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Strengthen operational continuity in logistics during system outages, blackouts, or route disruptions. Keys to resilience, communication, and visibility to protect customer trust.
Many logistics companies face a silent challenge. Operations may be optimized for day-to-day performance, but when a major disruption arises—whether technological, capacity-related, or route-based—pressure multiplies, and customers still expect certainty.
In this context, operational continuity stops being a backup plan and becomes a differentiator. It’s not just about moving cargo, but about sustaining service and protecting relationships.
At Xtendo Group’s roundtable for Voces del Cambio, Francisco Eliassen spoke with Pablo Sierra from Kuehne+Nagel and Jorge Bruña from Genei about how resilience is built in real operations, with practical examples and applicable lessons.
What is operational continuity in logistics?
Operational continuity is the ability to maintain service—or sustain it in a controlled way—when a critical event occurs. This could include system outages, loss of connectivity, supplier saturation, route changes, or external disruptions.
A key idea was reinforced in the discussion: logistics operates in constant adaptation. Therefore, continuity cannot depend on improvisation—it requires clear processes, technology, prepared teams, and communication that protects trust.
What types of crises test operations?
Two main fronts were identified:
Operational disruptions
These force execution to be reorganized, such as demand peaks during Black Friday or peak season, carrier saturation, and capacity adjustments.
Jorge explained it practically: if a carrier becomes saturated, the ability to quickly redirect shipments with visibility reduces the direct impact on the customer.
Technological disruptions
These include system failures, blackouts, internet loss, and cyber incidents. Pablo described a total blackout scenario clearly: not only does work stop, but communication and coordination with teams in other countries are also limited. With current service expectations, it’s difficult to sustain operations without technology for long.
How to sustain service and customer trust during a crisis
The roundtable offered a simple formula: operational continuity + crisis communication = customer trust.
Key takeaways:
Early communication with next steps
Jorge was direct: customers may understand delays, but not a lack of information.
Effective messages include:
what happened, in simple language
the impact and expected scenario
what is being done
when the next update will arrive
Visibility and self-service to restore control
From Genei, the focus was on enabling frictionless actions. Customers should be able to track shipments, relabel, file claims, or switch carriers without relying on calls. During disruptions, control reduces anxiety and improves experience.
Distributed operations to respond as a network
Decentralization was presented as real resilience. At Kuehne+Nagel, operating as a network with standardized processes and shared access was highlighted—even managing global shipments from Zaragoza so another location can take over if one is affected.
A concrete example was shared: a typhoon in Cebu made a work center inaccessible for several days, and operations were shifted elsewhere to maintain service.
The lesson is clear: distribution works when there are defined processes, shared tools, and tested handovers.
Transparent commercial decisions under pressure
Surcharges and their impact on customer relationships were also discussed. Complex situations were mentioned where surcharges were applied to shipments already in transit, particularly in the context of Red Sea-related adjustments.
The key point: during crises, customers evaluate both service and decision consistency.
Technology and cybersecurity as growing priorities
Jorge emphasized that resilience requires investment—infrastructure, servers, and security—especially in tech-heavy operations. The discussion also highlighted the growing importance of cybersecurity due to increasingly sophisticated intrusion attempts.
A final reminder: behind every delivery are people making decisions under pressure. Sustaining continuity also means sustaining responsible ways of working in critical moments.
Are you ready to maintain service and customer trust in any crisis?
At Xtendo, we help you strengthen operational continuity and crisis communication. Let’s talk and design a resilience strategy for your operations.
