carrier best suited for your freight. The worst solution is to turn to brokers who will force carriers into providing you with cut-rate service. This is a short-term solution, a mistake we’ve seen too many times. Working with a carrier directly will ensure you’ll get the best outcome in designing your optimized transportation network for the long run.

Here at Zip Xpress, we understand the importance of optimization. Everything we do is driven towards optimization, from the way we handle our shipments to the way we clean our offices. We work closely with all of our partners in optimizing their supply chains, creating what we call custom carrier solutions which ensures that every shipment arrives undamaged, on time and to the customer’s satisfaction. If you’d like to see how we can optimize your transportation network, start today with Zip Xpress!