COVID-19
How to manage your Freight Business in uncertain times
Deserted streets, online meetings, institutions shuttered. The recent outbreak of Coronavirus has caused widespread panic across the globe and is disrupting life everywhere. At the same time, the logistics industry is working at full speed to secure the supply of supermarkets, pharmacies, hospitals and other critical industries. You’re probably discussing your business strategy and risk management plans with your teams, trying to find out how to best act in this uncertain time.
For Freight Forwarding professionals some aspects now dealing with are: Changing trade flows, shuttered borders, vessels which might get quarantined, factories around the world have updated their working hours, Air and Seafreight affected by lack of empty containers and space shortage on planes, All events, receptions and non-essential training courses have been postponed or canceled, alongside with the preparation for the spread of COVID-19 including the expansion of employers' capacity to offer remote work.
Here are some points on how to prepare your freight forwarding business and to create new opportunities especially now in the COVID-19 outbreak:
Smart / Remote Work
Google, Microsoft, Twitter, Apple, Amazon, Salesforce, Spotify, and more…
From the UK to the US, the Middle East to South Korea, these are just some of the global companies that have rolled out mandatory work-from-home policies amid the spread of COVID-19. For some companies, shifting to the ‘home office’ will become the new normal.
Some employees will be working from home for the first time, which means figuring out how to keep employees on task by developing practices when creating a work from home program. there are ways to deliver results and avoid going crazy, from setting up a good workspace to the way you talk to your employees and customers.
Having the proper tools and technologies
Computer, email, phone conferencing, access to the internet are all tools that employees need whenever they work from home, other professional tools include Shipment management system (TMS), Customer relation management system (CRM), Task management system, Connection to the company’s internal network for files sharing and more… At this time, SaaS tools such as G-Suite, Microsoft Teams, Skype and more, are the most convenient and secured for Smart Working.
Implementing communications intervals
Stay in touch with your employees by using online tools such as Google Hangouts, Teams, Skype, Slack and other messaging services. Remote workers can sometimes feel isolated from the rest.
Setting clear expectations with your employees
this includes instructions for an employee’s daily work schedule, description of a dedicated workspace, your company’s overall schedules and overtime policy.
Customer relations in the time of COVID-19
Every Freight Company needs to understand the significant impact that the coronavirus pandemic may have on many of its customers such as small businesses and corporates. It is important to continue to work with those impacted, providing a variety of solutions for meeting their particular needs.
Thanks to technology, we can keep in touch with our customers without having to come into physical proximity. There are actions you can take to continue your relationship with your customers at the highest level
Ask your clients how they are dealing with the COVID-19 challenges, share with them your tips, valuable online activities, and more...
Availability
Setup digital smart tools to communicate with your customers regarding their rate requests, ongoing shipments, invoicing and payments, expected delays, news about COVID-19, and more...
Visibility
Let your customers feel like they are on top of everything related to their global supply chains, allow a transparent view of any shipment problems that may happen along the way and offer proactive measures to solve them.
Stay on top of your trades
Ask your clients how they are dealing with the COVID-19 challenges and if they are expecting a decrease or increase of their overall volumes, help them to stay prepared ahead of time!
Strategy
It is time to take bold steps to embed sophisticated digital technologies into the tools of the freight professionals, Anything online will be consumed right now more than ever before. The competition will adjust as well and it is time to focus on new initiatives that ensure a better future for your freight business!
Learn more about the tools that lets you run your freight business in uncertain times
