When to Hire a New 3PL Company for Your E-Commerce Business

Let’s face it; if you don’t have a reliable third-party logistics company taking care of your fulfillment needs for your online business, then you’ve got a problem on your hands. But how do you know if the company you’re currently using needs to be replaced? There are many things to consider when wondering if you need to hire a new 3pl company for your e-commerce needs - all of which we’re going to outline in this blog post.

What is 3PL?

When it comes to logistics and supply chain management, third party logistics, or 3PL, involves an organization, such a business, hiring a third-party entity to take care of things such as warehousing, fulfillment, and distribution. Most often, companies hire 3PL companies because they can’t handle specific tasks internally, such as inventory handling and shipping.

When Should You Fire Your Third Party Logistics Company?

If you’re feeling like it’s time to move on from your currently 3PL provider, then chances are it is that time. But, before you go pulling the proverbial trigger on making that pivotal move for your business, here are some things to consider:

Affordability

Does your current provider offer affordable prices for their services? If not, it’s time to shop around. Forte Frozen proudly offers flexible pricing models to meet the needs of each and every client. This ensures that we not only provide customer satisfaction, but also build long term relationships.

Location

If your current third party logistics warehouse is located in a small town in the middle of nowhere, that can be an issue. As a business owner, your goal is to be able to have your products reach your customers in a timely fashion. Ever heard the phrase time is money? It’s true, especially when it comes to e-commerce. Forte Frozen boasts several locations across the United States that allows us to provide a 1-2 day shipping reach across the country. Fast shipping means happy customers, and happy customers means more money in your pocket.

Services

What does your current provider offer? Do they only offer a space for warehousing? Do they have their own team of distributors that ensure your products reach your customers safely? What about inventory - do they keep track of that for you? If you’re finding that your provider’s services are limited, now’s the time to jump ship. However, if you do decide to change providers, consider Forte Frozen. Not only do we provide temperature-controlled storage for your products, we also have dedicated e-commerce fulfillment services. Plus, you’ll get to take advantage of tons of value-added services such as pick and pack services, case picking, cross-docking, distressed load handling, and more.

Up to Date 

Is your provider keeping up with the times when it comes to technology? If not, then they may not be a good fit for you. As a business owner, you always want to be forward-thinking. At Forte Frozen, we keep up with the trends in third-party logistics and use a cloud-based inventory management system that allows us and business owners to track inventory from anywhere; even the comfort of home!

Are you ready to switch 3PL providers? Contact Forte Frozen today!