The Logistical Lowdown

Outsourcing logistics functions can revolutionize your business and help you expand into new markets by managing every aspect of your supply chain needs giving you more time to focus on your core business.

Busy season. 

It's a term we hear frequently throughout the year from a variety of industries. We know that tax season is busy for accountants, the retail industry is booming around the holidays, and farmers are out from dusk till dawn harvesting the fields. 

We all have a busy season. It comes every year, at the same time, and we usually hurdle  the same obstacles year after year. Instead of spending the time leading up to busy season agonizing over all the work that needs done; whether that be tax returns to file, long hours at the store, or the acres upon acres of fields; let's talk about what we can do to help alleviate the stress to ourselves and our company. 

Talk to a Contract Packaging Provider! 

I’ve often heard that a Procurement or Logistics Director’s least favorite part of his or her job is 3PL selection.  Why? 

It’s simple; selecting the wrong 3PL can cause repercussions throughout the supply chain, ultimately leading to delays or outright failures in getting product into the hands of consumers, impacting sales and profits. It is your life line and one that many people depend on; stockholders, employees, their families, your customers, and their families. A broken link in your supply chain could cause loss of sales due to lack of trust and downtime, not to mention the effect it can have on your business' cash flow. 

Third-party logistics (3PL) providers specialize in logistics services for shippers of all sizes from Amazon to small local businesses with a single product. 3PL companies can take over the supply chain processes that plan, implement, and control the flow and storage of goods for customers; which can also include assisting with or managing transportation, warehousing, distribution, and/or re-packaging needs from a single source, eliminating the additional expenses and time associated with setting up and managing multiple vendors. Over 86% of Domestic Fortune 500 companies use 3PL providers for logistics and supply chain functions.  

Still unsure? Take a look at these five benefits of working with a 3PL partner:

The necessity to add value to basic warehousing for today’s customers is becoming ever more important. Strategic partnerships allow for the opportunity to focus on what you do best and allow your partner to fill the void where your team may lack experience or infrastructure. Specifically, in the warehousing environment, it has become paramount to be able to add value for your customers as a 3PL partner.

Yes, we said the “B” word – Brokering.

When it comes to a shipper’s transportation strategy, many companies view asset based transportation companies as the only option for moving freight, so just the thought of “brokering” can send shippers running in fear.  That’s because the old model of freight brokering lacked the transparency and the control the shipper had over their load, resulting in customers with late, damaged, or even lost product. 

On-time delivery is one of the biggest concerns for today’s supply and logistics businesses. Many factors contribute to delays, some of which are outside of the control of the logistics provider. From the more obvious, such as weather, traffic and delays on loading docks meeting on-time deliveries, or not meeting them, can have a critical impact on shippers and the entire supply chain.

Warehouse space in areas like Georgia and Texas are seeing an unprecedented lack of vacancy. According to a report from Colliers International, this is a reflection of a national trend. The report uncovered a “critical need for more extensive logistics and warehousing networks in towns and cities worldwide to support urban, online demand.”