Choosing the perfect 3PL provider to partner with is a difficult task. You may be wondering, does this potential 3PL fit all of my needs? Are they cost-effective, do they have available space, do they have the correct resources in house for my projects, and how can they enhance my customer’s experience? Aside from cost, finding a company to partner with that meets your business needs will benefit your company in the long run.
Scalability and Adaptability
One question you should ask your potential 3PL partner is whether they have the necessary space to provide customized solutions that meet your customers’ needs. Your chosen 3PL partner should be aware of your potential growth, peak seasons, and have the ability to provide customized solutions to meet your client’s needs in the event of an increased workload. For example, if a business requires specific packaging for their product, your 3PL partner must ensure that this request is within their capabilities.
Location
Location for your customers is key when your business is factoring in cost, efficiencies, and delivery speed. When your 3PL partner is in a desirable location, such as close to major highways and shipping hubs, this can reduce your overall costs and satisfy your customers. A 3PL like NewStream Enterprises, LLC, for instance, resides in a centralized location in the United States which gives the ability to ship any direction within 48 hours for the convenience of your customers.
Customer Experience
When partnering with both tenured and new clients, often clients will have questions or issues regarding current projects. Before choosing your 3PL partner you may observe how they handle client issues and if they have the knowledge, skills, and staff to answer questions, resolve issues ensure these same issues do not repeat themselves. Utilizing 3PL services for your company is beneficial, however, as a business owner it is important that you leave your customers in good hands, ensuring your 3PL can meet the needs of your current business partners.
Missed Revenue
Labor shortages, supply chain scarcity, and lack of necessary equipment may affect your company’s opportunities to increase revenue. When your company does not have adequate staffing or equipment to fulfill certain requests, production gets delayed ultimately affecting your customer’s bottom line. If these three factors affect your business, you may also be at risk for an accumulation of backlog and an increase in cost to hold product on shelves, causing your business to miss revenue and opportunities to get product to customers on time.
Business Culture
Finding a 3PL that aligns with your own thoughts on business culture promotes transparency between you and your 3PL partner. A 3PL that practices open books management and employee ownership will overall have better business culture and relationships with their customers. Companies that practice these strategies allow their employees full transparency to the good and the bad aspects of the business, letting them own the work they do, and caring more about the product that is distributed to customers. Your 3PL should not only be your partner, but an extension to your business, having this mindset can reduce error allowing you to focus on your continuous improvement.