5 Signs That You Should Consider Changing Your 3pl Partner
In any business relationship, there’s only so long that you can ignore that nagging feeling that something’s not right. And when it’s your third-party logistics partner you’re concerned about, it’s important that you address the problem sooner rather than later. After all, your customers and your brand reputation are at stake if things go wrong. So, when is it time to change 3pl?
To Change, Or Not To Change 3pl?
Once a brand has made the decision to outsource their fulfilment – with everything that entails – there’s a natural wariness when it comes to switching. If you’re unhappy with your current 3pl, it may be tempting to decide ‘better the devil you know’ rather than taking action. Except that doing nothing can leave you weakened as a brand, with an order fulfilment partner that has the power to lose you profits, customers and market momentum.
Is It Time To Change 3pl? 5 Ways to Know
In our experience, at Prolog Fulfilment, there are 5 key questions that brands need to ask themselves, when facing the dilemma of whether or not to change their 3pl. It may not be an easy process to put yourself through, but once you have answered each of these questions you should be able to answer the big one: Is it time to change 3pl?
1. Is Your Customer Service Constantly Improving?
The bottom line for any fulfilment provider is to offer customer service excellence. This means that the right order arrives, on time, and in full. If this is not the case, your brand reputation is being harmed.
Beyond the bottom line, though, a 3pl should be consistently looking for, and offering ways to further improve on your customer service. This is integral to your competitiveness and success. Without it your brand is stalling.
2. Is Peak a Time of Peril?
Every brand looks forward to those moments in the year when goods are flying off the warehouse shelves. Christmas and Valentines are the ones you can predict, but there’s also the moments that take you by surprise, when your product catches the eye of an Instagram influencer and suddenly everyone wants it.
Your 3pl needs to be able to deal with the peaks they know are coming, and those they don’t. Otherwise, opportunities are being wasted and your brand is losing potential profits.
3. Is Product Personalisation on Offer?
The majority of customers – when asked – say that they want their online shopping experience to be personalised. So, what is your 3pl offering to help you achieve a greater degree of fulfilment personalisation? Whether its personalised promotions, kitting, or personalising your products to provide a unique offering to your customers.
3pls work across a range of sectors and have the knowledge and experience to know what your customers would value – they need to make those improvements
4. Is Innovation High on Their Agenda?
The past two years have been a boom time for eCommerce, but how hungry is your 3pl for ongoing innovation? As a fairly young industry eCommerce fulfilment is moving fast. The industry leaders have plans in place to achieve net zero, are ready to invest in order to improve processes, and are aware of the trends that are currently driving eCommerce.
When was the last time your 3pl talked to you about their vision for the next few years, or their sustainability strategy?
5. Do They Behave Like Partners?
3pls are more than providers, they’re partners in the growth and success of your business. If they’re behaving more like a provider than a partner, then they’re not fulfilling their part of the bargain. A partner doesn’t stop talking to you once you’re onboarded. They don’t make you wait for resolution to a problem you’re experiencing. And they don’t ignore requests for reviews or reports.
A partner remains actively in dialogue with you throughout onboarding and beyond. They offer supply chain consultation, and regularly review your ongoing relationship.
Is It Time To Change Your 3pl?
If you have asked yourself the question – is it time to change 3pl? – and decided that it is, we would love to talk to you. Prolog has an established fulfilment centre, located in the heart of the UK, with flexible warehousing, a highly motivated workforce and the expertise to support brands from onboarding, to going live.
We’ll walk you through our fulfilment centre, introduce you to our 3pl team, and listen carefully to what it is you need from your 3pl partner. If you feel that Prolog fits the bill, we can proceed at your pace to facilitate the switch seamlessly.
