554: Navigate Fuel Volatility and Disruption, with DeliverDirect

Edward Burek of SmartKargo & Marco Ferrara of DeliverDirect talk about issues impacting small parcel delivery; fuel price reality; & keeping costs low & simple.

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [02.04] An introduction to Edward and Marco, and their roles at SmartKargo and DeliverDirect.

[03.07] An overview of DeliverDirect – who they are, what they do, and how they help their customers.

[03.29] As the industry deals with ongoing fuel volatility, why Delta Airlines have a structural advantage other carriers don't have, and what it means in practice to have an airline like Delta running the middle mile for e-commerce shipments.

"Fuel is the biggest cost with an airline but, because our passenger aircraft are flying around anyway, a lot of that fuel cost is absorbed – we're able to insulate and reduce what we're charging our customers."

[05.52] As shippers see fuel surcharges, accessorial fees, and pricing complexity hit unprecedented levels, have surcharges stopped being about fuel and started becoming part of a business model?

"There are a lot of carriers that are taking advantage of the market forces right now. A lot of businesses are built on surcharges... It's become a mechanism to dial up your revenue."

[08.20] How DeliverDirect are approaching pricing differently.

"It's so easy to forecast – it's a CFO's dream!... We want it to be a win-win all the way through the supply chain."

[10.50] How DeliverDirect pulls together what already exists in the ecosystem, and the role SmartKargo's platform plays in making those pieces work together as a single delivery experience.

[12.42] How SmartKargo is using real-time data and automation to predict shipment issues and recommend corrective actions before DeliverDirect customers feel any disruption.

[13.56] Why quality data is the real foundation behind successful AI in logistics.