Parcel and Postal Technology International
  • News
    • A-E
      • Automation
      • Business Diversification
      • Construction / Development
      • Cross-border
      • Delivery
      • E-commerce
      • Expo
    • F-O
      • Freight
      • IT & Systems
      • Last Mile
      • Lockers / PUDO
      • Logistics
      • Mail
      • Operations
    • P-R
      • Packets
      • Parcels
      • Peak
      • Retail
      • Returns
    • S-Z
      • Sorting Systems
      • Staff / Personnel
      • Sustainability
      • Technology
      • Vehicles / Fleet
  • Features
  • Online Magazines
    • March 2025
    • September 2023
    • June 2023
    • March 2023
    • December 2022
    • SHOWCASE 2019
    • Archive Issues
    • Subscribe Free!
  • Opinion
  • Videos
  • Analysis
  • Awards
    • 2025 Awards
    • Previous Winners
  • Supplier Spotlight
  • Parcel + Post Expo
LinkedIn YouTube Twitter
  • Sign-up for Breaking News Emails
  • Meet the Editors
  • Contact Us
  • Media Pack
Subscribe
LinkedIn Facebook
Parcel and Postal Technology International
  • News
      • Automation
      • Business Diversification
      • Construction / Development
      • Cross-border
      • Delivery
      • E-commerce
      • Expo
      • Freight
      • IT & Systems
      • Last Mile
      • Lockers / PUDO
      • Logistics
      • Mail
      • Operations
      • Packets
      • Parcels
      • Peak
      • Retail
      • Returns
      • Sorting Systems
      • Staff / Personnel
      • Sustainability
      • Technology
      • Vehicles / Fleet
  • Features
  • Online Magazines
    1. December 2024
    2. September 2024
    3. June 2024
    4. March 2024
    5. SHOWCASE 2019
    6. Subscribe Free!
    Featured
    April 2, 2025

    In this Issue – March 2025

    Online Magazines By Web Team
    Recent

    In this Issue – March 2025

    April 2, 2025

    In this Issue – December 2024

    December 5, 2024

    In this Issue – September 2024

    September 19, 2024
  • Opinion
  • Videos
  • Analysis
  • Awards
    • 2025 Awards
    • 2024 Award Winners
    • 2023 Award Winners
    • 2022 Award Winners
    • 2021 Award Winners
    • 2020 Award Winners
    • 2019 Award Winners
    • Previous Winners
  • Supplier Spotlight
  • Parcel + Post Expo
LinkedIn Facebook
Subscribe
Parcel and Postal Technology International
Features

How can logistics companies make their operations more ‘elastic’ to cope with demand?

Opinion WritersBy Opinion WritersSeptember 30, 20194 Mins Read
Share LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

Seb Robert, founder of London-based courier startup Gophr, explores the concept of ‘elastic logistics’ and how new technologies can help operators improve the flexibility of their supply chains

These days it seems the trends of supply and demand are becoming harder to predict, a fact that has had a notable effect on the logistics industry. The supply-demand interplay has always been at the heart of logistics operations, but the dawning of the digital age has brought with it a shift in emphasis weighted more heavily toward the consumer.

Consumer demand now increasingly dictates the movement of processes in a company’s supply chain. However, to put it simply, consumers are unpredictable, and to cope with the ever-changing demand rates, businesses are now looking at a solution in the form of ‘elastic logistics’. These types of operations allow companies to maintain a high level of customer service while catering for the ever-fluctuating demand of consumers.

But what exactly is elastic logistics? Elastic logistics describes the flexible capabilities of a supply chain. In other words, how ready is it to expand or contract depending on the state of the supply-demand relationship at any given time, while maintaining costs, a high level of efficiency and customer happiness.

Technology has caught up to logistics, and to remain on top of changing demands it’s becoming increasingly important to embrace new technological innovations to be able to streamline processes and be as elastic as possible.

And how can operations become more elastic? Automation. This is the most logical solution for a company that wants to become more flexible in its capabilities. A reduction in human error and a more efficient packing process within the production line will help in coping with any spikes in demand without having to employ additional staff. The implementation of a Transportation Management System (TMS) is often mentioned as a way to increase flexibility within a supply chain and it’s clear to see the connection between allowing electronic tracking and invoicing with the need for fewer accounting staff and more efficient customer service.

A lot can also be said for third-party partnering for reducing the risk of investing in more internal operations, only for demand to drop off shortly afterward. This includes leasing additional warehouses locally or in further regions to cope with short-term increases. Likewise, using external fleets in the form of courier services or other third-party delivery options could potentially be a way of staying ahead of any unexpected peaks and troughs in consumer demand.

So, aside from the scaling capabilities, the main selling points of elastic logistics seem to be greater control, visibility and efficiency. Unifying the management of deliveries under one operations dashboard not only increases efficiency for peak times, but also enables control over unexpected changes, even when using a third-party service. Likewise, allowing the tracking of delivery drivers in real-time increases visibility for suppliers, resulting in a more efficient delivery and, hopefully, increased customer satisfaction.

