Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone: The Trick To Beginning Your 3PL Journey

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3PL

For some businesses, 3PL is the natural answer to the fulfillment question. For other businesses, it might seem like an intimidating and unreliable option. Today, it doesn’t really matter where you stand. What matters is whether or not you’re willing to step out of your comfort zone. What matters is whether or not you’re willing to begin your journey to be better – if not for yourself, for your customers.

And if you take anything from this article, let it be this: third party logistics can really only benefit you if you have an impeccable fulfillment partner.

Begin by weighing your options

With the right partner, 3PL helps to reduce the number of tasks on your plate. By outsourcing specific logistics to experts, your business can perform efficiently and effectively. When you outsource to life-long, skilled, and responsible candidates, you can satisfy customers with the highest quality possible.

But without the right partner, mistakes happen. Mistakes that are completely avoidable.

Bad back-end fulfillment logistics throw your entire operation off-kilter. Merchandise returns cost you more than money. Every item that comes back represents a mistake – your 3PL partner screwed up. Wrong item, wrong size, wrong color, something missing — or the items were packed so poorly that something broke or leaked. Whatever the reason, it’s subpar fulfillment.

So begin your journey by carefully considering only a few high-quality candidates – ones with years of experience and a solid reputation. They’ll have proof of successful fulfillment operations, from call center to shipping and delivery. Even more, they’ll go above and beyond to adapt to your specific business needs and desires.

If they’re really in it, they’ll be in it for a lifetime.

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Choose your top-notch partner

No screw-ups, for starters. That comes from meticulous, unswerving attention to detail.  
Comprehensive service options and a willingness to tailor those services to meet your company’s unique needs. 
Fully secure facilities and systems that protect your inventory as well as company and customer data.  
Warehouse and inventory management protocols that comply with the tightest industry and/or legal requirements. (For example, an FDA certification, so you can properly house and handle dietary supplements, health and beauty products, etc.)

In other words, the ideal partner will provide 3PL solutions that are as exceptional as the personalized service you strive to give your customers day in and day out. Every step of the process is a critical component to each customer’s experience. A top-notch partner will conscientiously take care of your customers by ensuring everything is perfect. Every single time.

Want further guidance?

Choosing your fulfillment partner can be a tedious process, but it’s by far the most important step in beginning your 3PL journey. If you’re eager to learn more about the ins and outs of third party logistics, or are maybe looking for further education on an outsourced partnership, give us a call – we’d love to chat!