EN

AZ RU

Main page

Blog

Blog

All Articles

Total posts: 10

April 28, 2023

Door-to-Door Service: Efficient and Reliable Way to Transport Your Cargo

The development of infrastructure and logistics requires companies to improve the solutions offered to customers constantly. First, the principles of ensuring efficiency and safety are taken as a basis. Door-to-door service is ideal for these purposes. The essence of the service is that the carrier company assumes all responsibility for the preparation, shipment, and transportation of the cargo, which allows you to save time and control each stage of the process.

Advantages of door-to-door service

1. At all stages of transportation - from the moment the cargo is received to its delivery to the destination, it saves the time and effort of the customer, who entrusts the control to the carrier. It also saves the customer from unnecessary formalities.

2. Maximum protection of cargo against the risk of damage is ensured.

3. After loading, the goods are sent to any part of the world without intermediate storage and handling.

4. It is recommended when sending bulk cargo.

Disadvantages of door-to-door service

1. Sometimes, depending on the type of cargo, the use of this service is not possible. Door-to-door delivery is not applicable, for example, to liquid and bulk cargo in large volumes, and dangerous goods (additional verification is required).

2. Higher cost compared to other modes of transportation.

3. Without stable sales, this scheme is unprofitable for the client.

Service Features

The carrier company prepares all the necessary accompanying documents within the door-to-door service, carries out direct transportation, forwarding, customs clearance, and unloading operations upon arrival at the destination, and assumes all duties and responsibilities related to cargo delivery. During cargo transportation, the company provides a comprehensive approach, involving several types of transport, as well as intermediaries with whom it negotiates directly.

Cost Calculation

To determine the final cost of door-to-door service, it is important to consider several important points:

- cargo volume/weight;

- the length of the transportation distance;

- time required for delivery;

- transport costs;

  • cargo insurance.

April 12, 2023

Surviving Natural Disasters: Mitigating Supply Chain Risks

Thanks to globalization and the rapid geographic expansion of international supply chains, companies can allocate limited resources more efficiently than ever before. But, unfortunately, this process also has its downside - the unpredictability of weather conditions, on which many logistical processes partially depend. Today we are talking about natural disasters.

 

Natural disasters affect the transportation of goods in many ways, from delaying your supply chain and increasing costs to unpleasant situations such as lost cargo and damaged goods.

 

A supply chain disruption is defined as a critical failure in the overall logistics process. Natural disasters are one of the causes of such violations. They usually cause massive damage to several firms and facilities at once, which has a serious impact on the industry. With the globalization of supply chains, companies' exposure to disaster risk has crossed national borders, as the effects of a natural disaster in one geographic location can affect facilities in other locations.

 

But shippers have an opportunity to mitigate risks during natural disasters. First, you need to communicate frequently to keep your employees and products up to date. Effectively communicating changes to plans is a significant time and money saver, but this is only possible if your supply chain provides full transparency at every stage of the shipping process.

Tariffs

Obviously, your shipping rates will increase during a natural disaster. For example, if the roads are impassable, it will be necessary to use alternative routes, increasing fuel consumption and driving time.

Productivity

After a disaster, there is intense competition for limited transportation resources and equipment. Due to those limitations, the productivity of the company decreases and this will naturally lead to increased costs due to shortages at best. In the worst-case scenario, it will be impossible to find the necessary resources.

Shipping time

If under normal circumstances the transportation period would take two days, this period may be extended due to the uncontrollable effects of natural disasters. It may have to wait until the roads are open or until the warehouse/factory resumes operations. As a result, your travel time will increase.

Fuel

Fuel prices always rise after natural disasters. Oil refinery shutdowns, damage, or disruptions cause fuel prices to rise.

Refusal to carry

During a natural disaster, carriers often refuse to deliver goods to their destination. This is where the supply chain begins to break down: factories are disrupted while waiting for materials or components; retailers face the threat of stockouts, etc. All this leads to the loss of potential opportunities and income.

Internal delays

Often, cargo transportation within the country also depends on weather conditions. Even if there is zero risk of a natural disaster in your region, delivery of goods will be delayed due to facility closures or power outages due to inclement weather. And, of course, as a result, it will have a negative impact on logistics.

 

Of course, when the customer chooses a logistics company for the transportation of his cargo, he is concerned about the safety and integrity of the delivery, because various unexpected situations may arise during the transportation process. What do we do to transport your cargo safely? First of all, the general technical condition of the transport is strictly monitored, and all rules and standards ensuring the safety of cargo transportation are followed, especially during loading and unloading operations. Alliance Logistics specialists work out the optimal route, considering the time of year, weather conditions, and travel time.

