As we talked about getting ready for the holiday season , let’s look deeper into the arts of preparing for the actual sales seasons and ensure timely deliveries.
How to get ready for a sales surge
For any festivities in town, there will be a surge of demand just before the actual date. And when that happens, the last thing you want is to realise you don’t have the stocks or human resources to deal with the pressure. So the first thing you need to do is to know the country’s public holidays beforehand, so you can avoid surprises and fulfil orders. With a holiday schedule in hand, you can ease your operational workload and have a good idea on when to stock up and be ready.
Once you have the holiday schedule read, it’s time to address the details. Have you prepared your warehouses and logistics flows? Do you have enough storage and shipping capabilities? You need to know your supply chain’s condition and capability, and if you need extra capacity for this surge, it’s wise to prepare and seek assistance beforehand. If you’re working with a 4PL or a 5PL logistics partner, supply chain capacity is a crucial question to ask.
Speaking of logistics partners, it is always essential to maintain a good working relationship with them, which is even more so during festivities. There are a few aspects they need to be ready for, such as providing deliveries and courier services, tracking goods and maintaining smooth transitions from one part of the supply chain to another. To assess their capabilities in these fields, you can get a good idea by looking at two crucial factors: their technological capabilities and their working culture. A right partner should have the adequate software and technologies to scientifically track each step of the delivery or mitigate problems while having the right communication plans and work ethics to detect, discuss and diagnose problems as they arise.
How to ensure time deliveries
One thing we know about ports and freights at Aersure is that avoiding congestions is vital. Ports or freight may not be able to handle the demand spike. Since you’ve now studied the market’s festivals, evaluated your supply chain capabilities and sat down with your partners, what else do you need to do?
Historical data and sales trends will tell you a lot about when the uptrends are and how high they’ll go. As each market’s spikes are different, be sure to consider regional differences. Also, remember to get your supplies and coordinate with your partners in advance. The last thing you want to see is not stocking up enough best sellers or festive-themed goods, or bumping into a few shipping or custom issues just before the sales starts. So get your goods ready in advance, work out your work and communication plans ahead of time, and track your shipment in real-time. Also, set expectations with your customers so that they can know the scopes of the service and can anticipate any potential problems.
It is the basics that make all the difference. Getting the logistics basics done and focus on the details, and you’re on your way to making a great holiday sale. Good luck!