Trucking Executive Thought Leaders - Inbound Logistics

trucking executive THOUGHT LEADERSthen compare carriers to see who is providingthe truest measure of service. Saia has alwaysheld itself to a higher standard by having veryfew service exception codes. When we say 97.5percent of our shipments were delivered on-time,we mean it. Because of this, our customers knowthey are getting an accurate assessment of ourperformance.Another way to assess a carrier is to look at howthey view “clear” deliveries. For instance, beingable to see claims-free ratios is great, but beingable to see how many of your customers signedfor shipments “clear” is even better. Saia measures“clear” deliveries for every Saia customer each dayvia our exception-free delivery metric, which isthe number of error-free deliveries we make beforefreight is recorded as damaged, short, or in surplus.RickO’DellPresidentand CEOSaiaQQ: How can service accountability and innovationhelp shippers stay one step ahead in a tougheconomic climate?O’Dell: Vigilant shippers make sure every dollarthey spend counts by choosing carriers whooffer them the opportunity to shine in front oftheir customers. While there are different waysto accomplish this, one of the best measures ashipper can take is to look for a partner carrierthat provides transparency and evolution.For more than 10 years, Saia has trackedits performance via our Customer ServiceIndicators (CSIs), an index of performancemeasurements. Indeed, I encourage shippers tomake sure their carriers are holding themselvesaccountable by providing honest, accuratemetrics. Shippers shouldn’t assume all on-timeperformance is created equal. It is your right toask what shipments are excluded from service,Currently, 98.3 percent of our shipments aredelivered exception-free. In January, this data willbe available via our Web site as part of our CSIs.Shippers shouldn’t stop at transparency; theyshould also partner with a carrier that fostersinnovation. As an example, we recently improvedour pick-up and delivery optimization software,which has significantly enhanced our overallservice. Now, estimated time of arrivals aregenerated by our optimizer and fed directly intoour tracing screens. This allows customers to getspecific delivery times on their freight by callingour customer service number or tracing theshipment themselves through our Web site.Times are challenging. But that doesn’t meanshippers should expect less. In fact, they shouldexpect their carrier to always be looking out fortheir best interests.Saia | 800-765-7242jjump@saia.com | www.saia.com4 Inbound Logistics • September 2010