Extra Mile Moments

There are countless examples across the industry proving how essential human intervention is to overcoming obstacles throughout the supply chain. While we would all love for every shipment and customs entry to operate smoothly, that’s just not the world we live in. It is in these cases that we are reminded just how valuable humans are to keep our industry running as smoothly as possible.

At Scarbrough, our team prides itself on going the extra mile for every customer to ensure the safety of their shipments. Going above and beyond has become so common that extraordinary effort often feels like an ordinary day. The following are just a few examples of the many occasions where one of our team members has provided an extra level of service that only a human can offer.

Tradeshow weight certificate:

A client needed to ship freight to a tradeshow but didn’t have a scale on-site. The event required a weight certificate before accepting delivery. Our team proactively contacted the carrier’s delivery terminal days in advance to ensure a certificate would be printed and attached to the pallets when the freight arrived at their terminal. Thanks to that coordination and daily follow-up, the delivery went off without a hitch, and the freight made it to the tradeshow before the show started.

Last-minute truck booking:

When a customer’s broker dropped the ball on a same-day pick-up, the shipment, and their deadline were at risk. Within 30 minutes of being notified, our team had a new carrier booked on-site. The load moved without issue and delivery was completed on schedule.

Tradeshow rate dispute:

An LTL carrier missed a tradeshow pickup forcing the client to use the event’s contracted carrier at triple the cost. Our team immediately disputed the charge on the customer’s behalf, citing the carrier’s failure to meet the pickup window. The result? Successfully getting the original carrier to pay the difference due to their own negligence.

Smart fix for a scheduling error:

A carrier arrived for delivery only to find the consignee’s paperwork listed the wrong appointment time – and the next available slot was a week away. Instead, of returning the freight (which would’ve incurred double handling fees, our team located a warehouse near the receiver that charged a small fee to hold the freight until the following week when the delivery appointment was reset. The delivery was completed successfully, saving the client time and money.

Hand-carried auto parts:

An urgent shipment of auto parts from Germany was bound for Tennessee, and if it missed its deadline, a major manufacturer would face an assembly line shutdown, costing tens of thousands per hour. Scarbrough arranged what’s called a hand carry shipment where a person physically brings the cargo on a plane as their carry-on. Then Scarbrough’s team member met them at the airport, picked up the box of parts, and flew from Chicago down to Nashville, driving the last 2.5 hours to the client’s plant. The client avoided a shutdown, and our team’s “hands-on” approach became a perfect example of our personal touch in action.

Delivering hope to remote Canada:

A client needed structural components for water towers delivered to a remote northern Canadian community lacking clean water. Despite a lack of information, our team coordinated multiple carriers across different regions, communicating with the consignee throughout to ensure on-time arrival. The freight reached the site, enabling construction crews to begin work immediately.

Helping an animal hospital grow:

While managing logistics for a new animal hospital in Toronto dedicated to affordable care, our team identified freight saving opportunities that therein allowed the client to expand operations and add in-house imaging and lab departments. By optimizing supplier shipments and reducing costs, Scarbrough helped the organization reinvest in essential veterinary equipment – X-ray, ultrasound, and diagnostic machines.

A race against time in Puebla:

Late on a Friday afternoon, a client faced a potential production shutdown at an automotive plant in Puebla due to a delay in receiving critical parts. The shipment — a dry van already en route and waiting to cross at Nuevo Laredo — contained the materials needed to keep the assembly line running. Our team immediately launched an emergency plan: Intercepting the trailer in Monterrey, hand-carrying 900 critical parts by plane to Mexico City, then driving them overnight to Puebla. The shipment arrived by 9 a.m., preventing a shutdown that would have cost hundreds of thousands. The client called the effort “beyond imaginable”

Laboratory relocation from New York to Queretaro:

During a complex relocation project, customs inspectors in Manzanillo misclassified disassembled acoustic chambers as raw materials and seized the shipment. Over three months, our team led legal negotiations and stood firm against demands for “financial arrangements”, ultimately securing release without penalty. Today, the laboratory operates successfully in Querétaro, and the client has expressed deep appreciation for the professionalism and ethical conduct shown by our team. The team member who led the way was later invited to visit the facility and see firsthand the results of her efforts. As a direct outcome, this client has decided to double its capacity in Mexico and has named Scarbrough its trusted logistics partner.

Stopping a load theft in its tracks:

While overseeing outbound shipments, our Laredo Warehouse Manager encountered discrepancies in a carrier’s paperwork involving a scheduled tequila pickup. After overhearing a suspicious dispatcher call, he halted the shipment, escalated the issue and confirmed the carrier was flagged for fraudulent activity. His quick action prevented a likely load theft and safeguarded the customer’s cargo. A driver arrived on-site with a pickup number, but upon reviewing the documents, our warehouse director noticed a discrepancy: the pickup number he provided corresponded to a different destination than what was listed for our shipment. Recognizing the potential risk, he stepped in to speak directly with the driver and requested that he contact his dispatcher for clarification. He complied, and our team member asked that the call be placed on speaker so he could hear the exchange firsthand. After overhearing some suspicious details on the call, he halted the shipment, escalated the issue and confirmed the carrier was flagged for fraudulent activity. His quick action prevented a likely load theft and safeguarded the customer’s cargo.

Each of these stories highlight not only the importance of human intervention throughout every step of the supply chain, but also the level of commitment shown every day by Scarbrough team members to ensure the best for our clients.