The 2017 peak was tighter than the year before. Europe-bound space began to tighten in late September, and by mid-October there was already "cargo but no space".
This year we reviewed several things together with clients:
1. Locking space early is the only effective move
Peak-season prices are elastic, but space is rigid. Locking high-volume shipping plans into schedules/flights before September is the only way to guarantee on-time shipping. Hoping to find space at the tail end of peak means either getting none or paying double.
2. Alternative channels must be verified in advance
Many clients look for a second lane at the last minute in peak, only to find the new lane's transit time and promises are nothing like claimed. Alternative channels should be test-run in the off-season; only after verifying speed and service quality do they become usable in peak.
3. Communication frequency decides the experience
What peak-season shippers worry about most is not slowness, but "not knowing where it is". This year we added proactive milestone pushes for the cargo we handle — warehouse booking, flight departure, arrival clearance, delivery completion — telling clients at each milestone instead of waiting for them to ask.
There are only two key moves for peak stocking: move the timing earlier, and get the channel ready. Both must be done in the off-season.
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