Every year, as shoppers prepare for Black Friday and the Christmas rush, the logistics world enters its most demanding period. Retailers face intense pressure to meet rising expectations for speed, convenience and reliability.
At AGL, we know that peak season success isn’t achieved in November, it’s built in advance. That’s why our planning for the busiest time of year starts as early as July, giving us and our customers the time to forecast volumes accurately, secure carrier capacity and implement strategies that keep parcels moving efficiently when it matters most.
Planning Ahead for Precision
Peak parcel management goes far beyond handling higher volumes. It’s about understanding exactly where those parcels are going and how they’ll get there. By mapping forecasted volumes by carrier service lane, AGL ensures every aspect of our clients’ delivery strategy is accounted for and protected.
Our early planning allows us to work closely with our carrier partners to maintain service quality even when networks are under pressure. In some cases, we also arrange additional early collections alongside regular daily pick-ups, allowing AGL to inject your parcels into carrier networks earlier in the day. This proactive approach helps protect service performance across every lane, every day, throughout peak season.
Smarter Logistics with Clearview
Technology plays a crucial role in delivering this level of precision. AGL’s Clearview platform provides complete multi-carrier visibility, helping retailers make faster, more informed decisions during busy periods.
Clearview brings together real-time tracking, carrier performance data and forecasting tools into one intuitive dashboard. This allows businesses to monitor parcel flows across multiple carriers, identify potential delays before they escalate and reroute traffic if needed.
During Black Friday and Christmas, this visibility is invaluable. Clearview enables AGL and its customers to stay agile, adapting quickly to surges, capacity constraints and network bottlenecks without compromising service or delivery times.
In essence, Clearview transforms complexity into clarity, giving retailers confidence and control when demand is at its highest.
Integrating Marketing and Operations
Marketing and logistics go hand in hand during the festive period. At AGL, we treat your marketing activity as an essential part of your peak delivery plan.
If a new campaign or seasonal promotion is likely to drive higher parcel volumes, our team integrates this data into your forecast to ensure capacity is secured ahead of time. This alignment between your marketing calendar and our logistics planning helps prevent last-minute surprises and ensures your service levels remain consistent, no matter how successful your campaign becomes.
Forecasting That Delivers
AGL’s targeted forecasting model means we don’t just anticipate demand, we shape it into actionable insights. By analysing carrier performance and capacity across different service lanes, we ensure shipments achieve stronger results from our carrier partners.
This ensures your parcels keep moving efficiently while maintaining the high standards your customers expect, even during peak congestion across the UK network.
Practical Advice for Retailers Preparing for Peak
While AGL’s proactive planning takes much of the pressure off, there are key steps every retailer can take to support smoother peak performance:
These simple actions, combined with AGL’s Clearview technology and proactive planning, can make the difference between meeting expectations and exceeding them.
Delivering Peak Confidence
Black Friday and Christmas don’t have to bring delivery chaos. With early planning, data-driven forecasting and intelligent technology like Clearview, AGL helps e-tailers navigate peak season with confidence.
Our mission is simple, to make sure your parcels move efficiently, your promises are kept and your customers stay happy.
Every year, as shoppers prepare for Black Friday and the Christmas rush, the logistics world enters its most demanding period. Retailers face intense pressure to meet rising expectations for speed, convenience and reliability.
AGL is proud to announce the continuation of our partnership with AFC Wimbledon for another season.
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