Like any chain, the supply chain depends upon the individual strength of every link. When one link breaks, the chain falls apart. For many businesses, these breaking points occur during last-mile transportation during the final steps of the logistical process.
These shipment challenges, often caused by poor scheduling, miscommunications, or staffing issues, can quickly render a business’s entire supply chain to unravel. For logistics businesses, these problems will leave customers feeling angry, confused, and distrustful.
However, a new generation of tech-enabled exception management software providers is offering businesses high-tech solutions to last mile transportation issues. With the global supply chain and last mile management market cresting at $16 billion in 2020, more companies are turning to tech to solve the last mile transportation crisis.
Last Mile Transportation and Exceptions
A freight exception is a catch-all term for anything that might go wrong in the logistics process, whether a staffing shortage, a delay, or the unpredictable consequences of a global supply chain. As any logistics professional knows, some exceptions are inevitable.
A freight exception is a sure thing if there’s no driver for a shipment. In other words, freight exceptions often aren’t just likely, but inevitable. Last mile transportation occurs in dynamic consumer environments, meaning exceptions often arise during the final mile.
With this in mind, the goal of businesses shouldn’t be to prevent any exceptions but to be fully prepared to tackle anomalies whenever and wherever they arise. To meet this challenge, companies need the help of cross-platform exception management solutions.
Exception Management in Supply Chains
Often, the problems behind exceptions are simple. By understanding these six problems, businesses can avoid exceptions and give their clients the fast, easy service they deserve.
- Inaccurate shipping labels – A simple mistake during labeling can result in huge costs. Exceptions management providers offer fully integrated communication channels between businesses, customers, and shippers, allowing for quick resolutions.
- Missed drop-off – Mistimed deliveries can leave freight on a truck and customers scratching their heads. With real-time delivery tracking, exception management solutions are increasingly solving this last mile transportation problem.
- The package gets lost or delivered in error – More often than not, lost package costs fall back onto businesses. Tech-enabled last mile transportation providers offer companies the visibility they need to keep track of packages anywhere, anytime.
- Damaged packages – With customers demanding ever-faster delivery, it’s inevitable that corners get dinged. Automated delivery notifications and verifications safeguard customers and logistics businesses from costly damages with exception management solutions.
- Yard or port navigation issues – Last mile transportation often begins at bustling ports and shipping yards. Problems at these transportation hubs can leave businesses on the hook for missed deliveries. Exceptions management can help companies to predict and adapt to these slow-downs, ensuring packages arrive on time, every time.
- Problems with delivery vehicles – Freight misallocation can result in lost or damaged goods, frustrating customers, and costing businesses big. Using exception management solutions, companies can access intelligent allocation resources to ensure that the correct shipments leave on suitable vehicles.
What Is the Exception Management Process?
Real-world logistics crises demand real-time responses. Without complete supply chain visibility, businesses get left in the dark, and customers get left behind. Exceptions management solutions provide the visibility businesses need with tech-enabled, cross-platform features like real-time delivery tracking, intelligent allocation, and on-call exceptions assistance, all instantly accessible through a cutting-edge API.
For last mile transportation providers, exception management can be the solution to inevitable last mile transportation challenges. Though the exceptions management process can be vital in times of crisis, it begins well before exceptions arise. Exception management solutions allow companies to see and adapt to peculiarities before they appear by providing complete supply-chain visibility to businesses, shippers, and customers.
Make the Most of Last Mile Delivery and Overcome Issues With Exceptions Management Processes
From the moment of order placement to last mile management, exception management solutions can provide the visibility businesses need to deliver on time. With OneRail, a last-mile logistics platform specializing in cross-platform, multimodal exceptions management, companies can say goodbye to costly last-mile transportation issues and hello to the future of logistics. Schedule a demo with OneRail today to learn more.
