Avoid These Growing Pains When Taking Your Final-Mile Shipping Volume to the Next Level

Despite supply chain woes, soaring petrol prices, and global inflation, the final mile is busier than ever, and it isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Shippers and the warehouses that serve them are hoping to capitalize on this trajectory and grow alongside parcel volume. However, avoiding growing pains is key to handling the spurt.  

However, whether growing to ship 4,000, 10,000, 25,000, or even more parcels a month doesn’t come without some challenges – even if they may be slightly different at each level of success.  

Growing warehouse volume from 4,000 -10,000 parcels a month

For instance, a warehouse looking to go from 4,000 final-mile shipments a month to 10,000 will face some significant challenges such as: 

• Manual processes 
• A limited number of carriers
• Carrier supplied software 

Growing warehouse volume from 10,000 parcels a month to 20,000 or more

But even if a shipper is successful in shipping 10,000 packages a month, growing to 20,000 or 25,000 a month brings its own set of challenges, such as: 

• Capacity crunch, same-day delivery, special instructions 
• Stockouts and abandoned shopping carts 
• Navigating customs and security compliance, carriers in multiple countries 

And while you’d think by the time you’re moving more than 25,000 parcels through the final mile of the supply chain, everything would be smooth. You’d be surprised what might keep warehouses from being efficient such as: 

• Customer service drain 
• Complex decisions /supporting multiple carriers, buy & sell rates 
• Personalisation [delivery choices, special instructions, etc.] 

Of course, while each level of growth requires its own set of solutions for success, it is essential that shippers remember the basics as they move on to new challenges for each level they grow their business, and it is crucial to plan ahead to make sure you are ready for the unique challenges before you reach that level.  

Download “Growing Fast? 9 Things Expanding Warehouses Can Do to Scale Parcel Shipping” here for more details on these challenges and ways to overcome them and ensure success at whatever level you are at today and aspire to be tomorrow.