Potential downsides

Of course, the benefits of implementing systems like these must be considered against the potential downsides. As mentioned, embracing elastic logistics goes hand-in-hand with a reliance on technological innovation and an increase in automation, which means it comes at a cost.

Time and money must first be spent in order to fully reap the benefits of a more flexible supply chain, and in some cases this may involve multiple changes to the workforce. An investment in training and allowing for any learning curve that will follow could initially hinder operations more than help them. Plus, as is inevitable when thinking about embracing new technology, it is necessary to consider the anxieties surrounding machines replacing humans in certain industries. However, according to Forbes, these fears are unfounded and the logistics industry is constantly in need of employees at all levels, particularly to work with emerging technology.

Debates aside, the rise of new technologies makes the need for businesses to be more agile in their operations seem more prominent. No doubt the myriad technologies constantly being introduced will also have an impact on the future of logistics; AI, analytics, drones and the IoT will all eventually have a role to play if they don’t already have one. The increase in these types of innovations not only makes a move toward elasticity more necessary, but also more inevitable. However, with proper planning, the implementation of elastic logistics could prove to be a revolutionizing strategy for businesses in the face of fluctuating demand.   

About the author

Seb Robert is founder of London-based courier startup Gophr. Alongside innovating the courier sector, Seb is a foodie with a passion for sneakers

Share. Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Email
Previous ArticleA strong foundation is key to creating a successful postal system
Next Article Quick quiz: Green deliveries

Related Posts

Features

FEATURE: Overcoming cross-border e-commerce customs challenges

May 14, 202514 Mins Read
Features

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Egypt Post

May 1, 202511 Mins Read
Features

FEATURE: Improving reverse logistics with better data and collaboration

April 15, 202514 Mins Read

Receive breaking stories and features in your inbox each week, for free


Enter your email address:


Latest News

Bloq.it supports Vinted Go locker expansion in Spain and Portugal

May 15, 2025

ANALYSIS: What does PostNord’s announcement mean for the future of letter delivery?

May 15, 2025

DHL eCommerce UK and Evri merge to create premium parcel delivery company

May 14, 2025
Getting in Touch
  • Contact Us / Advertiser
  • Meet the Editors
  • Download Media Pack
  • Breaking News Emails
Our Social Channels
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
Supplier Spotlights
  • Bloq.it
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Notice & Takedown Policy
  • Site FAQs
© 2025 UKi Media & Events a division of UKIP Media & Events Ltd

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.

CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie records the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie records the user consent for the cookies in the "Analytics" category.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional1 yearThe GDPR Cookie Consent plugin sets the cookie to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie records the user consent for the cookies in the "Necessary" category.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie stores user consent for cookies in the category "Others".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie stores the user consent for cookies in the category "Performance".
elementorneverThe website's WordPress theme uses this cookie. It allows the website owner to implement or change the website's content in real-time.
JSESSIONIDsessionNew Relic uses this cookie to store a session identifier so that New Relic can monitor session counts for an application.

Functional

Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.

CookieDurationDescription
__cf_bm30 minutesCloudflare set the cookie to support Cloudflare Bot Management.

Analytics

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

CookieDurationDescription
CONSENT2 yearsYouTube sets this cookie via embedded YouTube videos and registers anonymous statistical data.
uidsessionThis is a Google UserID cookie that tracks users across various website segments.
vuid1 year 1 month 4 daysVimeo installs this cookie to collect tracking information by setting a unique ID to embed videos on the website.
_ga1 year 1 month 4 daysGoogle Analytics sets this cookie to calculate visitor, session and campaign data and track site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognise unique visitors.
_ga_*1 year 1 month 4 daysGoogle Analytics sets this cookie to store and count page views.

Advertisement

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.

CookieDurationDescription
OAGEOsessionOpenX sets this cookie to avoid the repeated display of the same ad.
OAID1 yearCookie set to record whether the user has opted out of the collection of information by the AdsWizz Service Cookies.
VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE5 months 27 daysYouTube sets this cookie to measure bandwidth, determining whether the user gets the new or old player interface.
YSCsessionYoutube sets this cookie to track the views of embedded videos on Youtube pages.
yt-remote-connected-devicesneverYouTube sets this cookie to store the user's video preferences using embedded YouTube videos.
yt-remote-device-idneverYouTube sets this cookie to store the user's video preferences using embedded YouTube videos.
yt.innertube::nextIdneverYouTube sets this cookie to register a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.
yt.innertube::requestsneverYouTube sets this cookie to register a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.

Others

Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.

CookieDurationDescription
VISITOR_PRIVACY_METADATA5 months 27 daysDescription is currently not available.

SAVE & ACCEPT
Powered by