Allocation problems may not rise to the level faced by the crew of Apollo 13. But they can happen, and when they do, they are almost as dire.
“When clients and their employees count on transportation, and the needed resources are not available, it becomes a big problem,” says Mary Beth Johnson, Vice President, Avail Move Management.®
In such situations, clients can turn to Avail.
“First, we need to find out why current shipment allocation methods do not result in adequate coverage,” says Mary Beth. “Once we understand all the underlying factors, we can propose a solution.”
“Avail works with each client to find the best answers,” says Avail’s Jessica Nichols, Manager, Business Development. “We want to meet their expectation for service as well as their capacity needs.”
The Science of Allocation
Avail has built a process for shipment allocation that derives efficiency from across a network of providers. If a network provider is unable to accept a move, it goes to the next in sequence. If no provider accepts, contingency provisions ensure coverage.
“We monitor the different regions and determine if our network needs strengthening,” says Jessica. “When it does, we vet additional quality providers to fill the gaps. We stay proactive to ensure clients receive excellent customer service.”
Avail also monitors the performance of every provider in the network, using the client’s key point indicators. When indicated, Jessica says Avail takes appropriate action to ensure service does not fail to meet the client’s expectations.
“For example, we can watch for a provider’s coverage becoming unbalanced, or for dips in customer service scores,” says Jessica. “The Avail team is trained to recognize such indicators and intervene as needed. We work with the provider to correct the pattern and mitigate the issues going forward.”
Information Generosity
If the allocation model is the engine, communication is the oil. Avail has an enhanced system for generous information sharing across the network.
“Avail can produce status reports for clients that verify all touch-points with customers are met,” says Jessica. “Our customer service representative can make follow-up calls, plus offer frequent, individual attention by phone or email. Ultimately, we want every client and their customers served in the way that works best for them.”
