For 4,000 years, the beginning of a new year has involved making New Year’s resolutions. The ancient Babylonians would promise their gods that they would repent for past mistakes and seek their favor for the new year. The Romans, who established January 1st as the start of the modern calendar year, offered sacrifices and resolved to behave well in order to appease Janus, the two-faced god associated with doorways and arches.
Today, many resolutions are focused on self-improvement and tend to be secular in nature. Although it has become increasingly challenging for individuals to stick to their resolutions (only about 9% of Americans actually achieve their goals), this does not mean that resolutions are unnecessary or trivial.
This is especially true for companies in sectors like logistics. Businesses often become complacent with their processes once they experience success from new supply chain strategies and tools. They may believe that relying on past successes will guarantee continued achievements.
However, as technology and geopolitical factors change, the systems that once contributed to a freight company’s success can become obstacles to progress. To ensure the smooth flow of goods and ongoing success, companies must prioritize continuous improvement by reviewing last year’s outlook and determining next steps.
This is an excellent opportunity for individuals in the supply chain to make freight resolutions for the new year. To help you set goals for a successful year ahead, we have compiled ideas for resolutions your team can adopt to improve freight shipping and supply chain processes.
Idea 1: Cut Costs Wisely
Budgets are always a concern after the holiday season, which means the new year is the perfect time to take stock of your spending. By performing an audit, your company can assess its current financial situation and see where cuts can be made. You can also decide on new purchases and which parts of the supply chain process are necessary and cannot be cut.
After the audit is complete and changes are made, you cannot then sit on your laurels. You need to review your budget continually. A way to keep track of your spending is to use KPIs; by setting benchmarks and comparing data, you can always notice where adjustments are needed. You can also do an annual review and ensure that
Idea 2: Improve Efficiency Through New Technologies
The goal of business shipping is to get products from manufacturing to customers’ hands as quickly as possible. However, logistics is infamous for being slow to adapt to progress. This is why companies have been turning to the latest technologies to bolster their supply chain operations and increase productivity.
One of the main technologies being utilized is automation. If parts of the supply chain, such as order picking, packaging, and distribution, are automated, you can shift your focus to prioritize more critical aspects. Other technologies you can utilize include cloud storage, smart tags, real-time tracking, AI, and machine learning.
Idea 3: Anticipate Needs via Forecasting
Forecasting involves predicting what the market will look like in the coming days, weeks, and months. This has become harder to obtain in the last several years due to economic difficulties; however, it remains a vital data point for businesses to understand their needs and prepare for unexpected developments.
To anticipate logistical needs effectively, having the right tools is crucial. This includes software for predictive analytics, demand forecasting, and inventory management, tailored to your company’s size and budget. Smaller companies may use basic spreadsheets, while larger corporations often opt for advanced platforms that use AI and machine learning to gain deeper insights.
Idea 4: Become More Flexible and Resilient
In logistics, where supply chain processes are intricate and complex, even the slightest mistake or interruption can severely impact a business’s operations. That’s why it’s essential to prepare for potential obstacles by becoming more adaptable to change.
Gather your team to create contingency plans for various scenarios, such as severe weather, transportation breakdowns, supply shortages, and more. To enhance supply chain agility, consider diversifying your suppliers and carriers to ensure you have backup options if one supplier fails.
Idea 5: Invest More In Sustainable Logistics
The logistics industry is adapting to environmental policies by integrating sustainable assets such as alternative fuels, electric vehicles (EVs), and energy-efficient warehouses. These strategies help reduce environmental impact while ensuring economic viability and social responsibility.
These strategies often come with high upfront costs, which may discourage some companies from adopting them. Careful planning is essential for implementing sustainable logistics. While it’s not advisable to allocate your entire budget to eco-friendly assets, it is important to invest in at least one. Once these assets are fully integrated into your operations, they can prove to be a worthwhile investment.
How to Ensure Your Freight Resolution Is Successful
These ideas are just a few ways you and your company can commit to a more scalable and productive supply chain this year. However, as alluded to before, not all resolutions are kept. It is easy to fall back into predictable routines and patterns, and logistics operations are no exception.
That leads to the question: how do you guarantee your freight resolution is a resounding success? If you are concerned about not achieving your logistics goals, consider these strategies to monitor your progress and maintain the benefits you have gained from your resolutions:
- Ensure Your Resolution is SMART: The term “SMART” refers to business goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant (or Realistic), and Timely (or Time-Bound). By using the SMART framework, you ensure that everyone understands the expectations, the performance levels required from all parties involved, and the professional development needed to achieve your goals. In other words, you are making your freight resolutions clearer, trackable, and actionable, which increases the likelihood of their success compared to traditional business goals.
- Use KPIs for Monitoring: As mentioned before, KPIs are especially important for monitoring how effectively you reduce costs. However, they can also be used to track a variety of resolutions, from greater adaptability to the upholding of sustainability efforts. The important element is that KPIs provide clear, quantifiable data to support informed decision-making. If a specific KPI cannot do this, you may need to find a new measurement or revisit your freight resolution.
- Communicate with Your Team: While you may have a clear vision of what you want to achieve with your freight resolution, your teammates might not fully understand it or may interpret it differently. This is where effective communication becomes essential. Clearly present your ideas to your company, specifying what you want to accomplish and how to achieve it. Also, maintain open communication with all relevant parties at every stage of the process to ensure that everyone is aligned and can work together effectively toward the final goal.
- Rely on a Third-Party Logistics Provider: When working towards your freight resolution, it’s important to involve various parties, including suppliers and carriers. However, a crucial participant in your success is a 3PL. They possess in-depth knowledge of the freight industry and can assist you in areas where your team may lack expertise. Additionally, 3PLs often have established agreements with carriers that can help lower shipping costs for their customers. This can ease financial concerns and help you reach your goals without being limited by budget constraints.
Conclusion
People have welcomed the new year with promises of change and improvement for thousands of years. While today’s resolutions don’t involve ritual sacrifices to the gods, the spirit behind them remains: the desire to fix mistakes and improve oneself.
For the logistics industry, that desire is not just symbolic; it is essential for productivity. Freight professionals and supply chain operations do not stay still; if businesses rely on what worked last year, they risk being left behind by upcoming innovations.
By setting freight resolutions for the new year, companies give themselves a roadmap for the foreseeable future. The real power of a resolution isn’t in making the commitment itself, but measuring progress, adapting when necessary, and involving the right allies along the way.
As the new year begins, let your goals be more than just hopeful intentions. Let them be practical commitments that strengthen your supply chain and position your business for long-term success.
