Companies engage a 3PL to optimise business processes and take service levels to the next level. The cooperation you have with a company as a service provider is usually of a longer duration. After all, you need to grow with the company and its processes. When things do not run as desired, it is difficult for a company to quickly switch to another party. That is why it is important to offer a company the right service right away. Damco investigated what companies should look out for before engaging a 3PL. If you are a 3PL yourself, you can use the checklist below to see if you might need to up your service.
IT integration
Goods being shipped pass through the hands of several companies before they finally reach the customer. Ensure that you integrate the IT systems of all these parties into your business system, so that both your company and you can track the products at any time, as well as check whether all processes are functioning optimally.
Innovation
As a 3PL, you drive change within a company. The company must also be able to easily implement these changes throughout the supply chain. As a 3PL, you must be able to advise the company on this. Therefore, ensure that, as a 3PL, you have the necessary resources and mindset to drive innovation within the company.
Account manager
Are you contracted by a large organisation? If so, it is important that you provide the company with a dedicated point of contact. A dedicated account manager, who is responsible for all coordination and communication with your company, ensures clear communication and coordination. Furthermore, an ongoing dialogue between the company and your account manager can help generate new ideas. This is more constructive than if the company were to deal with a different person each time.
Legal compliance
It may seem obvious, but as a logistics service provider, you must ensure you have a clear understanding of the legal aspects. An international supply chain is subject to different laws in different countries. It’s all too easy to make a mistake. Check carefully that, as a 3PL, you comply with all these international laws. You cannot afford to be accused, rightly or wrongly, of, for example, cartel formation or fraud in any country. Moreover, this would have a negative impact on the company you are doing business with.
Ethics and environmental awareness
In the B2C sector, this is somewhat higher on the agenda than in the B2B sector, but social awareness is a ‘must’ for all businesses today. Consider, for example, minimising environmental pollution and social responsibility. A good 3PL should provide the company with insights into how the supply chain’s environmental ‘footprint’ can be reduced.
Editorial LogistiekProfs