March 28, 2023

Key Logistics Trends in 2023

In recent years, the coronavirus pandemic has affected all sectors of the global economy. Logistics companies have to change their strategies to be more innovative to reduce losses and meet the new demands of the economy in the face of restrictions. There is an urgent need to respond in a timely manner to the rapidly changing trends in logistics in 2023.

The main ones include the following:

Digitalization and artificial intelligence

The pandemic contributed to a shift in the vector of business development, which also affected the digitalization process. Companies now face the challenge of integrating human capabilities and artificial intelligence. Investments in the development of information technology are considered one of the best ways to reduce the costs of companies. Severe quarantine restrictions have underlined the clear need for such innovations. Logistics companies are increasingly introducing new systems for managing warehouse and transport operations, new IT solutions to optimize logistics solutions, and also improve existing ones.

Elastic logistics

The market is governed by the law of supply and demand, the ratio of which is sometimes unpredictable. In this aspect, thanks to elastic logistics, it is possible to increase and decrease capacities in the supply chain, and quickly adapt to changing realities. The "flexibility" of logistics helps to reduce costs and not lose potential profits.

Focus on online commerce

The global Covid-19 pandemic has significantly affected the market structure and growth of online shopping and helped remove barriers to taking advantage of e-commerce. Electronic alternatives to offline offerings have been launched to meet dynamic consumer demands. The conservatism of some companies in this matter has led to forced closures or significant losses.

Green logistics

Global warming and human impact on the environment are no longer considered abstract concepts, but the specific problem, which is being addressed in all spheres of life. The logistics industry is also no exception. Green Logistics - a new concept in this area, aimed at reducing the industry's impact on the environment. There are many ways to prevent pollution by green logistics companies - optimizing loading, optimizing the route, choosing a more environmentally friendly mode of transportation, etc. In the future, this trend is only expected to further strengthen.

Last Mile in logistics

This is the last stage in the delivery of goods to the buyer. At this stage of the supply chain, there are some difficulties, the main of which is the speed of delivery. In order to compensate for delays in global transportation, courier services are trying to make the most of the efficiency on the last mile. Only in this case, they will be able to manage the situation, meet the requirements of the market and strengthen their position in the business.

March 16, 2023

How Does AI Сhange the Logistics Industry?

Most areas of the industry, including logistics, have been transformed by the development of new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). Autonomous vehicles, warehouse automation, predictive analytics, and smart roads are examples of technologies that are becoming the norm today.

Companies are beginning to realize the value of machine learning and the benefits of leveraging the expertise of AI vendors to improve manufacturing and delivery.

We decided to analyze and share useful information about the advantages of applying artificial intelligence in the logistics industry.

In fact, building an artificial intelligence system is a painstaking process of transferring human qualities and abilities to machines and harnessing their superior computing capabilities in order to exceed their capabilities.

What is the role of artificial intelligence in the transformation of the field of logistics? And what are the positive aspects of these changes? Sufficient grounds can be presented to prove the exceptional impact of artificial intelligence on logistics.

1. Artificial intelligence reveals the potential of Big Data in logistics

By taking advantage of the possibilities of Big Data, logistics companies can increase the efficiency of their operations based on accurate forecasts. Moreover, it is possible not only to improve a specific business process but to get the general picture and solve several issues at the same time.

2. Due to logistics, robotization becomes more relevant

Artificial intelligence has a positive impact on warehouse operations management. Robots can identify, move, sort, and track goods, empowering today's workforce. By reducing the negative impact of the human factor, using robots in warehouse operations can increase the productivity of the company, the level of security in the field of logistics, and reduce operational costs.

3. Better demand forecasting

Forecasting future needs for consumables is critical to a successful business. If your company cannot make accurate forecasts and the number of goods available does not meet high demand, the possibility of running out of stock and losing revenue increases. Surely, every entrepreneur tries to avoid this, because otherwise he simply could not meet the needs of his customers.

4. Real-time route optimization

Through the implementation of autonomous delivery systems that use real-time route optimization technologies without human intervention, artificial intelligence can improve delivery efficiency and reduce transportation costs.

5. Warehouse automation

"Computer vision" is widely used in automated warehouses. This technology enables the identification and systematization of products and will help manage quality control without human intervention in the future. Furthermore, if the supply chain includes multiple warehouses, AI can connect them to determine the best way to move goods. With the help of computer vision technology, artificial intelligence also recognizes damaged objects and assesses the type and depth of damage, which allows it to prevent future damage and takes certain measures.

6. Back-office automation

Invoicing, email processing, scheduling, HR management, and other office operations can be accelerated and automated with the help of artificial intelligence, saving significant time.

 

In conclusion, the world of logistics is being completely transformed by the use of new technologies, especially AI. The application of artificial intelligence is one of the main factors for the progress of this industry. Artificial intelligence increases not only the efficiency but also the accuracy of logistics processes, which further increases profitability.