USPS loses remains of man's father

October 9 2013

The safe delivery of a package is always expected when you drop it in the mail. In some cases, the contents of the parcel make this expectation extremely important. This could refer to important legal documents, inventory for a weekend sale or the cremated remains of your recently deceased father.

A delivery problem with the latter is currently playing out in Florida and Vermont as a package that was sent between these two locations and contained an urn and the cremated remains of John Shaffer's father had its contents misplaced. When the package arrived in Springfield, Vermont, the box had been severely damaged, was filled with children's clothes and the urn was missing.

According to Shaffer, who was interviewed in a recent article for Vermont news outlet WCAX, as soon as the package arrived he knew something was wrong. His fiance has sent the box from Florida days prior, but what happened in transit is still unknown and an investigation is underway.

"We have a robust investigation ongoing," a statement from the USPS reads. "This includes action in Vermont, Florida and our Mail Recovery Center where unidentified items that become separated from packaging during mail handling are directed."

This kind of situation happening with any package is stressful for sender and receiver. But in some instances, a lost package can be devastating, especially when the contents of the parcel are impossible to replicate. This is why a delivery service with a reliable track record can become a smart alternative to traditional shipping means.

Does government shutdown threaten mail delivery?

October 2 2013

Anyone who follows the news or has a social media account is by now aware that the U.S. Government has shut down. However, there is still much confusion around what is actually going to happen now as Congress tries to get things back on track.

For instance, what happens to the United States Postal Service if the government is shutdown? Since 1971, the USPS has created its own revenue and does not rely on Congressional appropriations, which means it will remain open even though the shutdown is in effect. That is according to a recent article from Lexology.

While that is good news, it does raise the question, what would happen if the mailing industry was to shut down? The article took a guess. First up, any business that sends bills through the mail would be out of luck when it comes to collecting that revenue.

"Mail order businesses and local businesses that rely on advertising mail would also be hurt, and subscribers wouldn't get their magazines and newspapers," the article reads. "Even though the impact would be less severe now than in 1995-1996 – when we had a 21 day Government shutdown – it would still have a huge negative impact on the economy."

Because of this, it may make more sense for a company to start relying on a local courier service instead of the USPS to handle its mailing needs. This way no government shutdown can threaten to halt delivery of critical packages and sensitive information through the mail.

Shipping snafu causes chaos at Yankee Stadium

September 30 2013

Whenever a long-time player retires, there is a certain amount of fanfare and tributes that are held in their honor. This has been New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera's final season in baseball, who spent all 19 years of his Hall-of-Fame caliber career pitching for the Bronx Bombers. Over the last few months, a number of teams have honored Rivera and last week was his final series in front of the home crowd.

One of the announced tributes prior to last week's games was a limited edition Rivera bobblehead giveaway, where the first 18,000 fans though the gates when they opened at 5 p.m. would receive the commemorative figurine. However, when the doors opened, fans were handed vouchers to get a doll when they became available at a later time. Just before first pitch, fans were informed they should travel to a specific gate to retrieve their bobblehead. This created a volatile situation as thousands of people gathered in one location and 90-minute lines and frustration followed. Some took to social media to express concern over the possibility of fights breaking out.

How did this happen? The delivery truck broke down and was late.

According to an article in the New York Daily News, because of storage limitation at Yankee Stadium, all giveaway products are shipped in the day of. This means a single hiccup in the process can be disastrous.

By partnering with an experienced third party logistics service that offers flexible warehousing, the Yankees could have shipped product early and stored them offsite or rested easy knowing the truck would not break down.

The benefits of outsourcing logistics

September 17 2013

For all of us, there have been times where we could have completed a task more easily if we had the help of an experienced individual who knew the project inside and out. This is the basis for companies seeking the help of a third-party solution provider.

In the supply chain and logistics marketplace, this idea is no different. A recent article from Cerasis examined several advantages organizations can benefit from when they partner with an outsourced logistics company.

"There are a multitude of benefits companies gain by outsourcing supply chain management and logistics to a value-added 3PL provider," the article reads. "Third party logistics offers an all in one solution for assembly, packaging, warehousing, and distribution. Utilizing a 3PL provides businesses with a reliable logistics advantage, and maximizes profitability through combined knowledge and resources."

The piece goes on to discuss several different specific advantages that come from using a third party logistic solution. They include:

  • Access to a vast resource network
  • Saving time and money
  • Flexibility and scalability
  • Continuous optimization
  • Ongoing industry expertise

Saving and optimizing resources is a key aspect of any upgraded solution, but it is the ongoing industry expertise that can make a real difference. A quality third party provider understands the industry and how it changes. On top of that, it understand which of the latest trends will be real difference makers and which are just a flash in the pan and are able to adjust how they do business accordingly. Any business would be wise to find and partner with a logistics and distribution provider to optimize these systems.

Outsourcing logistics systems help overcome talent challenges

September 15 2013

Many organizations currently find themselves in an interesting situation — the baby boomers are getting ready to retire and hand the reins over to the millennial generation. However, as technology has created new fields that the younger generation is flocking to, some older systems are being left by the wayside. Unfortunately, these systems are still vital to the success of a company.

One of the areas that has experienced this kind of problem is the supply chain. According to an article from Logistics Viewpoints, from load planners and transportation managers to supply chain analysts and truckers, millennial talent is a dwindling commodity.

"So how do you marry the Millennial Generation with the supply chain? Some say Millennials need to adapt/conform to corporate America; some say that corporations need to restructure in ways that suit Millennials' needs," the article reads. "Another approach comes in the form of technology."

The piece goes on to say that technology adoption is increasing in the supply chain and is therefore increasing the opportunities for the younger generation. Unfortunately, investing in these kinds of solutions can be costly.

There is another way that organizations can get passed this: outsourcing supply chain solutions. There are resources out there that can help any organization with all of its shipping and warehousing needs. Whether you are sending something cross country or across the city of Cleveland, by using an outside courier service, any company can overcome a lack of internal talent to have an optimized shipping strategy.