Month: <span>May 2022</span>

We have always believed that a clean working environment is crucial to our business. We have worked hard to develop processes that show our dedication to customers and our employees by providing them with a safe, efficient and clean work environment that they can be proud of. These processes tie into how we treat our shipments. By keeping a clean and uncluttered environment, we’re able to ensure that all of our shipments arrive at their destination on time and undamaged. Here we highlight all the ways a cleanliness shows a dedication to service.

At the end of every shift, the entire team performs a routine cleaning of the office and warehouse. Any papers, refuse or anything else on the floor is picked up and all of the trash is thrown out. The warehouse floor gets a dust dry mop, followed by our floor scrubbers which remove any oil slicks, dirt or other contaminants. Our team also performs routine inspections of the building to make note of any dimming light bulbs, areas in need of paint or repair and we create a comprehensive maintenance checklist to address as soon as it’s appropriate. Our podiums are also cleaned after every shift, ensuring that there is no clutter near any of our customer’s shipments. This routine cleanup shows a regular, consistent dedication to our stakeholders, because clutter is simply unproductive.

Another way we’ve done our best to show dedication to our stakeholders is by developing a straightforward documentation system for all of our shipments. Shipments are organized based on their destination and we perform a daily check to make sure shipments that are supposed to stay are in the warehouse and those that were supposed to leave have done so. We use an internal phrase ‘Being Current’ to ensure that all of the latest documents are stacked and organized for the next shift. Even our walls were painted white for the purpose of reducing eye strain when reading documents. All of these tasks keep us accurate so that we can get shipments to their destination on time and undamaged.

Here at Zip Xpress, we understand that cleanliness shows our dedication to our stakeholders. We’re proud of maintaining one of the cleanest warehouses in all of West Michigan, as well as a precision that is unmatched in caring for and delivering every shipment that comes through our doors. It’s one of the many reasons why we’ve maintained a 99% satisfaction rating with all of our customers. To see for yourself, start today with Zip Xpress!

For years the focus of many businesses has been on keeping costs down and staying as lean as possible with small work forces, minimal suppliers, low inventories and a responsive supply chain strategy. While this may have worked in the past and has had its merits, we’re quickly approaching a time where cut-rate service isn’t going to work anymore. American supply chains have proven that they need to become more resilient in the face of snarls on multiple fronts. It’s time to put our focus on developing a more agile supply chain that can handle the challenges ahead of us.

One of the areas businesses have focused on is ordering more inventory and storing it within their warehouses. This allows the business to have more control over their inventory levels and ship when needed, but unless they have a specific production plan in place, it’s hard for companies to find that ‘just right’ inventory level. Becoming lean is more of a focus on flexibility as well as agility. It is not about keeping costs low to the ground, but working with supply chain partners that can provide information and the solutions you need to get your products to the customer on time and undamaged.

Another area to work on in becoming more agile is constant communication across the supply chain. Agility is built on quick and efficient communication. The faster (and more often) companies communicate with each other, the more flexibility both bring to the table when it comes to getting shipments to their destination on time and undamaged. Communication through phone calls offers real time adjustments – whether those for changing pickup/delivery times or production schedules. Communication helps build trust because a customer knows that setbacks can and will happen with their shipments. However customers grow frustrated when they’re left in the dark and face a setback without knowing what’s really happening to their shipments. They paid for them, they want to know when they’ll receive them. Developing an agile supply chain will help businesses stay competitive across West Michigan, keeping us at the cutting edge of what’s to come.

Here at Zip Xpress, we understand the importance of bringing agility to the West Michigan supply chain. We help all of our customers in developing means and methods of improving their supply chains, growing their business through consistent and reliable shipment practices. We keep communication lines open all the time. Here at Zip Xpress, if you give us a call you will speak with a person, never an answering machine. We provide constant updates on where shipments are and when to expect them with your customers and our friendly drivers will also greet them with a smile. We help businesses by providing the right custom carrier solutions which help companies overcome whatever challenges they’re facing. All of these put together explain why we maintain a 99% satisfaction rating with all of our customers. To see for yourself, start today with Zip Xpress!

There are no shortage of challenges when it comes to making and shipping your products to your customers. While capacity challenges are lifting, there are still many other challenges to overcome such as labor, prices of materials, fuel prices and other costs associated with doing business. Yet as we all know, there will always be challenges when it comes to shipping, but the keys to navigating those challenges will always be the same: planning and patience.

One of the best places to start in overcoming these shipping challenges is by developing a production plan for your products. While it is not an easy process, the ability to map out your production, your materials, suppliers, costs, etc. allows you to have a full understanding of what you need when you need it. Developing this production plan allows you to prepare and be proactive when placing orders for materials, and can help hedge against rising costs. This ability to plan is also relevant with your shipping strategy because when goods are consistent in their arrival, it becomes that much easier to develop this production plan.

By working closely with a trusted carrier in the development and execution of your production plan, you can create more predictability with sales and deliveries of your products, which will help create trust with your customers. As you work with your stakeholders to develop this production plan and learn what their challenges are, you’ll build trust with them as well where you can lean on them when you need them most. Taking this measured approach, remaining calm and creating a production plan that you can stick to will help you take control of your business and prepare you for any challenge, regardless of the circumstances. 

Here at Zip Xpress, we are committed to planning and patience when it comes to customer success. We develop a number of options for all of our customers that helps enhance their production plan and keeps their customers happy with deliveries on time and undamaged. It doesn’t matter what obstacles you’re facing, we’re here to help succeed and we have a custom carrier solution that will help you. It’s why we have a 99% retention rate with our delightful customers. Want to see for yourself? Then start today with Zip Xpress!