From 30% to prepared: A logistics firm's crisis transformation

Discover how Crisis IQ Partners helped a regional logistics company dramatically improve its crisis preparedness, turning a partially complete plan into a comprehensive strategy.

The challenge: An incomplete safety net

A 240-employee logistics company believed they were fully prepared for any disruption because “Operations already handles crisis planning.” Their COO felt bringing in outside support was unnecessary. Their internal documentation included an outdated Business Continuity Plan (BCP), a phone tree, and a generic cyber policy—none of which had been tested in over eight years.

The Crisis Event

When a software update from a third-party TMS provider unintentionally corrupted live shipping data, trucks were dispatched to incorrect destinations across three states. Within four hours:

  • Customer service wait times exceeded 90 minutes

  • Two major clients paused shipments

  • The company lost $480,000 in one week

 

Internal teams scrambled, but no one could answer key questions:

  • “Who actually owns decision-making when multiple departments are involved?”

  • “What’s the approved message to customers?”

  • “How do we recover data and continue operations simultaneously?”

Measurable results: More than just a percentage

After the event, Crisis IQ Partners conducted a Crisis Readiness Diagnostic revealing:

  • No defined Crisis Command Team

  • No First 30-minute protocol

  • No communication templates

  • No recovery sequencing

  • Only 30% of their assumed “plan” was actionable

 

Crisis IQ rebuilt the crisis playbook, trained leaders, and ran simulations. Six months later, the company experienced a severe winter-weather disruption. This time:

  • Operations restored within 90 minutes

  • No major customer losses

  • Leadership stayed aligned and confident

 

Outcome:
The COO later admitted, “I didn’t know what we didn’t know. If we had this level of structure earlier, that $480,000 loss would’ve been a fraction of what it was.”

Key takeaway: Don't wait for a crisis to test your plan

The lesson learned from this case study is clear: Proactive crisis planning is essential. Don't wait until a crisis strikes to discover the gaps in your preparedness. Invest in a comprehensive crisis plan and ongoing training to protect your business, employees, and reputation. Contact us today to learn how Crisis IQ Partners can help you build a resilient crisis strategy.