Across the world and now much closer to home in our own country, the coronavirus disease 2019 (abbreviated “COVID-19”) is affecting organizations in ways that require alert awareness to business practices and personal interactions. The virus is now currently being spread via personal contact as well as more recently through “community spread”, which means people are infected but not sure where they got it. Unlike many other communicable diseases that have spread in the past, at this time, there is no vaccine to protect against COVID-19 and no medications approved to treat it.  While not yet creating an overwhelming impact on standard operating procedures for many U.S. companies, the business segment of our economy is monitoring updates daily to ensure they are reacting in a prudent and timely manner to all official recommendations.

Some of the impact on businesses today:

• Companies are restricting business travel to high-risk areas or encouraging employees to stay home from work that has recently visited any of the high-risk countries (China, Hong Kong, Iran, Italy, Japan, and South Korea).
• Human Resource departments are developing or redistributing a Communicable Disease policy to their employees and vendors.
• Global commerce has experienced the largest effect: Companies that make and sell products are struggling to secure available supply lines as business disruptions reach far beyond China, where the virus originated.
• Shopping and travel plans have changed: More people are stocking up on essential items in bulk to avoid public contact, affecting supply chain norms, and many are eliminating elective travel, affecting the revenue of the airlines, accommodations industry, and entertainment industries.  It has been reported that the virus has already had a bigger impact on the airline industry than 9/11.    
• Due to China being a major source of both raw and finished goods to many retailers, eCommerce may suffer this spring due to supply chain delays and a lack of available products.
• Many businesses are already revising the second quarter and annual financial projection in anticipation of the worse to come.  

On a community level, if the virus does spread to high alert levels, we can anticipate more closures in companies, schools, and public places. Emergency and law enforcement workers’ responsiveness may be affected, and public transportation may be limited. Public healthcare and healthcare systems will become overloaded.  

Taking advice from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), we all must be proactive: know the symptoms of the disease and pay attention to your health if you have symptoms. Everyone can do their part to prevent the spread of the disease in significant ways.  

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LSO / Lone Star Overnight, the Southwest’s leading regional parcel carrier, is announcing a general rate increase (GRI), effective Jan. 1, 2021, that will average 4.9%. This announcement follows the earlier rate increase announcements from FedEx and UPS.

Richard M. Metzler, LSO President, and Chief Executive Officer commented, “Overall, LSO rates continue to be less expensive than FedEx and UPS for 2021. Also, we have slashed rates on heavier next day 10:30 a.m. service and are now ~52% less than FedEx and UPS. We are also 47% less expensive than FedEx and UPS for next day by 3:00 p.m. and nearly 16% less for heavier Ground packages.”

Metzler went on to say, “ShipMatrix has recently reported that FedEx and UPS Ground on-time service levels have been in the 96-97% range when we were consistently at 98% or higher. Also, ShipMatrix reported that since FedEx suspended its guaranteed delivery commitment earlier this year, its Priority Overnight (next by 10:30 a.m.) on-time service levels have been in the 80s. Our customers, and theirs, continue to tell us that LSO has better on-time reliability, is less expensive, and has proven to be more flexible; especially during the pandemic.”

See lso.com/rates for details.

LSO is focused on developing contingency plans and precautionary measures to protect our customers, our employees, and our delivery drivers as the COVID19 virus spread. While many workers across the country are vacating their offices and working remotely, that’s not possible for most of us in the parcel delivery business. The rules of the day insisted that new business practices ensure the safety of those working in the industry as well as those consumers receiving deliveries each day.

FedEx and UPS have recently announced a change in their signature rules for package deliveries. FedEx said it’s suspending the need to sign for most packages. UPS is also forgoing routine signatures. For packages that legally require a signature, such as the delivery of alcohol, UPS drivers can now leave a sticky note on the door or the package while stepping a safe distance away. The customer then signs the paper, which is then picked up by the UPS employee after the customer has left the immediate area.

But wait a minute? What’s wrong with that picture? Didn’t the driver and the customer both just touch the same piece of paper with their bare hands in a very short period of time?

LSO has developed a much safer option for package deliveries. First of all, starting next week, all of our drivers will be required to wear gloves when delivering a package. And even better, LSO’s mobile-enabled delivery technology ensures the safety of both parties when a signature is required.  

LSO allows the customer to sign next to the label on the package itself. The driver then takes a picture of the signature that is part of our delivery record in our system that can provide real proof of delivery without the risk.  This allows us to provide faster and more accurate deliveries, in-transit information to the customer, it’s now helping us protect the health and safety of LSO drivers and our valued customers. How’s that for multitasking?

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