eCommerce, eCommerce Fulfillment, Food & Beverage, Freight Brokerage, Fulfillment, Ominchannel, Taylor Information, Team Taylor, Third Party Logistics
The decision to change your third-party logistics provider (3PL) provider can be a time-sensitive process that requires a lot of consideration and planning. It can be an excellent move that will help grow and push your business forward. We’re covering everything you need to know for a seamless transition!
When is it time to switch?
Are your customers receiving damaged products? If your current provider is messing up orders in any capacity, this can significantly impact your reputation. We absolutely do not want that; it’s time to change!
Think about all that’s changed in the past couple of years; TikTok has taken over; consumers expect one-day delivery, and we can purchase anything from our phones. Can your 3PL keep up with the constant shift? Suppose your fulfillment provider hasn’t improved or expanded their technology, operations, or facilities since you started working with them. In that case, they might not be thinking ahead. It’s time to change!
Has your business significantly grown? It’s critical to find a team that will scale with your business. If your current 3PL can no longer handle the volume, it could be time to switch.
Do you feel like you have a reliable team that understands your specific business needs and will jump through hurdles for your business? You need that person you can text at any time of the day, even though they are in an entirely different time zone—a person who knows the ins-and-outs of your products, your brand, and your mission. A team that can collaborate to solve and issues that might arise. If you don’t have this kind of support system, it might be time to switch.
When should you make a change?
When changing providers, it’s wise to consider the timing of the transition. Many merchants search for a new provider to coincide with starting a new calendar or fiscal year. Ideally, switching during a quiet period operationally is best. It can also be helpful to transition to a new provider before adding a new product line or entering a new market. If your needs truly aren’t being met, then switch now!
Ensuring a smooth transition
Once you’ve found the perfect partner, you need to plan for a seamless transition. It is essential to have clearly defined processes to uphold customer service levels and maintain speed to customers, and control costs. Your new partner should take the time to understand your business requirements thoroughly and define the project scope upfront. Work with their team of key resources from operations, production, packaging, quality, and process engineering teams.
Questions to Ask a potential new partner
Ready to make a switch? Below are questions to ask a potential 3PL to assess whether they’re the best fit for your business so you can be confident in your choice.
Does your technology integrate with ours?
What types of products does the third-party logistics provider specialize in?
What will the 3PL provider do to meet my performance metrics?
What predictive analytics are available?
How have you handled or corrected errors in the past?
Is there a minimum monthly order volume to work with the fulfillment center?
How quickly can I expand with the fulfillment warehouse?
What is the company’s history?
How Extensive Is Their Network?
We’ve helped hundreds of brands just like yours!
At Taylor, we helped hundreds of brands throughout the past challenging year with capacity, resources, expertise, and solutions to better their business. In 2020, we remained agile, kept operations moving with a record volume of orders, and all while keeping our team safe. Specifically, Team Taylor:
Kept all fulfillment centers open and operating safely
Opened a new strategically located warehouse
Added extra shifts to ensure products got out on time
Shared transparent carrier performance data
Added new carrier qualified partners to our network