Strategic Warehousing Solutions

It is a fact that all fulfillment warehouses are different so if a 3PL responds by saying that handles every kind of shipment, this potential partner doesn’t recognize its strengths. 

What considerations should you be looking for? Here are some examples:

• Heavy and bulky order fulfillment: This specialization needs to be handled properly such as shipping PTAC units or pieces of furniture. Have in mind that understanding and making thorough plans for packing heavy merchandise properly is an art because it involves saving money to eliminate the risk of having damaged shipments at the end of their journey and more satisfied customers.
• Lightweight but large products: High shipping costs are the top reason for shopping cart abandonment and considering that large delivery companies, such as FedEx, use the traditional and dimensional weight to determine shipping costs this can directly affect your sales. The right 3PL provider with experience will acquire and implement the most economical way to package your orders.
• Fragile products: only a top-notch fulfillment warehouse will take into account the characteristics of handling and shipping fragile items so they can arrive in one piece. With the best and budget-friendly packaging, ensuring arrival with all the safety measures is important for your products and growth. 

Falling short is avoided by setting performance goals and as business owners have experienced it is a great way to set a plan of action for future operations. It is vital for your partnership to be aligned with this mindset so your fulfillment warehouse should also operate by performance metrics that are the same as your standards of excellence and strategies for optimization with accuracy and agility. 

Revise that your operations also meet the requirements of the 3PL provider before choosing. Without overlooking slower seasons, ask if any additional charges will come through if sales slow down. Asking the right questions will save you from frustrations as you experience demand changes throughout the year.

Outsourcing brings fantastic benefits such as flexibility in shelf space as you grow or contract over time. Ask for your potential partner’s capacities and if they can provide the guidance and changes beforehand. How quickly can expansion happen with the fulfillment warehouse?

Visualizing unprecedented success like launching a new marketing initiative and sales blowing up, you may ask yourself if your products meet the demand. A follow-up question would be if your 3PL provider can also meet that new demand. How can you ensure physical and labor capacity? Ask what measures and strategies your logistics provider has implemented to accommodate your new needs.

Nowadays, two-day shipping is an industrial standard and online retailers such as Amazon are always looking for new ways of shortening delivery windows. Meeting this standard is a competitive advantage for any sector so have in mind that location is key. Why? If your 3PL provider has multiple warehouses, strategically planning where and how to place your product will mean saving costs and efficient deliveries.

If you find a third-party logistics offer that includes same-day order processing, this is a great indicator that the company you will sign is innovative and is aware of implementing the latest shipping trends to take your business to the next level. Two-day shipping is a hollow promise if it takes a week to process the order. Choose a 3PL provider that can process your orders with a same-day turnaround. 

Mistakenly packing an order means a certain loss. Customer service enters the picture to deal with the issue and this also involves more money and time. What kind of commitment does your provider offer to get your order on time and packed correctly? Automation of processes and paperless procedures reduces human error. Ask for what kind of compensation and guarantees the company is willing to cover and compare the risk.  What best practices do they apply and innovate to get it right the first time?

Returns are a big part of the eCommerce business and these customer experiences can build loyal customers. Handling all your returns with an outsourced company can avoid clogging your supply chain with speedy refunds, processing returns into stock after damage assessment, and sharing criteria.

Every 3PL provider should understand and value the trust you have put in their hands since your inventory is a substantial investment for your business. Ask what security measures do they implement and if any changes are being made for the future. 

Security cameras are installed in warehouses to cover all areas, inside and out. Employee background checks are made thoroughly to make sure staff is trustworthy. Fencing and 24/7 secure location are reinforced by control entry at all times even if not operating overnight, there should be security in place to prevent break-ins. Beyond theft prevention, security also implies keeping products in perfect condition according to their characteristics. Climate-controlled may be needed to prevent and control excessive heat, moisture, or cold prone to damaging your inventory. 

Beyond physical security, sharing a great deal of data with your 3PL provider means that they should count on strong internet security to prevent being hacked into the valuable information of customer names, addresses, and contact information. 

Outsourcing can become a challenge with all the upcoming changes made to your business dynamic so additional disruption with working with a new shipper can be unnecessary. Make sure your fulfillment warehouse has contracts with your preferred delivery service. Also, consider finding a 3PL provider that can process international shipments and its relationship with them. Although you may not ship internationally at these moments it’s a great moment to project your business into the global market. 

In G-Global we are passionate about finding an optimized solution, tailored to your needs with experts available 24/7. Our ultra-simplification of logistics is a great way to expand your business’s reach with a newfound capacity with our different strategic locations. We plan to foresee your demand and always meet it efficiently. Speak with our representatives today and enjoy outsourcing of excellence!