Top Cold-Chain Analytics You Should Require from Your 3PL

By: Brad Payne, VP of Brokerage

Today’s cold-chain technology allows us to be much more proactive while transporting perishable products. By implementing advanced analytics, 3PLs ensure the quality of the product is maintained from pick-up to delivery while enhancing customer supply chain efficiency by reducing cost, liability and spoilage/waste. Below, we’ve provided top cold-chain analytics you should require from your 3PL partner.

Enhanced Visibility

Visibility is a main focus with refrigerated shipping. Your 3PL partner should provide real-time GPS tracking from beginning to end as well as in-transit location notifications. Top 3PL providers have capabilities to do this and beyond. They integrate with the industry’s top visibility providers, allowing you to take advantage of these features. This lets you check-in on your shipment at your convenience at any given time. Also, you should receive temperature updates due to the time-sensitive nature of your freight. Make sure you can monitor the temperature and that your 3PL partner maintains a regular temperature-monitor protocol while your freight is in transit.

Extensive Commodity Knowledge

Customers should ensure that 3PLs have the overall knowledge of specific commodities and their respective temperature threshold ranges. This way, the quality of the shipment is maintained from start to finish without running into issues, such as product spoilage and waste.

Issue Protocols

By nature, cold-chain shipments create a sensitive shipping environment. That means, issues are sometimes inevitable and arise with such freight. That’s why your 3PL needs to be equipped with emergency protocols for proactive intervention to mitigate issues. A specialized 3PL in this arena will have a network of cold storage partners for emergency situations to mitigate and maintain product integrity.

Reach out to one of our cold-chain shipping experts today and receive shipping solutions with customized analytics to fit your needs that enhance your supply chain.