Finding the right 3PL for your business is crucial for your company growth. Most shippers look to find effective ways to be both cost effective and reliable, but many are hesitant to give up control. Shippers have a difficult time trusting that a 3PL is equally as invested in their success as they are. Those shipping companies are missing out on the advantages of partnering with a 3PL; namely freeing up time, reducing costs, and expanding resources to places you once thought were out of reach. Outlined below are 5 reasons you should ship with a 3PL to reach the competitive edge.
1. Expansive network
When making decisions in the transportation industry, evaluate all factors of the process: time, cost, and scope. Before you make the choice between a 3PL and your own assets, consider the scale of your needs. Assets limit the shipper to the number of trucks and drivers available. Driver availability also confines customers to a schedule determined by the shipper’s assets rather than their own timeline. When you work with a 3PL, the right equipment at the right time enables shipping to be expedited and streamlined for efficient planning. Utilizing current industry technology with comprehensive compliance vetting processes, 3PLs find reliable resources for the shipper so they don’t have to.
2. Industry experience
A 3PL’s job is to be the expert. They combine knowledge and resources to give their partners a competitive edge. 3PLs tailor their services to the shipper’s needs and call on their industry experience to best serve their customers. 3PLs often strive to stay up-to-date with markets and trends to stay ahead of potential shifts, economic or weather related, before they happen. Safety is an important factor to any shipper’s carriers and their freight, so they do their best to ensure their customer’s drivers are compliant with current safety laws by putting drivers through a stringent vetting process. Additionally, most 3PLS employ compliance teams who handle mitigating any potentially dangerous scenarios.
3. One stop shop
3PLs offer a variety of services enabling shippers to negotiate several solutions under one partnership to meet their size and nature of their shipment. These include full truckload, cold chain, dry less than-truckload, intermodal, and supply chain management. Allowing a 3PL to help you balance the complexity of your supply chain can give you the opportunity to focus on your core competencies.
4. Cost
3PLs are acquainted with carrier locations and route preferences, because they develop quality carrier relationships. This in-depth understanding allows them to filter out the predatory carriers that have high rates, poor performance, and poor safety ratings. A significant strength of 3PLs is their ability to determine what mode of transportation is the most cost-effective way to ship while maintaining prompt delivery.
5. Reaching new markets
Analyzing rates and cost projections so you can reach a new customer base can be inefficient and require a lot of resources. 3PLs possess relationships with retailers and suppliers nationwide. They are familiar with the requirements, scheduling, hours of service, and delivery/shipping SOPs of these companies and can easily provide a clear resolution with swift solutions.
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The England Logistics Full Truckload division offers a range of services for companies of all sizes. Dedicated team members are available day and night to offer solutions and assistance with all logistical needs. Regardless of the transportation mode, our market and seasonal specialists provide flexible shipping solutions and are committed to helping every step of the way.