Use of quality management tools to analyse delivery exceptions in the motor carrier industry: a case study

The study adopts quality management tools to analyse data obtained from the operations of a motor carrier on delivery exceptions. Delivery exceptions are defined as damages, shortages, and overages that results due to a delivery attempt. An exception occurs when a package or shipment encounters an unforeseen event, which could result in a negative effect on the delivery performance. Examples of exception include address unknown, damage to shipment, or signature not received. The ability of a motor carrier to deliver products to the customer with little or no exceptions can be a key selection criterion for shippers in choosing motor carriers. Using an actual case study scenario, we identify root causes of delivery exceptions using quality management tools and classify the exceptions in one of six categories. Major causes of the exceptions are identified and categorised and recommendations on how to mitigate these exceptions are proposed.