Meet the ZIMonitor 24/7 Global Service Team

Michal Marcus, ZIMonitor Product Manager and Shani Volovich, Content Editor, in conversation with the ZIMonitor 24/7 Global Service Team.

When you’re shipping sensitive or high-value refrigerated goods, peace of mind comes from knowing that someone is watching over your cargo. But who are the people behind the scenes ensuring that your shipment arrives safely and intact?

Meet ZIM’s 24/7 Global Service Team – the dedicated specialists behind ZIMonitor, tracking your cargo and anticipating issues before they become problems to ensure your sensitive shipments remain safe. This is more than just logistics – it’s a carefully coordinated operation that blends human expertise, cutting-edge technology, and seamless global communication to protect your goods at every stage.

What is the ZIMonitor 24/7 Global Service Center?

ZIMonitor is a state-of-the-art tracking device placed inside our refrigerated containers, designed to monitor every aspect of your refrigerated cargo. The 24/7 Global Service Center is the heart of the system, processing all alerts based on time zones, regions, and severity, ensuring the right action is taken at the right time.

Alerts can signal a wide range of issues including temperature changes, power failures, unauthorized door openings, and route deviations. Depending on the nature of the cargo – whether it’s high-value, sensitive, chilled, or cargo requiring Cold Treatment – the urgency of the alert increases accordingly.

What Makes ZIM’s 24/7 Global Service Center Unique?

Being part of the 24/7 Global Service Team is all about managing the flow of critical information and ensuring swift action when it matters most:

Monitoring Alerts: When an alert comes in – whether it is a temperature fluctuation, power loss, or a door alarm, the representative immediately verifies the alert’s relevance and urgency. By identifying whether the alert is valid, the team can prioritize the most urgent situations first.

Managing the Status: Once an alert is confirmed, the next task is to track its progress. This includes ensuring that the right people are informed and that necessary actions are being taken. Every communication – calls, emails, and updates – is documented to create a clear record of how the situation is being handled.

Coordinating with ZIM’s Global Network: Effective resolution depends on reaching the right person quickly. The service team has an extensive network that includes hundreds of ZIM contacts at every port, depot, logistics hub and aboard the vessels. Whether it’s technicians, ZIM representatives, regional operational managers, the Maintenance and Repair (M&R) department, and in exceptional cases, even country managers.

How ZIM’s 24/7 Global Service Team Delivered Solutions – Case Studies

Wrong Setpoints: When a shipment was mistakenly set at -18°C instead of the required 18°C, the service center personally checked the discrepancy and quickly verified with the booking department to confirm the correct temperature. Once confirmed, the team coordinated with technicians authorized to adjust the container’s setpoint.

Compressor Malfunction: A high-value container triggered an alert mid-voyage, indicating a compressor malfunction. The service center immediately contacted the vessel’s regional manager, and in cooperation with the M&R department, confirmed that the compressor needed to be replaced, and a technician onboard carried out the repair. 

Power Failure: When a container undergoing Cold Treatment experienced a power outage, the service center immediately prioritized the alert and contacted the vessel’s crew. After inspection, a faulty cable was identified and replaced, ensuring the Cold Treatment process remained uninterrupted.

While advanced technology plays a crucial role in this operation, it’s the human factor that makes all the difference. Each representative is carefully selected and undergoes training to understand the intricacies of shipping operations, cold chain logistics and crisis management.

The teams don’t just monitor cargo – they personally handle each alert and manage the full picture, staying in constant communication with all relevant authorities worldwide until the issue is resolved. With their deep understanding of the process and ability to anticipate challenges, they’re the critical link between all the moving parts of your cold chain.