- Lack of clear communication strategy
Miscommunication is one of the biggest challenges in container movement. This is often the case when you rely too much on carriers and freight forwarders for updates. There is a possibility that poor communication between you and your customers can occur, which can be catastrophic to your relationship. In a society where customers are increasingly demanding real-time visibility over the movement of their shipments, proper communication is integral in the entire chain of supply.
The solution to these issues is to use proper container tracking systems that track shipments in real-time. Such systems also share tracking data with the customers for their specific shipments. With this information, the supply chain is made transparent, and trust is built.
- Security concerns
Security is a key concern for transport and logistics companies. With shipment passing through many hands before reaching the destination, it makes it a target of malicious individuals. This makes security a key challenge that must be addressed accordingly. Shipments can be compromised from any point, be they at the storage facility or during the exchange to another truck. Without visibility, the security procedure can be broken, and products can be compromised. The solution to this is to keep track of the shipment at all times. Real-time movement and auto-update can help you discover possible delays and follow-up.
- Delayed product delivery
Customers have become highly demanding and always want to receive their items in time. Therefore, product delivery time is an area of expectation for everyone. With the fame that next-day and same-day delivery services are gaining, long-distance shipments are increasingly becoming demanding. Therefore, timely delivery of shipments will continue being a challenge, as customers increasingly demand faster delivery. This is even worse during peak seasons when demand is high. At such a time, customer satisfaction is compromised.
- Capacity crunch
Although air transport has advanced over the years, ocean or sea transport continues to drive global trade more than any other mode of transport. However, with the ever-increasing volumes of shipments caused by disruptive events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the available space and capacity to handle shipments often shrink. This leads to inconsistencies in schedules, which affects companies and product delivery.
- Infrastructural issues
With the increase in shipments and the emergence of bigger ships in the markets, infrastructure is failing to catch up with the rapid expansion. Some ports lack sufficient space or facilities where containers can be placed. This has made infrastructure one of the key concerns in transport and logistics, especially in developing nations where deliveries are increasing but ports are not equipped to handle the growth.
- Changing customer behaviour
With many transport and logistics companies around as well as many manufacturers, customers have increasingly become demanding. The availability of many alternatives has led to improved services, which gives power to suppliers to choose whomever they want. The changing customer behaviour has put pressure on shippers who need to improve their services to meet the new demands.