Logistical Peace of Mind

A reliable shipping partner is an extension of your business

Whether you ship parts to another manufacturer or ship finished goods straight to retailers, you want to know the items will be delivered on time and in perfect working order. Anything less results in a loss of customer goodwill.

And yet the potential for incurring bad news is greater than ever, with delivery windows becoming increasingly stringent and more focus being placed on specific timing requirements across multiple channels. When asked what companies should look for in order to secure a reliable freight shipping partner, Jonathan Partee, director – sales & expedited services, for Old Dominion Freight Line Inc., cites three elements:

• commitment to on-time and damage-free deliveries;
• a broad range of services to accommodate specific needs; and
• the flexibility to meet changing needs.

Old Dominion’s adherence to the first element is evident in its track record: its on-time delivery rate and low claims ratio are among the very best in the transportation industry. Its approach to trans-border shipping — single-source provider and direct loading to and from major U.S. markets — is just one example of how it achieves such strong on-time and claims-free results.

Given the scope of business in the 21st century, freight solutions cannot be one-size-fits-all. Therefore, Old Dominion’s range of Expedited services includes Guaranteed Shipping (5 p.m. delivery on a specified day within normal transit times), On Demand (time-specific delivery for appointment or urgent shipments) and Must Arrive By Date (an effective way to manage vendor compliance demands and protect your vendor scorecard). A host of other options, including Security Divider Service and Expedited Air Shipping Service, are readily available to clients across North America.

In a similar vein, the needs of business in today’s busy marketplace can change suddenly and dramatically – and Old Dominion combines operations, equipment, and technology with care, attention to detail, and personal commitment, in order to ensure that products arrive in the right quantities, at the right locations, at the right time. “We have many resources at our disposal, such as 235 U.S. service centres, 21,000 dedicated logistics professionals and over 10,000 trucks and 33,000 trailers,” says Partee — all of which allow Old Dominion to respond to changes in plans with dynamic service upgrades.

Partee’s final thought about what companies should look for in a reliable freight shipping company concerns the ability to develop a close working relationship with that company: “And in that regard, we think of ourselves as an extension of your business, paying close attention to what you require.

“What we really do is provide clients with peace of mind, which allows them to focus on building their business instead of worrying about where their shipment is.”

Learn more at odfl.ca