Rethinking Visibility: What Does It Mean?

When you hear the word “visibility” in the context of shipments, the first thing that probably comes to mind is tracking your goods’ location on a map. While it’s true that knowing where your shipment is at any given time is essential, the real value of visibility goes beyond just knowing its coordinates. It’s about having a comprehensive, end-to-end view of your shipments, from start to finish.

Questions to think about:

• Are there any blind spots in my supply chain where I lose visibility?
• Am I regularly reviewing visibility data with my team to identify improvement areas?
• Is a lack of visibility leading to unexpected costs?

While you ponder those questions, let’s take a look at what visibility truly means.

Reliable Support Makes the Difference

Tracking technology is important, but true visibility comes from a forwarder that actively supports you – not just one that provides a portal and leaves you to figure it out alone.

What this looks like: While tracking portals are common in this industry, what’s not as common is working with a forwarder who goes beyond – offering personalized, one-on-one visibility support. Even if you have access to one, are you getting the support you need? If you’re unsure how to use it, have unanswered questions, or feel like your forwarder isn’t addressing your concerns, it may be time to re-evaluate the level of visibility you’re seeking. At InterlogUSA, we provide our customers with a tracking portal that has direct access to their shipments. But we’re also here for you with any questions, concerns you may have. Or if you need a tutorial on how the portal operates, we’ve got your back.

Question to consider: Do I have real-time access to shipment locations and delivery statuses? And are my providers there for me when I have questions?

True Visibility and Managing Expectations

Relying solely on location tracking gives a false sense of control. While it matters knowing where your shipment is, consider these other aspects of visibility:

Identifying blind spots – Are there any points in my supply chain where I lose visibility?

Many companies face visibility gaps during the shipment journey, whether that’s during handoffs between carriers, customs processing, or last-mile delivery. These blind spots can lead to unexpected miscommunication and missed expectations.

Managing costs and mitigating risks – Is lack of visibility leading to unexpected costs?

Hidden costs often arise due to supply chain disruptions, unexpected fees, and unmet expectations resulting in limited visibility. Without a clear view of each step in the process, you may be unknowingly incurring extra expenses and increasing operational risks.

Solution: Interlog’s TEF – Transactional Expectations Form.  TEF sets the expectations and clarity around the dark spaces when a shipment passes through various stages. What makes TEF so powerful is that it highlights expectations and enables changes before the process is set in motion. This removes failures at the latter stages of a shipment due to addressing vendor accountability before the shipment even begins.

True visibility, combined with proactive expectation management, ensures smoother operations, fewer surprises, and clear cut decision-making.

Question to consider: Does my provider establish clear expectations and address potential issues upfront to ensure a smooth shipping process from start to finish?

What Shipment Notifications are Most Vital to you?

Imagine this: Your logistics team consists of ten people. All of whom handle various parts of the shipment journey. But, the company CEO wants to be included in every shipment-related email to stay informed and maintain peace of mind.

No problem—we’ve got it covered. Our system delivers the right notifications to the right people, tailored to their specific roles. And if someone wants to receive additional updates outside their role to stay informed, no worries—we make that happen too.

Here’s how: Meet Interlog’s GEMCA—Guaranteed Empowered Milestone & Cost Awareness.  GEMCA closes communication gaps, keeps key stakeholders informed when it matters most, and enhances decision-making throughout the shipping process.

While you have all your shipment milestones within reach, with GEMCA, you are guaranteed communication the five key milestones you choose that impact your role the most, allowing you to make decisions with the information on hand. We notify your co-workers, so it’s no longer your responsibility (we know how busy the workday gets!). But don’t worry, you’ll always be in the loop. And while challenges may arise (they always do at some point), they’ll never catch you off guard again.

Question to consider: Am I receiving the right shipment updates at the right time, or am I overwhelmed with irrelevant information—or worse, left in the dark?

The Bottom Line

Visibility in shipping goes far beyond simply tracking a shipment’s location – it’s about having a complete, transparent view of your supply chain, managing expectations, and ensuring proactive communication. True visibility means eliminating blind spots, controlling unexpected costs, and working with a forwarder that actively supports you rather than leaving you to navigate challenges alone. Solutions like InterlogUSA’s TEF and GEMCA help close communication gaps, provide real-time updates, and empower you to make informed decisions. So, as you rethink what visibility really means, ask yourself: Is my current level of visibility helping me stay ahead, or is it holding me back?

InterlogUSA stays up to date with market trends to provide our customers and readers with the latest industry news. Should you have any questions, please send an email to our team today: support@interlogusa.com . Additionally, we have our weekly newsletter that can provide you with relevant freight news, updates, developments across the industry, and more.