How can you ensure your container shipping optimization consultant is valuable?

Container shipping stations play a very important role in the global economy, by facilitating the movement of goods between different modes of transport. Therefore, they are an essential part of the multimodal goods transport system, as they provide storage and handling services and many other services for goods packed in containers.

Ensure your container shipping optimization consultant's value by defining clear objectives and assessing their expertise through experience and references. Confirm their industry knowledge and customization capability, prioritizing a data-driven approach. Choose a consultant with effective communication skills, emphasizing collaboration and knowledge transfer for long-term success. Request a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis and prioritize flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances. Continuous improvement commitment is crucial; seek ongoing support and periodic reviews for optimized strategies. These considerations maximize the likelihood of valuable insights and tailored solutions for your specific container shipping needs.

One thing I have found helpful is to ask the consultant detailed questions about their experience and approach. This allows you to assess their expertise and problem-solving methodology. For example, you can ask them to walk through a case study showing how they optimized routes and container loading for a client. Pay attention to the metrics and KPIs they use to measure optimization success. Also, I request that they outline the typical process they follow to analyze shipping data, identify opportunities, develop solutions, and track ongoing results. The more specifics and metrics-driven details they can provide, the more confidence you can have in their capabilities.

One thing I have found helpful is to ask the consultant to do a mini-project or trial optimization for you before fully contracting their services. This allows you to directly evaluate the methodology, tools, and overall problem-solving approach the consultant would apply if you engage them more broadly. For example, you can provide shipment data for a single trade lane or mode, and ask them to analyze and model the baseline, identify improvement opportunities, and recommend an optimized plan. By assessing the rigor, innovation, achievability, and projected ROI of their proposal for even a small slice of your operations, you gain tremendous insight into the value they can ultimately provide if expanded across your global container shipment.

One thing I have found helpful is to establish clear success metrics and reporting cadences upfront with the consultant. This includes quantifiable KPIs tied to bottom-line business outcomes, not just shipping operations metrics. For example, agree on reporting frequency, formats, and metrics around cost reduction, inventory velocity, customer service levels, and overall supply chain flexibility. Construct a dashboard aligned with your goals. Build in review meetings where the consultant analyses performance trends and continuously refines the optimization approaches to drive incremental benefits over time. By maintaining rigor in tracking tangible business results, you can accurately determine the ROI and force-multiply the value.

One key factor is change management and stakeholder alignment. The optimization recommendations may impact staff in different supply chain functions, ports, warehouses, etc. Make sure the consultant accounts for the human factors - barriers, concerns, training needs. Without internal buy-in, execution risks will increase. The consultant should clearly explain changes and benefits to stakeholders across the organizations as part of solution design. Another perspective - look for depth in niche knowledge areas. For example, expertise in reefer cargo and managing temperature variances could provide major value. Or hands-on experience negotiating with ocean carriers to leverage data for better rates.