Good communication is the bridge between confusion and clarity.Every milestone updated makes you more confident. When time matters the most, it is through communication in logistics that time critical cargo teams show command and control of the situation.

If you must ask your Critical Cargo team for updates, the experience is painful. The need to ask for updates shows that team is displaying a low importance to your urgent cargo.

We know that if we are not communicating the cargo situation well, you will automatically assume things are bad. Next, you may develop negative feelings and assumptions, which makes the truth harder to identify – or even worst: your boss may get anxious and reprimand you for not knowing the current status of the cargo…

Eventually, someone must explain what is happening. So, for us in Expedited America –EP America’s division specially dedicated to time critical cargo– the best is always do it in real time.

Two hands hold a videogame control. On the screen, there are four options of Time Critical Cargo Solutions (Air charter, on-board courier, air priority and ground expedited) and it's written: Time to take control, choose you alternative to rise to your challenge! And the EP America logo.

Communicating milestones in real time adds value in showing that your urgent cargo is always being watched – in this case, the assumption is that we can identify when problems occur and act quickly to resolve issues, enabling the shipment to continue on its path.

This also gives you a sense of security in knowing that there is a process applied to your shipment. From the beginning –the first email– we give you clear information on what will take place, the process, and all of that will be assured by each milestone that is updated. All the data provided related to that process is meant to give you peace of mind.

This type of transparency gives you valuable information you can share with your team. By communicating properly, we also enable you to notify your own customers, your end users, otherwise, you’d look bad with them.

Proper communication in logistics is about telling you how the painting will look and then painting it in front of you.

Communication in logistics:

This is how we do it

We had a shipment coming from Germany, with parts needed to repair a machine in Des Moines (Iowa).

With a crew of six people waiting on-site to install the parts, while the cargo was still on transit, it was key that we updated our client every milestone along the way.

The freight took longer than normal to clear customs. Because we updated the order in time, the customer was able to reschedule the crew for the next morning, instead of sitting on-site waiting on the parts that would never show that day.

The crew was able to work on another part of the project and organize themselves to get the machine running the next day.

All professionals involved with international trade understand that issues like the customs we’ve mentioned above may happen, but it is key to work with teams with optimal communication channels, to ensure a change of plans will not make them loss money.

Optimal communication brings unity and it helps to create a team environment where every stakeholder knows where it stands, having control of a situation when they are approached by their superiors.

Knowing what stage of delivery an urgent cargo —or a programmed one— is enables a positive customer experience. And in Expedited America, we have a passion to serve.

Let’s make our good communication start now: contact us and let’s take your cargo where it needs to be, on time.