Lessons Learned How Can COVID-19 Changes Help Logistics Prepare for Brexit

Since the beginning of this year, we all have seen the huge impact that the COVID-19 virus outbreak has had on the world. Many industries, including the logistics industry and supply chains, had to change overnight. Closed borders, restrictions on importing and exporting from different countries, and barriers to sourcing products that were normally received from areas like China that were hit the hardest are all things the industry has had to overcome.

Amid dealing with all the restrictions, these industries also had to deal with an increase in demand for some items like personal protective equipment (PPE) and essential goods like food and toiletry items. Businesses and companies need to protect their own staff members but also need to help supermarkets increase their orders to curb the effects of panic buying by the public.

Finding a way to increase the number of safe deliveries while following proper guidelines and restrictions, was, and continues to be, the goal. This meant coming up with solutions for goods to be sourced, transported and delivered quickly and from different locations. In some areas, deals and order placing programs needed to be updated to ensure faster transaction and processing.

Some supply chains needed to be brought entirely online very quickly. Platforms were needed to show available stock, the location of certain items instantly, and delivery methods that ensured tracked goods were delivered directly to the door of the customer.

This switch to doing business completely online did help companies find more effective ways of dealing with fewer employees. If a business already had, or could quickly implement a digital infrastructure, then remote working was possible, and operations could continue without interruptions.

Freight forwarders, like DG International, were already using digital platforms like Horizon. Because of this, they were able to deal with COVID-19 demands and work with international suppliers, cargo operators, and technology providers without much trouble. Being able to have such a smooth transition helped provide thousands of orders on short notice.

As restrictions are starting to ease a little bit, it is important to look back and determine what lessons we learned that could help improve a business in the future.

There may be a second wave of COVID-19 cases, but even if there is not, there is still the oncoming issue of Brexit. Because of the turmoil in the world, it has been pushed to the back burner in many of our minds. It is time to re-evaluate and prepare for more changes that may come after the 31 December deadline.

While we may know we need to prepare, it can still be unclear on what we need to do to prepare. Some things that might warrant some further thought is the likelihood that there will be increased paperwork needed when shipments move across borders.

 

There may also be more customs declarations on imports from places outside the UK. This paperwork may be unfamiliar for a lot of people, so it is a good idea to get familiar with it to help a smooth transition to limit any chaos surrounding deliveries.

Because of the adaptations in technology we have already found during the past year, it is important to note that technology will continue to lead the way in preparing us for the future. It may even help solve some issues regarding customs. Digital solutions may help to monitor the freight instead of having physical teams at every location. Doing this online will also help to encourage transparency and will build trust between customers who can track their orders and see delays immediately and the company.

We have also had an increase in communication and the building of relationships with experienced partners during the pandemic, and these relationships will continue to benefit us moving forward and facing new problems. Logistics will prepare for Brexit by adapting as we always have and facing problems head-on.

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