Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the landscape of logistics has been reshaped, with expectations around delivery undergoing a rapid pace of change.
Consumers now expect a delivery experience which moulds seamlessly around their preference and lifestyle, rather than be pigeonholed into rigid timeslots.
As a part of this they also champion visibility of their delivery while it’s in transit, demanding real-time updates and the ability to track their package at every stage of its journey.
The demand for greater transparency stems from e-commerce giants such as Amazon has set high standards for speed and efficiency, making consumers accustomed to instant updates, from dispatch to live tracking and proof of delivery – providing them with the reassurance of knowing where their package is anywhere, anytime and at any point in transit.
Despite these advancements in the consumer space, the same level of transparency has not fully extended into the B2B market, despite a clear and pressing need, according to CenGlobal, one of the leading providers of transport and logistics solutions across the UK, Middle East and Asia
Steve Cross, Managing Director at CenGlobal believes there is a significant disparity between tracking capabilities available to consumers purchasing low-cost items online and those accessible to businesses shipping high-value or sensitive consignments.
While consumers benefit from real-time updates, live tracking, and instant proof of delivery, many businesses are still reliant on outdated systems that provide limited visibility, leaving them vulnerable to delays, losses, and inefficiencies in the supply chain.
“For everyday consumer goods, customers will receive notifications at multiple touchpoints throughout the delivery journey, from dispatch confirmation to real-time tracking updates and final proof of delivery,” said Steve. “Amazon set the standard, and the online retail market followed suit as customers wanted the same level of transparency in knowing exactly when their order would arrive, who would be delivering it, and whether it had been successfully delivered.
“Ironically, the issue we have found is that consumers purchasing a low-value item from an online retailer often have greater access to unparalleled transparency and tracking capabilities than a business ordering high-value or sensitive consignments. That same level of transparency and visibility often just isn’t there because many providers still rely on outdated or fragmented tracking systems that don’t provide the same level of detail or real-time updates.
“Brands such as Amazon have invested heavily in technologies that provide seamless, real-time visibility for every order, regardless of its value. However, in the B2B sector, logistics providers will still rely on legacy systems or processes that simply weren’t designed to offer that same level of detail. That disparity just can’t continue.”
Logistics providers that directly transport and handle high-value, time-sensitive, or critical deliveries such as pharmaceuticals and specialist equipment are often most culpable despite their critical need for precision and reliability that extends beyond just meeting delivery timelines according to Steve Cross.
To bridge this gap, the company last year launched its cutting-edge delivery management app which fuses both delivery management and route optimisation with proof of delivery capabilities to provide total end-to-end automation of the entire delivery process, enabling customers to book their own collections and deliveries on a user-friendly single interface.
The app is believed to be the first of its kind to integrate with leading transport management software solution specialist Cargowise, for which CenGlobal is a Platinum Service Partner.
It also provides enhanced Proof of Delivery (POD) capabilities, including video POD, allowing businesses to capture visual evidence of successful deliveries. This comes at a time when more than £370 million worth of parcels were stolen from UK porches last year.
Steve Cross affirms that amid a growing desire for more flexible delivery options, logistics providers need to adopt delivery management technology if they are to remain competitive and meet customer demand this year.
He continued: “We live in an era now where transparency and reliability shape the entire customer experience, and businesses are no exception. They need more than just a rough estimated delivery window now; they require precise tracking and secure chain of custody that gives customers total visibility at every stage of the journey. It goes beyond just transparency; it’s about ensuring integrity too.
“Real-time visibility doesn’t just show where a shipment is, it helps protect what’s inside – which means for perishable goods maintaining the right conditions throughout transit is critical. Adopting advanced tracking solutions provide real-time alerts on temperature fluctuations, unauthorised access, or route deviations, ensuring immediate action can be taken to prevent damage or contamination. To address this gap, last year we developed our own application, which helps logistics providers to deliver the same premium delivery experience offered by major corporations, regardless of what industry they serve.
“As expectations around delivery continue to evolve, logistics providers that fail to adopt delivery management technology risk falling behind. Our aim is to level the playing field, giving them access to the same advanced logistics capabilities traditionally reserved for larger delivery specialists.”
