When logistics break, clarity beats optimism—partners and customers want accurate ETAs and options, not promises. This quiz probes how you synchronize supplier updates with downstream messaging during real‑world disruptions.
A Red Sea escalation forces vessels around the Cape of Good Hope. What should you communicate first to key customers?
Revised ETAs with the cause, options (mode/route), and expected next checkpoint for confirmation.
A price‑increase notice; timelines can be updated later.
A generic apology and the original ETA to avoid cancellations.
A media statement only; direct customer updates can wait.
What upstream information most improves reliability during a regional disruption?
Quarterly press clippings about the supplier’s awards.
Supplier capacity, recovery time, and substituted‑SKU feasibility shared on a fixed cadence.
A single bulk update at month‑end.
Generic statements of commitment without timelines.
How much time can the Cape of Good Hope detour add to Asia–Europe routes during crises?
No measurable delay; it is a time‑neutral detour.
Only a few hours if weather is favorable.
Roughly one to two weeks of extra transit in typical scenarios.
Several months of delay on average.
Which downstream tactic best reduces churn risk when orders slip?
Aggressive collections to protect cash while orders are late.
Silence until goods clear transshipment to avoid repeated bad news.
A blanket ‘force majeure’ note without item‑level details.
Offer options: partial shipments, substitutions, or cancel‑with‑refund paths and set a predictable update SLA.
What is a ‘control tower’ most used for in disruption comms?
Cross‑functional visibility and exception management across orders, carriers, and inventory.
A customs app for automating tariff payments only.
A finance tool for calculating quarterly dividends.
A public newsroom for posting PR statements.
For key accounts, how often should your team update ETAs during a fast‑moving disruption?
Once at the end of the month, after reconciliation.
On a set cadence (e.g., daily) plus event‑driven updates at milestones like port departure or transshipment.
Never provide ETA updates; they create liability.
Only when customers ask, to avoid inbox fatigue.
Which upstream move supports downstream promises when ocean capacity tightens?
Freeze purchase orders and wait for rates to fall.
Switch to the cheapest carrier on spot markets only.
Share demand forecasts and secure allocation with suppliers and carriers for critical SKUs.
Announce an all‑hands travel ban to save cash.
A shipment of perishables is delayed in transit. What should you communicate to minimize loss and claims?
Ask customers to check with the carrier themselves.
A generic ‘in transit’ status without specifics.
Only the shipment ID; details can overwhelm recipients.
Temperature status, revised delivery window, salvage or re‑route options, and claim procedures.
What should your disruption microsite or portal prioritize for downstream audiences?
Order‑level status, SKU substitutions, FAQs on surcharges, and a timeline of the disruption.
A countdown clock to ‘normalcy’.
High‑level press quotes without operational detail.
Exclusive access for internal users only.
News breaks that attacks in the Red Sea are escalating again. What internal comms action should you take within hours?
Pause all outbound updates until a monthly review.
Brief sales and customer‑support with updated route plans, surcharge guidance, and talking points before public posts go live.
Publish a social post first; internal alignment can follow.
Route all inquiries to legal to avoid misstatements.
Starter
You grasp the core—now formalize supplier mapping and cadence for ETA changes and allocations during major disruptions.
Solid
Good call patterns—add control‑tower views and proactive account playbooks for key customers and critical SKUs.
Expert!
Excellent: you synchronize upstream capacity signals with downstream promises, publish SLAs for updates, and offer options instead of wishful ETAs.
