Why are third party logistics (3PL) good for your business? You might be at the very beginning of your business journey, or you might already be a successful business owner; it doesn’t really matter much. If your business includes shipping, 3PL should definitely be on your radar. This is especially the case if you consider shipping a high priority for your line of work. When you become a partner with a 3PL, they can do wonders for your budget and organization. Still unsure how it can benefit you? Read on to find out:
Better customer service
Seeing as you won’t be dealing with some of the more demanding parts of shipping and storage, you’ll be able to finally focus on your clients and customers. With more time on your hands, you can talk to them directly, improve your services, include different kinds of products or packages, and remove some of the things that have been slowing you down up until then. All businesses should put client satisfaction at the very top of their priority list, and with more time and space, you’ll finally be able to give them the attention they deserve.
Save a lot of money
If there was only one advantage of using 3PLs for your business, it would definitely be the lower costs. Third party logistic companies can help your business save a lot of money on monthly and yearly costs, even if their fees might scare you at first. Often when people decide to ask for a freight quote, they end up pleasantly surprised with the news. Over time, costs have decreased since quality 3PLs have always looked for innovative ways to improve their services and cut costs, resulting in great fees that are perfect for different businesses.
Access to expertise
Unlike people who have recently entered the business industry, a well-established 3PL company already possesses plenty of knowledge and necessary experience when it comes to transportation, documentation, and customs. Not only that, but certain 3PLs know a lot about all sides of the import and export, shipping regulations, as well as international compliance. It would take you a lot of time and work to get familiar with all of these, but when you partner up with experts, they will be able to handle those things for you. What is more, they always know everything about the latest developments in logistics and technology.
Get more flexibility and scalability
Third party logistics companies can offer your businesses the much-needed flexibility and scalability to change the way you use resources. Your business needs are constantly going to change, and a 3PL will be able to keep up with everything, and even give you some insight on how to deal with tough times. Navigating those tricky highs and lows in each season will be much easier with a trusted and experienced partner by your side. They can also scale resources, based on your inventory requirements, and change transportation, labor, and space accordingly, without you having to arrange and orchestrate everything. If you’re hoping to expand to new regions in the future, 3PL’s logistics support and industry expertise will help you in that regard too.
Mitigate the possible risks
The sad truth is that delays in the supply chain are very common today. No matter how well prepared you are, delays and mishaps happen, and no matter how often you call the poor driver, things won’t miraculously speed up just because you need them to. When you’re working with a 3PL, on the other hand, you’re in a much better position, since they have loads of experience dealing with delays. Not only that, but they are familiar with damaged products too, since these things are probably a daily occurrence in the logistics business. When you have insurance against loss and/or damaged products, you’ll be much more relaxed, and your clients won’t be damaged either.
There are, without a doubt, many advantages of 3PL companies that businesses dealing with shipping should be aware of. The reason is that no matter how big or small your business is, you should consider a 3PL provider if shipping is a priority for you. When you team up with a 3PL, you stop worrying about shipping and storage and can instead focus on marketing, promoting and growing your business.
Infographic provided by AV Logistics, drayage services