What are the top 5 challenges in cold chain logistics and how to comply
Supply chains are becoming more complex with each passing day. This has resulted in an increase in opportunities for businesses but also has increased the complexities of efficiently managing the supply chain network. Cold chain logistics in addition to dealing with the general challenges of logistics chains; also have to deal with their own unique set of problems. These risks and challenges can cause financial and reputational losses to your enterprise and hence need to check. Here’s a look at the top 5 challenges in cold chain logistics and how you can overcome them.
Customer service
Providing exceptional customer service is the core objective of every supply chain. However, it is also among their biggest challenges. Supply chains must ensure the timely delivery of good quality products. However, with increasing complexities in supply chains, it has become a major issue to ensure the highest level of customer satisfaction. Supply chain partners should aim to maximize the efficiency of the supply chain network, so that customer satisfaction is guaranteed. Proper handling and storing of items, ensuring the quality of the goods is maintained in the logistics process; and ensuring timely delivery of items are some of the ways by which businesses can ensure the highest quality of services are provided to their customers.
Product monitoring
A cold chain supply system involves multiple stages. Monitor the items at every stage to ensure efficiency and transparency in the supply chain network. Due to the limited availability of technology, the costs involved in monitoring the supply chain was very high. Also, the technologies were not reliable to make their implementation useful. However, in recent years, product monitoring has become a relatively easy task due to technologies such as barcodes, computer vision, and artificial intelligence. Businesses can have complete information about the products in the supply chain in real-time thanks to the mentioned technologies. Crave’s Direct Store Delivery can help businesses optimize their delivery tracking by providing real-time information about the product on a handheld device. It can confirm the specifications, date, time, and address of the delivery and also record the name of the receiving party along with their electronic signature.
Partner relationship
A logistics chain includes multiple business partners, including suppliers, warehouse providers, and transporters. You need to maintain a cordial relationship with each of the partners involved. The cold chain involves perishable products; and any inefficiencies can cause delays that can result in friction among the parties involved. To overcome this challenge, each of the parties involved should work towards developing the relationship. Communication is the key to maintaining a harmonious partnership in the supply chain system. You can partner with an advanced logistics solution provider such as Crave Infotech that can take care of your logistics needs and have a transparent approach in the supply chain network.
Cybersecurity
With the introduction of IoT devices in logistics, the security threats accompanying them have also been included. Right from the sourcing, supplying and delivery of products in the cold chain, your products are at risk of cyber-attacks. The threat looms in the form of manipulation or theft of digital data that can cause financial losses to your business. Threats can be in the form of emails, phishing attacks, or tampering of logistics data. You need to ensure that all your systems and the data stored in them are properly secured. A highly secure network should be implemented to restrict the access of your logistics data to any third-party. Additionally, employees should be educated and trained about cybersecurity to prevent any possible mistakes that can compromise your network data.
High operating costs
Supply chain logistics, in general, have been burdened with high operating costs since their inception. It includes, but is not restricted to, high transportation costs, increasing labor costs, government regulations, and rising commodity prices in general. Technology can aid in reducing the operating costs and streamlining most of the processes involved in cold chain logistics. Artificial intelligence can automate multiple processes in the supply chain. AI robots are best to carry out monotonous tasks in the cold chain. Drones and robots, too, can be utilized to minimize labor costs as these can work with higher efficiency and longer periods of time as compared to humans. Additionally, other technologies like machine learning, IoT, and blockchain, can also reduce the costs involved in the supply chain significantly.
Crave Infotech’s solutions can help you effectively manage your cold chain logistics to maximize your business possibilities. Our solutions integrate advanced technologies like IoT, machine learning, and blockchain that can ensure your cold chain logistics business never goes ‘cold’.