Why Shipment Visibility is Important

Shipment visibility is the ability to track goods in transit, giving a clear view of the inventory. 

Times are changing, and customers want to be in the know about the status of their shipment in real-time. Shipment tracking offers better visibility into the supply chain which enables shippers to manage inventory, proactively offer status updates, limit disruptions, and risk mitigation. As a result, the supply chain will become more agile improving customer service and controlling costs.

What is Real-time Shipment Visibility?

Today global trade and transactions occur at a fast pace than earlier. With digital advancements and adding the pandemic to it, organizations  were  forced to adapt and integrate the technological advancements. Companies in the Supply Chain industry have embraced these advancements, that has allowed them to provide incomparable service to their customers that have exceeded expectations. 

Real-time shipment visibility and tracking allow freight forwarders and their customers to stay updated on their shipment from anywhere and at any time. Real-time cargo tracking and shipment visibility are one of the key aspects that a customer looks for when selecting a freight forwarder.

Why Freight Forwarders Need to Provide Visibility

When it comes to managing an efficient supply chain, having control of freight movement is critical to operations. Part of that freight control is the ability to provide visibility of all shipments movement within a network. Freight visibility is best defined as the ability to view products from origin to destination.

A study by Logixboard states that 47% of shippers say shipment visibility is a critical part of how they evaluate a freight forwarder’s offering. Shipment visibility is  vital  for shippers because it helps win new business, increase margins and reduce churn. Some shippers are even willing to pay higher rates to work with a freight forwarder that provides better technology, visibility, and control. Hence, real-time shipment visibility has become an integral part of the freight forwarding, as it helps streamline and manage complicated processes. 

Carriers can immediately report any delays before they’re even noticed, and every step is documented. Carriers use this information as proof of delivery, and shippers use it to improve customer service, measure performance, and evaluate suppliers.

Benefits of Providing Real-Time Shipment Visibility
  • Reduced phone calls and emails, leading to more responsive customer service

Customer Support teams are inundated with multiple phone calls, messages, and emails from customers asking about their shipment. Empower your customers with Shipthis white labeled Customer Portal. Customers can  log in to the Customer Portal and monitor up-to-date shipment lifecycle and status information at a glance. 

  • Your employees don’t spend time on mundane tasks 

Planning and allocating responsibilities to your teams' a key role in the organization's overall efficiency. Customer Support teams spend countless hours figuring out where the shipment is by constantly calling, mailing carriers and warehouse managers, and then updating the customer. By providing real-time shipment visibility, your employees are always updated on any change in the shipment status and can empower customers to find out the necessary information themselves. This  allows employees to focus on other revenue-generating efforts. 

  • Improve OTIF Compliance, Minimize Disruptions and Fines

On-Time and In Full (OTIF) is imperative for freight forwarders who want to provide complete satisfaction to their customers. But in some cases, customers have begun imposing fines upon their suppliers for shipments that arrive late or early or that don’t meet “OTIF”

As a result, companies have to spend a lot of money paying these fines. With a platform like Shipthis, freight forwarders can leverage technology and identify risks and hiccups, allowing them to provide complete and real-time visibility of shipment status, directly to their customers.

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