Have You Thought of Everything? What Even the Best Peak Season Plans Might Miss

As we inch closer to the holiday shipping surge, many logistics and operations teams are deep into their peak season plans—or wrapping them up entirely. If that's you, well done. You've likely coordinated with carriers, optimized your warehouse workflows, and beefed up customer service protocols.  

But even the most seasoned teams can overlook a few critical pieces of the puzzle.  

And if you’re a business with leaner resources or just getting started on your holiday strategy, don’t worry—it’s not too late to make meaningful changes that could save money, improve delivery performance, and boost customer satisfaction.  

Whether you're already executing your plan or still sketching it out, here are a few things you might not have considered—but should.  

1. Are your carrier commitments truly locked in?

During peak season, carriers often adjust service levels, apply surcharges, or cap volume commitments. It’s not enough to have a contract in place—you need proactive communication to confirm:  

• Your forecasted volume is still accepted
• Any updated peak surcharges are budgeted in  
• Alternative carriers or modes are on standby in case one network gets strained  

Not sure if a regional carrier could help you stay nimble this peak? Or how switching carriers might impact your bottom line under pressure?  

Self-serve modeling tools let you compare contracts, re-rate shipments, and fully optimize your parcel strategy—before game-time decisions hit. You’ll have the answers your finance team needs and the data to move swiftly (and smartly) when the pressure is on.  

2. Have you stress-tested your fulfillment network?

Many companies assume that their fulfillment process will scale with volume. But the holiday rush tends to test that theory.  

Ask yourself:  

• Can your team maintain order accuracy under pressure?
• Do you have buffer labor available for sudden surges?  
• Is your technology stack (WMS, TMS, OMS) ready for real-time decision-making?  

If not, even basic automation—like shipment batching, exception alerts, or rule-based carrier selection—can give you a huge lift.  

3. What’s your game plan for returns?

Returns will spike post-holiday. But your returns process should start before the first order ships.  

• Do your shipping labels include return instructions?
• Can customers self-service returns online?  
• Are return costs built into your margin models?  
• Do you have a reverse logistics plan in place that makes sense for your business...and your bottom line?  

Businesses can stand out by offering frictionless returns—and avoid margin erosion by steering returns to lower-cost lanes or local drop-off locations.  

4. Are you monitoring delivery performance in real time?

If you only analyze shipping performance after peak season, you're missing the window to make improvements when they matter most.  

• Real-time visibility helps you:  

• Flag delays before customers do
• Re-route packages proactively  
• Spot trends like regional slowdowns or last-mile issues  
  

5. Is your customer communication strategy ready for the unexpected?

Shipping delays and service issues are inevitable. What sets your brand apart is how you communicate through them.  

• Are your email and SMS templates ready for shipping exceptions?  
• Have you pre-written messaging for weather disruptions or carrier delays?  
• Are your CSRs empowered with real-time shipment data?  
• Do you have a plan for when customers don’t receive their packages by the holidays?  

During the holiday season, when arrival dates are critical, delivery timing can determine whether a customer returns. Transparent, proactive updates can turn a potentially frustrated customer into a loyal one—even if the package is delayed.  

Miss the Details, Miss the Win: Peak Season Reality Check

You’ve probably already tackled the big-ticket items. But in peak season, it’s often the smaller things—like visibility, communication, and process agility—that make the biggest impact. The name of the game for peak season 2025? Flexibility.  

Whether you’ve had your plan locked in since February or you’re just now catching your breath long enough to look ahead, there’s still time to fine tune your strategy. And sometimes, it’s that second look that makes all the difference.