By 
Next Flight Out (NFO) and time critical deliveries are inherently stressful. They are most often used in industries such as aerospace or life sciences, where a delay in delivery can result in thousands of dollars or loss of human life. In other situations, these types of deliveries are necessary because a deadline was not met or a shipping company failed to deliver.
The airline industry normally needs time critical deliveries when they experience an AOG, or Aircraft on Ground, situation. This means an aircraft has been grounded due to mechanical issues and cannot take flight again until parts have been delivered to make repairs. If the parts are located in a warehouse miles away, it’s imperative that a solution is found that gets the shipment to them as soon as possible.
Life sciences are those that deal with human blood or organ delivery. These critical shipments are often processed at the last minute and must get to their destination quickly. Any delay could cause the organ to fail or for the patient waiting for transplant to die.
At Airspace Technologies, we’ve worked hard to enhance time critical shipping processes to make them less stressful on our customers and our business partners. Here are some of our innovative approaches:
- Driver app. We utilize a cutting-edge app that our drivers download and that alerts them when a time critical shipment near them is needed. They have 60 seconds to respond and if they fail to respond or decline, the job goes to another driver. This app can be customized for the driver and their specialties. For example, those who are certified to handle hazardous materials will always get these types of jobs.
- Geo stamping. You’ll always know exactly where your driver is when you use our services. With Geo stamping, you can log onto our system and track your driver and package in real time. This not only gives you peace of mind, but it also makes our drivers more accountable.
- Notification of delays. Time critical shipments are defined by their deadlines. A delay of mere minutes could make a significant difference to the customer. With real-time tracking capabilities, customers can instantly be alerted to possible delays so they can make adjustments accordingly.
- Route optimization. Our real-time technology alerts us to traffic or weather issues that could delay the driver. This allows us to provide faster routes or anticipate delays before they happen.
Many shipping companies and customers think that techniques like online scheduling and alerts to when their shipment has left the warehouse are innovative, when in actuality they are outdated. The logistics software we have implemented at Airspace Technologies makes the prior technology antiquated.
We know that time critical deliveries need to be treated as a class of their own. These customers are dealing with life and death situations or are waiting for parts that could amount to thousands of dollars per hour if they are delayed. These important customers must find a shipping company that has access to the latest technology to provide them the best possible service and shortest delivery times.