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This year we published 22 new blog posts and pages for our distribution, fulfillment and warehouse division. With 2022 right around the corner, we wanted to share our most viewed posts and pages of the year. Take a look at 2021’s favorites below and check them out if you missed them the first time around!

1. Shippers Pivot as they Seek Available Port Capacity Heading into Massive Peak Season

September 3, 2021

Massive port closures and congestion have been disrupting supply chains since November 2020 and shippers are working to find solutions to get their shipments into North America any way they can. Making the situation more difficult is the fact that delays at one port created a ripple effect along the whole west coast.

 

ITS Logistics VP of Intermodal and Drayage Paul Brashier and Director of Supply Chain Solutions Kasia Wenker give insight on how shippers have been working through the tight capacity with creativity and flexibility. Some solutions include shipping containers to different ports, relying more on transload facilities and utilizing multi-node DC networks for inventory staging. Learn more about what they had to say.

Very congested port

2. Labor Management and Scalability Add to Supply Chain Success

September 24, 2021

ITS Logistics employees in warehouse

Recruiting, training and retaining employees is critical to the supply chain, especially now as demand for workers is at a record high and every industry is struggling to find qualified labor. Within the logistics industry, the lack of employees to move products, fulfill orders and transport loads is slowing the movement of goods across the board. On top of the labor shortage, there is also an increased need for workers due to continued growth in ecommerce sales, home deliveries and ever-rising customer expectations.

ITS Logistics has always focused on employees and utilizes a multi-pronged approach that draws on forecasting, pre-planning and cross-training to ensure the right people are available to meet typical, peak and unexpected surge needs for their customers. Planning is critical to meet labor needs and Senior Director of Operations Zak Urrutia emphasizes communicating and collaborating with customers to truly understand their needs. Ensuring that wages and benefits are competitive is also extremely important in attracting good employees who will stay with the company in the short and long term. However, recruiting talent is not the only difficulty, and Director of Supply Chain Solutions Kasia Wenker also discusses the importance of culture and community involvement in employee retention. Learn more about labor management and scalability today.

3. How to Prepare for Peak Season with Robust Supply Chain Technology Solutions

October 28, 2021

Technology needs to work seamlessly to ensure orders are fulfilled and shipped in a timely manner—solidifying the importance of information technology in the logistics industry. Robust IT systems that are built to handle shippers’ and customers’ demands are vital to business success, but they also take a lot of effort to ensure everything works effectively. At ITS, we focus on technology well before peak season with evaluation and inspection of hardware and components. We also increase our server resources and purchase any needed components to gear up for the influx in orders.

ITS Logistics employees auditing technology

Stress testing is another big part of IT peak preparations. We’ll test our supply chain technology systems with our customers as they try to place the number of orders they receive on a peak day, and we see if your systems can handle it. During November and December, we track complications that arise so we can evaluate them after peak season and create solutions for the next year.

 

Learn more about how to prepare for peak season with robust supply chain technology solutions from our Corporate IT Director Rick Ross and Director of Supply Chain Solutions Kasia Wenker.

4. Managing direct and indirect small parcel shipping costs

September 28, 2021

Woman moving small package in warehouse

The continued volatility and uncertainty 2021 has brought to the small parcel industry has caused a lack of capacity, higher shipping and operating costs, and continued peak surcharges throughout the year. We can break these out into direct and indirect shipping costs.

 

Direct costs include things like shipping rates and fees while indirect ones come from spending the time to work with carriers on planning, forecasting, and management of pickups.

It’s important to move forward strategically in this chaotic season by doing things such as:

 

  • Integrating flexible tactics into your supply chain planning
  • Implementing supply chain visibility as your ultimate tool
  • Consider negotiating specific peak surcharge discounts and capacity guarantees
  • Quantify how much you are paying carriers
  • Work with a 3PL to leverage their discounts and expertise

5. IT Data Security is Critical for Your Ecommerce Operations

October 28, 2021

The massive amount of online shopping that is taking place has increased the number of targets for cyberattacks, meaning ecommerce security is more critical than ever. Data breaches harm brand reputations, result in loss of trust and can result in costly damages. Any personally identifiable information must be protected throughout the entire fulfillment process. This can be challenging because data goes through multiple different systems during the fulfillment process, so logistics providers must protect the data with complex security procedures.

Ecommerce security

Rick Ross, ITS Logistics corporate IT director, discusses how ITS protects data and complies with a variety of retailer requirements with data encryption, systems that continuously scrub data when it is no longer needed, and working with third-party companies to audit security practices and procedures to ensure compliance.

 

Learn more about the importance of data security in ecommerce.

Leverage ITS Logistics distribution and fulfillment services

If you are searching for a 3PL in 2022 that can help you navigate tight capacity and port congestion, manage labor challenges and scalability, prepare for peak season with IT initiatives throughout the year, manage your direct and indirect small parcel charges, and up-level your IT data security—ITS Logistics is here for you. Contact us today to learn how we can help.

ITS Logistics Director of Supply Chain Solutions Kasia Wenker

Learn more about ITS distribution services, fulfillment services and warehouse services or contact Director of Supply Chain Solutions Kasia Wenker at (775) 353-5160 or kwenker@its4logistics.com.

See how we can help today!

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