Having a strong 3PL partnership provides you with several benefits. Your business and the supply chain processes will thank you for having built a partnership with a strong 3PL. A third-party logistics (3PL) company can remove the excessive hassle that comes with your shipping needs. By outsourcing your logistical needs, you can find yourself having an advantage over your competitors. Here are some of the benefits you can look forward to with working alongside the right 3PL partner.
Network Relationships
A carrier network is a 3PL’s greatest asset and is crucial to constructing the benefits of a 3PL provider. This is especially the case with small carrier companies. There are around 900,000 carrier companies in the US and most of them are small companies. These smaller companies have no more than 20 trucks and no sales team. These are the companies that work hard and are dedicated to bringing your delivery to where it needs to be. These are the companies that 3PL brokers can partner with because they spend time searching for them and building relations with them.
Beneficial Experience
Another benefit that comes with having partnered with a strong 3PL is the expertise you will have. With the right expertise, you can manage your transportation needs more efficiently. The experience of 3PL company workers is top-notch. They handle all sorts of logistics and shipping tasks each day, which makes them experts. In addition, when things do not go as planned, or you have certain issues, that experience helps overcome them. Processes are built over time from observation and error. More experience of a 3PL typically means they are strong enough and established enough to run smooth operations. By partnering with a company that has a plan for everything you never have to worry about disaster again.
Access to Free Time and Resources
What you really want to benefit from while partnering with a strong 3PL is having more free time and resources. A 3PL handles all your freight’s transportation, leaving you to be worry-free. You no longer have to put in your time towards the coordination of transporting your goods. You will be able to focus your time and energy on other areas of your business. The more control you give over to the 3PL, the more time you will have to refocus on other areas of your organization. There are variables to how involved you must be in the shipping process while being in a 3PL partnership. The transparency provided by a 3PL will give you updates, so you are still in the loop. And the next benefit is what allows that full transparency.
Strong Technology
Finally, the use of technology is a huge benefit that comes with a 3PL partnership. A strong 3PL partner will have tools like Transportation Management Systems (TMS), track and trace technology, and reporting. By parting with a company that already has all these tools in place you can forgo the barrier to entry and still enjoy the benefits of them. You want to partner with someone that will actually improve your shipping operations, rather than just a pickup and drop off. Technology can allow you to get a hold of shipping data and analytics that can help you and your 3PL partner to adjust in the supply chain transport.
If you want to see if Becker Logistics would be a good fit for your company then reach out to us! Or, if you are ready to start shipping now, request a quote.
