Logistics in a Pandemic

by Karls Karthikeyan
The concept of logistics has been prevalent since Homosapiens found fire and Archimedes ran the streets naked shouting ‘Eureka!’ and has progressed today to where parcels are now delivered through Drone Technology. But what is logistics?

WHAT IS LOGISTICS?

Logistics is the detailed organization of a complex operation in which transportation plays a vital role. Of course, we don’t care about all that.  We just want to have that new shirt we ordered online to be delivered to us as soon as we hit that buy button. Logistics has come a long way from sailboats and Air Cargo. Today we can even deliver to space through special space crafts meant to support our Astronauts.

The face of logistics has dramatically and dynamically changed over time. The relevant question now is how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the Logistics Industry, and how is 2021 going to look for Freight Forwarders and Courier Companies?

COVID TRANSFORMATIONS

The rise of the pandemic brought numerous countries into a lockdown which resulted in massive panic globally. Daily livelihood became a question. As a result, the occurrence of Covid -19 within the digital age prompted a notable phenomenon: everyone took to the internet.

What started as ordering food and necessities slowly brought a tremendous increase to the online shopping arena. Those who were skeptical to go to the physical stores afraid of being affected by the Covid-19 virus shifted to e-commerce platforms. Many Retail shops thus were forced to either change to the digital front or risk being extinct.

More than ever, the sudden changes in our daily dynamic put a spotlight on the Logistics and delivery sector and amplified our dependence on Logistics companies and Express Courier.

The major manufacturing countries such as the USA, China, Mexico, India, and more have all ramped up their production lines. Aside from supply and demand, even small brick-and-mortar retailers have joined the world wide web and now have an international presence.

More connected than ever, and with a greater demand for E-commerce and Courier services, the pressure for on-time delivery and service standards have also substantially increased alongside.

To meet the delivery expectation while still managing the vast operations involved in providing cheap international courier services has become quite the task for Freight Forwarders. Logistics companies are turning to automation and lean logistics concepts to track, trace and manage their business. This move also provides customers with total transparency of their shipment, increasing both the performance and reliability factor for many companies.

With the pandemic also came the reduction of Manpower. It is crucial now more than ever to be efficient planners in the cargo service industry and think outside the box.

LEAN LOGISTICS

Lean Logistics is the methodology of partnering with existing service providers who have specialized experience and resources while eliminating the need to create a similar business model forming a competitive environment. Leveraging on the strength of existing service providers and filling the gap of their weakness makes Lean Logistics a powerhouse for internationally expanding companies like Bluorbit.

A diverse regional supplier network has never been more important than in today’s uncertain times. Those who survived the pandemic and are holding strong are the ones who did not keep all their eggs in one basket.

On-demand Warehousing

Space, that too the right kind of environment for the right goods, is important for any logistics supply chain. But with the changing trends and demands for lightning speed, how does one cope with the space requirements?

The Answer: On-demand Warehousing!

On-demand Warehousing is another rightfully emerging trend among logisticians. As temperature, humidity and quantity are all consideration factors, it is almost impossible for any one company to cater to all the various special requirements. Hence, this makes renting spaces as and when required to be the wisest and most beneficial choice.

Operational flexibility is the key to the future of logistics; being asset rich will make one bulky with a lot of overheads, making it difficult to manage and expand internationally. Bluorbit is one of those nimble logisticians leveraging innovation and customer data to leap bounds in the industry.