📊🚚 If you’ve relocated and moved your belongings long distance or internationally before, you know how frustrating it is not knowing where your stuff is and when it will arrive. Supply chains, in general, and moving providers, in particular, have struggled to meet this visibility expectation.

Apple’s AirTags and similar real-time tracking devices have been growing in popularity. For just 30 bucks, these devices are bridging the visibility gap, allowing families to independently track their belongings without the need to rely on their moving provider for updates (despite the privacy concerns this raises for truck drivers and moving companies). In fact, in the US, military families have begun using them for their change of station PCS moves.

While traditional milestone-based tracking, which provides updates at pivotal stages, may seem effective in theory, it grapples with challenges due to the fragmentation and complexity of today’s global supply chains. The lack of integration and system disconnects compound these issues.

However, as these systems gradually integrate and data sharing becomes more automated, we could see significant improvements in milestone-based tracking. Take, for example, The Homesafe Alliance. As the new single contractor for the US Department of Defense, it is set to accomplish this through its ‘Homesafe Connect In Transit Visibility’ features.

With that in mind, I have a question: If reliable milestone-based tracking was available, would you still invest in an AirTag for your move? Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!