White Paper: Shipping Stability in the Age of Uncertainty

In today’s ever-changing business landscape, the logistics and transportation industry faces unprecedented challenges and uncertainties. To thrive in this environment, it is imperative for companies to build resilience and stability within their supply chains.

In this newest white paper, we delve into this critical topic and explore:

1.) Building resilience and stability in the logistics and transportation industry is crucial in the face of uncertainty. Companies need to learn from past challenges and make necessary adjustments to serve customers better and improve performance.

2.) Strong and long-term partnerships between shippers and carriers are essential for creating true resiliency and stability. Clear communication, information flow, and transparency are vital in building these relationships and ensuring success in an uncertain market.

3.) Shifting the focus from competing solely on price to emphasizing value and quality is key to creating more stable relationships in the industry. By adopting a holistic mindset that considers all aspects of the shipping process, companies can reduce volatility, minimize costs, and achieve better outcomes for all parties involved.

Hear from industry experts including:

  • Dr. Karl Manrodt - Professor of Logistics at Georgia College & State University and formerly served on the board of directors for the Council of Supply Chain Management.
  • Thom Albrecht - CFO and Chief Revenue Officer for Reliance Partners, a leading transportation insurance agency focusing on risk management and transportation freight trends.
  • Scooter Sayers - Founder and President of Sayers Logistics, a strategic consultancy to the transportation industry with an emphasis on pricing, yield management, carrier relations, sales support, and costing.
  • Chris Caplice - Executive Director of MIT’s Center for Transportation and Logistics, founder of the MIT FreightLab, and chief scientist for DAT Freight and Analytics, one of the largest freight marketplaces in North America.
  • Cathy Roberson - Founder and Head Analyst at Logistics Trends & Insights, LLC, a global logistics market research company, providing research and analysis for competitive analysis, new product development, mergers & acquisitions, IPOs, and strategic guidance. 
Read the New White Paper from Old Dominion

Are you preparing to meet the demands of inevitable changes? This report gives you the latest insights and trends in managing your supply chain in the current business environment.

Building Next-Level Resilience in a Volatile World

Preparation is key to meeting the demands of inevitable change. It’s easy to think of the markets and indexes of the transportation economy as a set of “moving constants,” indicators that cycle back and forth, but don’t change fundamentally over time.

Deepening the Relationship – Looking Beyond the Initial Freight Price

Focusing on quality might feel like a luxury, but shopping for transportation isn’t a trip to a wholesale store. Buying transportation services is not the same as buying laptops for employees, negotiating healthcare, or buying property. In transportation, quality and price are closely related. Myriad things can go wrong in a single journey, from late pickups to weather problems, equipment malfunctions, damages, and late delivery, resulting in additional back-end costs.

As far as the Customer is Concerned: The Carrier is the Shipper

Remember, in the view of your customers, the shipper and carrier are one in the same. Your reputations are intertwined, so choosing the right partner is important. When you hire a carrier, in many ways you are hiring a de facto customer service rep.

Three Pillars of Long Term Shipping Success

Visibility, transparency, and communication are the lifeblood of a successful business relationship. Without transparency, trust is impossible. Without visibility, transparency is irrelevant. Without communication, improving visibility and transparency is a wasted effort. Evaluate your transportation partners by using our holistic thinking scorecard.

Need More Information?

Contact us by email or simply call 1-800-235-5569 to be connected to an Old Dominion customer service representative.