Why carrier tracking is not enough for customer trust

#observations #reflections #customers #needs #supplychain #resilience #consulting In my recent consulting work addressing the #RedSea crisis, I've observed a definitive trend among customers: they are seeking #transparency, not just #visibility. Customers want to delve beyond the mere location of their cargo; they are keen to understand the rationale behind shipping lines' decisions to divert or reroute, the actual conditions of the area, and the operational strategies in place. They are curious about the potential impact on capacity and how it all ties back to their shipments. While there are numerous reasons why shipping lines might prefer to keep these details confidential, including safety concerns, competitive edge, or geopolitical issues, this lack of open communication leads to a fundamental trust deficit. This skepticism isn't just limited to the logistics sector but is a broader sentiment that has escalated in the post-Covid era, as individuals and businesses alike have faced broken promises and unforeseen challenges. However, this climate has given rise to an essential need for a sense of #control. Customers are no longer satisfied with being passive recipients of information. The demand for visibility has evolved into a demand for comprehensive understanding and participation in the process. They want to be informed of not just what is happening to their goods, but why these decisions are being made, and how it affects them directly. In conclusion, it's evident that meeting customer needs in today's complex global landscape goes beyond providing tracking milestones. It involves elevating the dialogue to offer #insights into the decision-making process, the rationale behind these decisions, and the direct impact on their goods. By committing to this level of transparency, we can foster a more informed, empowered, and trusting customer base.

Trust in freight isn’t built by only watching carriers. It’s built when carriers are willing participants in transparency. When we introduced Carrier Identity to the market as a category, we coined the phrase' digital and physical footprint'. A digital footprint shows who a carrier claims to be. A physical footprint proves it. When a carrier connects to Highway to provide verified equipment data, they’re establishing legitimacy. They’re saying, “I am who I say I am, and this is my equipment.” That transparency strengthens trust for everyone involved. It also exposes bad actors trying to fake their physical footprint. When fraud shows up in that validation process, we catch it early. This is the foundation of Carrier Identity, pairing digital behavior with physical proof. It gives honest carriers more opportunities and gives brokers the confidence to move faster. Transparency isn’t surveillance. It’s participation. Participation is what builds a trusted exchange.

Why relying on carrier events only isn't good (enough)? Short answer: the carrier isn't always telling you everything and will turn doubtful events to his advantage. Long answer: carrier tracking is a pretty difficult job and here is why: Step 1 in carrier tracking is obviously establishing an integration with the carrier to retrieve tracking events. We prefer to do this according to the carrier's guidelines to prevent bumping into rate limits or setting up semi-DDoS attacks. One could stop here and push raw carrier data, but we apply a mapping to all statuses and events we retrieve from the carriers. This way all data is harmonised and we speak the same language for every carrier, regardless of which ones are used by our customers. To go beyond carrier tracking, at Tracey by Sendcloud, we add another layer to this process: the shipping blueprint of our customer, which we take into account (on a warehouse level) → which days of the week you ship (Mon-Fri) → the cut-off times per carrier (23.59 PM) → the delivery promise you made to your customer (2-3 days) → the delivery promise the carrier made to you (95% within 2 days) This logic is being used to generate Tracey-specific events; typically things the carrier isn't saying but should be saying based on your blueprint. On the one hand, this information provides way better insights into carrier performance, for example with our SLA reviews (see video). But also by making a clear distinction between what happened and what was supposed to happen. On the other hand, the individual Tracey-specific events can be used as touch points for proactive outreach to your customers and show them you really keep a close eye on their orders. Over the next weeks, I will explain the following ones to you in more detail: 🚚 Calculated delivery delay 🫴 Calculated handover delay ❌ Off-radar 🔔 PUP near expiration Which one(s) are you most curious about? #weekendsnack #ecommerce #shippingintelligence

The first mile buying experience doesn’t differentiate your brand. Your last mile does. Retailers spend millions on ad campaigns, slick websites, and seamless checkout experiences—then completely drop the ball on the post-purchase experience (PPX). Here’s the reality: 1️⃣ Experience defines your brand. Customers don’t remember the ad that got them to buy. They remember if their order arrived late, got lost, or lacked communication. 2️⃣ Customers don’t see carriers. When a delivery is late, they don’t blame FedEx or UPS—they blame you. Every tracking update, every delay, every return—it’s YOUR brand in their eyes. 3️⃣ PPX is the battleground. The last mile is where brands win or lose long-term loyalty. The best retailers own the full experience—they don’t let carriers dictate their customer relationships. Yet too many brands hand off the last mile experience to third-party carriers. ❌ They lose control of tracking updates. ❌ They miss the chance to engage customers post-purchase. ❌ They give up revenue opportunities in the process. 💡 The best brands treat post-purchase as a competitive advantage. ✅ They own tracking, updates, and communication. ✅ They proactively engage customers before they have to ask. ✅ They turn delivery into a revenue and loyalty driver. parcelLab