Effective March 20, 2020
To our Valued Client,
We’ve spent the last several weeks monitoring the varied impacts of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) on our industry and our clients. As a commitment to you, we’ve prepared a statement from our CEO, and a number of updates important to your business, and made them readily available to you at insight.com. As the situation continues to evolve, this page will be your resource on the latest updates from Insight.
One update we’ve recently received is from our delivery service providers who’ve alerted us to changes in delivery practices, timing and pricing.
Below are a few current updates we can share on this rapidly changing situation:
- Timing: With airlines reducing capacity on domestic flights, and the potential for shelter-in-place orders and travel restrictions occurring with minimal notice, it’s possible that shipments may not arrive in a timely manner.
- LTL Providers: Our Less-Than-Truckload, or LTL providers, may soon be significantly restricting delivery of products into client facilities and may require dock drop-offs
- FedEx: While FedEx has their own transportation and service levels that aren’t expected to be impacted at this time, they have notified us that they’ll no longer provide LTL shipments to these select zip codes except for companies belonging to one of these 12 essential business types:
supermarkets and grocery stores; big box stores; pharmacies; discount stores, mini-markets and non-specialized food stores; daycare centers; hardware stores; gas stations; banks; post offices; laundromats and dry cleaners; veterinary clinics for domestic pets and pet stores; and hospitals.
- In addition, FedEx is suspending delivery of small parcels to New Rochelle (zip code 10804) until March 25 and to Scarsdale (zip code 10583) until April 2.
- Packages that cannot be delivered by ground shipments will be held for 10 business days.
- For express shipments that cannot be delivered, FedEx can post-date the delivery and store it until delivery is an option, provided the business has a posted close and return date. If nothing is posted, the package will be returned to the shipper after three failed delivery attempts.
- UPS: While UPS has their own transportation and service levels that aren’t expected to be impacted at this time, they have acknowledged that if destination addresses cannot be serviced due to a geographic area being closed or quarantined, packages will be held until the area is cleared for delivery (typically 14 days), followed by a “First In First Out” (FIFO) methodology to process the volume.
- We plan to apply exception codes to help customers have appropriate visibility to their affected packages.
- Depending on the area and situation, we may also consider alternate delivery locations.
- UPS and FedEx: UPS and FedEx are adjusting “Signature Required” services. Now, when a signature is requested by the shipper, their drivers need to make visual contact with a person and validate and record the name of the package recipient in lieu of obtaining a signature. The driver will not simply release it.
- PGL: In the event an order needs immediate delivery, PGL is recommending that we request Hotshot service. If a shipment cannot be delivered, we’re working with PGL on a case-by-case basis to determine reroute or warehousing needs.
- CEVA: If a delivery attempt is made but the business is closed, Ceva will store the package at their local facility and call the local business to see if redelivery can be made the next day. If not, they’ll hold the freight at their facility until Insight provides them further instructions such as a reroute or return to shipper.
- Pricing: As our delivery service providers seek to maintain service levels in this unprecedented time, Insight has seen an increase in freight costs which you may see reflected at checkout or on your invoices.
Insight sincerely appreciates your business and thanks you for your patience as we continue to do what we can to help your business run smarter.
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