3PL Links has been featured in the August 2017 edition of Business Elite Canada. You can view the article by clicking on this link or on the image below.
Tag Archives: logistics
Why Choose a 3PL for LTL shipments
1) Cost savings
Third party logistics companies specialize in growing their partnerships with small, medium and large sized LTL carriers (You may ship 2 skids per week, but a 3PL may have 100 clients like to meaning they will have deeper discount because they spend more). This gives them buying power to negotiate better rates/service for their clients. Many LTL carriers use rating systems that are based on pallet size dimensions and weight. A 3PL company has the advantage of being able to negotiate lower rates due to their higher volumes of business with different LTL carriers that specialize in different lanes industry verticals and markets.
2) Customer service
A 3PL company can offer personalized customer service by being flexible in order to meet each customer’s needs, a good 3PL will realize every client is different and tailor solutions to your needs, instead of giving you rates and fitting you into the box that is easiest for them. The different partnerships of a 3PL are an extension of their business and when it comes to servicing a client, challenges are always viewed as opportunities for growth.
3) Industry knowledge
Your 3PL partner is always up to date with the latest changes in the industry. There is no better option than to have your 3PL professionals guide you through your business and your Supply Chain challenges. The expertize from the right team as well as attention to detail can help guarantee success for any business in terms of service and their bottom line profitability.
4) Value added Service
The value that a 3PL company provides is having a team of industry professionals at your disposal, together with technology to provide visibility of your shipments and personalized attention to your business. 3PL companies can provide options and costs savings according to your customer’s needs.
Overall, a 3PL company is the best option when it comes to shipping LTL freight. Especially when shipments have special requirements like handle with care or time sensitive deadlines. 3PL companies provide an advantage for businesses looking to find the most competitive rates in the market, along with service that they can count on.
Why using a 3PL, is an advantage
3PLs allow for each step in the supply chain can be executed in the most efficient, cost effective way. 3PLs can leverage relationships and volume discounts, resulting in lower overhead and the fastest possible service, all things unavailable with an in-house logistics team.
Today companies are always chasing to keep up with the 30 second attention span, rapidly-evolving, customer-centric environment in which they operate in. Even knowing what technology is needed can be challenging for supply chain leaders; with much of the industry blind to the future ROI. Moving forward with the expectations that what has worked for a business in the past, will keep working in the future, has paved the road to the future with the ashes of obsolete companies… don’t see many people rent a movie from Blockbuster.
The old regime is being replaced by a new level of demands on cost, service, and quality. A benefit of using a 3PL provider is the ability to scale space, labor, and transportation according to inventory needs. Businesses with seasonal periods can enjoy stress free transitions between industry ups and downs, having the ability to utilize more space and resources when needed.
To keep your company on the right track the integration of a 3PLs knowledge of industry best practices, will create fortified lines of communication keeping you up to date with the latest developments in technology. 3PL software is capable of advanced reporting, inventory management, and provides visibility to monitor the entire process. 3PL experts employ Just in Time practices to ensure the correct amount of inventory is shipped when and where you need it.
In my personal experience I have seen the 3PL ecosystem comprised of a mixture of both senior experience and youthful innovation, leveraging each other’s skill sets and knowledge. This all culminating in a progressive platform to help maximize profits, reduce wait times, and improve customer service. Allowing your business to grow for years to come, by providing the resources to streamline your supply chain, reduce inefficiency, and the technology that ensures your goods arrive when and where you need them.
The Best Small Business Logistics Solutions for Increased Growth
Fortunately, you can overcome the challenges of logistics with the right solutions. To help you improve, let’s take a look at the best small business logistics solutions to invest in. Continue reading
How a 3PL Company Can Revitalize Your Cross Border Shipping to Mexico
Cross border ship
6 Tips For Effective Transportation and Logistics in the Construction Industry
The Benefits of Hiring a 3PL Company
Logistics Solutions for the Hotel and Hospitality Industries
Commercial logistics adopted the concept from its military application, where the procurement, maintenance and transportation of materials, facilities and personnel are all of equal importance. In essence, logistics is the science of supply chain management.
Providing logistics solutions to the hotel and hospitality industries is a very particular discipline, one that’s practiced almost as an art form at 3PL Links.
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Why Logistics Consulting is an Important First Step
The word “consult” has a Latin root meaning “to discuss,” and that’s all most consultants do – they chatter away until you’ve answered all your own questions, then formalize that input, take credit for it, and send out a bill. Logistics consulting most emphatically does not fall into this category.
As noted, the only time an individual or company really benefits from expert third-party consultation is when highly specialized, technical expertise is a prerequisite and when no internal knowledge-base is available to resolve the problem. Because logistics concentrate on such specific areas, few companies have their own in-house authority.
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3PL Links Case Study: Manufacturing (Outdoor Equipment)
Much like many companies in the modern economy, they are eager to capitalize on emerging trends in today’s consumer marketplace. For this client, that means having the ability to mobilize resources and engage their supply chain to continually exceed their customers’ demands. This need drove an engagement with 3PL Links.