Sun Tzu, the famous 6th century BC Chinese general, military strategist, once said, ‘the line between order and disorder lies in logistics.’ He knew his maxim would bring peace to the chaotic link between war and the supply of goods. Fast forward to the 21st century – logistics professionals are still after discipline, harmony, which ghosted since the first good ever moved. Now, there is a new mix to this draft of problems.
On one side, ecommerce took control of the frenzy shoppers’ minds, drawing upon the unique promises of flexibility and comfort. On the other, COVID added fuel to the fire and caused explosions to order and volume. To the e-tailers, it was sheer business, but for logistics, it meant more returns and disposals of packaging and products. For this, companies should establish reverse logistics – the return of materials from the consumer’s hands to the organization. Let’s deep dive and find out how to apply this without hiccups. Here are some real-life tips:
Post-sale and post-consumption considerations
As we know, it’s a no-brainer to regard logistics as a liner fashioned job. Every order is closed upon reaching the customer’s address. However, there are cases in which returns occur, making it necessary to think of a return route.
Next is to factor in the destination of the discarded materials. It should happen through ecological disposal or reuse. In this case, businesses need to assume greater responsibilities and comply with all the operational laws. In both situations, what we call reverse logistics happens. It requires a business to quickly reorganize its supply chain. Once done, the goods flow starts to run in the opposite direction of the traditional one. So, it’s worthwhile to weigh in post-sale and post-consumption while devising your company’s logistics strategy.
Return, exchange, and disposal policy
By establishing an efficient policy, customers, suppliers, and retailers will know exactly what to do when a return or exchange is requested. In the same way, people will be more oriented about the apt disposal of packages and residues besides being able to populate the information.
Similarly, all company employees need to be upskilled in all this. Upon receiving the knowledge, they will make the flow go smoothly within the organization. In short, it’s necessary to plan the policy and the work process and then evangelize the practices.
Financial and quality control
Often, it’s required to refund the amount to the customer of the order. However, if the business does not carry out the financial control correctly, it cannot reimburse or bear other expenses imposed by reverse logistics. Therefore, place your bets on the digitization of your workflow that ties up logistics to your business commercials. Vouch for digital freight platforms that guarantee flexibility and seamless user experience regarding financial control of your logistics. For MENA’s largest digital freight network, TruKKer, digitization of workflows and processes is a pure play. Right from the billing to the product info, view everything through dynamic reports on a customized dashboard. You – the shippers or carriers – can get your hands on all your financial reports and enjoy deeper insights into your operations. It eases the chronic pain of running to several service providers with documents.
Rewarding alliances that promise reverse logistics
If you’re going to outsource the transport of products with a carrier, for example, choose one that is an authority in the market. So, you will save resources and can rest assured that your partner will carry out the returning phase of logistics seamlessly. Keep an eye out for a freight forwarder that is known for capacity and handling volumes on-demand. Shippers who have teamed up with us enjoy robust inland connectivity of 30,000+ trucks besides access to a rewarding ETA. The platform buzzes with load requests, and our futuristic allocation algorithm auto-indents the best possible transport.
Doing reverse logistics as it should be, gives you immense benefits. In addition to legal compliance, it ensures cost reduction (recycling), highlights competitive advantage (sustainable engagements), and pushes for brand awareness in society. It’s time you thought about all this, so start now.