(Newswire.net — April 27, 2020) —
The success of a company can be influenced by several factors, ranging from the competence of leadership and product quality. But one of the most important factors is the ability of a company to avail products to its customers. The novel coronavirus has changed the world drastically. As the impacts of Covid-19 continue to wreak havoc to almost every sector, governments have been forced to take drastic measures to curb the spread of the virus. These high impact measures include travel restrictions and lockdown policies. Businesses have had their equal share of adverse impacts. Most companies have had to shut down, and the surviving ones left to devise strategies on how to keep up with changing economic times. One challenge that they have had to tackle is how to ensure the continuous delivery of products to customers.
Small Businesses
Travel restrictions and social distance policies have largely impacted Mid-sized and small companies. Most of these startups have always relied on foot traffic, but now have to either strategize on how to offer home deliveries or close. Self-isolation and social distancing, although very important for health, have substantial negative impacts on the product supply chains. Businesses have had to reconsider their logistics options as border closures have majorly hindered product movement. Even well-established companies have felt the impacts. No longer are they selecting logistic and shipping options due to cost. Now, more than ever, companies are seeing the need to diversify on how to deliver their products to customers.
Packages and Parcels
If there is a question lingering in most people’s minds, it is whether packages pose a risk to the customer. Luckily, the answer is no. There is currently no evidence supporting the idea of coronavirus being transmitted via packages or imported goods. According to the CDC, the virus does not survive for long on surfaces and can only be transmitted from one person to another through respiratory droplets. According to studies, the virus has been suggested to survive on plastic surfaces for only up to two or three days and a mere 24 hours on cardboard surfaces. So, the risk of transmitting the virus via parcels or imported goods is generally shallow. This is because the products are shipped for days or weeks under ambient temperatures.
Trucking
Trucks have always been a critical player in the supply chain. At some point, almost all agricultural products and food have had to be transported by road. Hauling food is considered an essential service in nearly all parts of the world. Hence, truckers are majorly still in business. This, however, does not mean they are not facing challenges. With most essential services shutting down, truck drivers are having a hard time even getting a place to eat or access a shower and clean toilet. Shuttering of public transport in some parts of Africa is making driver’s access to their workplace difficult.
Trucks have, however, been continually used to transport goods during these difficult times. In the US, demand for trucks has increased although their efficiency has reduced due to one-way hauls and longer travel distances. Trucks from Canada have to make an empty haul through the US border to pick up food to transport back to Canadian soils. The trucking industry is also facing a labor shortage due to the risk of drivers contracting the virus while traversing the world. This risk can, however, be minimized by truckers ensuring limits on the number of people in the truck cabins, maintaining social distance during checkpoints, and a facemask at all times.
Container Shipping
The impacts of covid-19 on container shipping have up to now been bearable despite the spike in the freight cost. Container shipping lines are still in operation. They have, however, been made to follow stringent measures in ensuring the safety of their crews. For most of them, their crews cannot come offshore even after docking. Companies have, therefore, continued to supply their products through freights to their customers. To minimize the risk of spreading the virus, some countries require shipping lines to submit health declarations before docking.
Air Cargo
Unlike shipping, air cargo has been hit harder by the pandemic due to travel restrictions and advisories. Though still in operation, air cargo firms like IAG Cargo have had to cancel their services to hardest-hit coronavirus hotspots such as Wuhan and Hubei in China. Most of these airlines have reported severe disruption to cargo shipment services. FedEx Express (FDX) and UPS cargo airlines continue ferrying goods in and out of China despite the country being an epicenter of the virus.