FedEx Custom Critical rolls out ShipmentWatch

FedEx Custom Critical, a subsidiary of FedEx, said last week that it has rolled out a new monitoring service called ShipmentWatch.

ShipmentWatch leverages SenseAware, a FedEx shipment tracking and monitoring service in tracking customer shipments. FedEx said the service manages SenseAware’s devices to customer requirements prior to shipment and sending the device to a shipper and subsequently monitor the shipment from pickup to delivery. And when the product is in transit FedEx Custom Critical is able to monitor location, temperature, light exposure, humidity and barometric pressure through SenseAware devices and its Web-based application. Fed Ex said it can also be used for non-FedWx shipments.

“We are always looking to bring more solutions to our customers at FedEx Custom Critical,” said Ryan Henary, FedEx Custom Critical spokesman. “Customers are interested in more visibility of their shipments. ShipmentWatch enables customers to let us do the monitoring so they can attend to other needs in their business. Whether it’s location, temperature or light exposure, we watch from pickup to delivery and alert the customers if there are any issues. We have been in the monitoring business for quite some time as we have tracked the location and temperature for customers in our Custom Critical trucks for years. When the SenseAware technology became available, we knew it would be a great addition to our secure services.”

And he added that one of the biggest benefits of ShipmentWatch is that FedEx does the work for the customer. Anyone can lease tracking devices today, he explained, but he said it’s up to them to set the devices up, monitor them and get them back. With ShipmentWatch FedEx does that for customers and also includes a return shipping label with instructions to return the device. Customers don’t need a subscription to use the service so they can call to set up a shipment. And for those customers who are already SenseAware subscribers, FedEx can remotely program their devices and do the monitoring for them as well, he said.

Proactive tracking and monitoring have been cornerstones of FedEx Custom Critical since its inception, according to Henary.

“ShipmentWatch is really an addition to our tracking capabilities,” he said.  “We track our vehicles’ locations (and temperature as applicable) through their on-board communications equipment on every shipment that uses Custom Critical trucks. Our customer service team also monitors shipments on the ground and in the air through our existing systems. ShipmentWatch gives us another layer of security and peace of mind to offer our customers.”