We’re coming to the end of 2018 and preparing for 2019 – and you know what that means: year-end “best of” lists. And, while our list may not be as entertaining as the “top 10 movies of 2018” rankings you’ll see in your social media feeds, we hope that you find it valuable. Here, we present the three Weber Logistics blog posts that were most popular among our readers in 2018.
Growing from 100 orders per month to 15,000 per month. For most companies, that’s a dream come true. But if you have the wrong solution in place for eCommerce order fulfillment, that’s a dream that may never materialize. Here at Weber, this type of quick growth spurt can, and has, happened with eCommerce order fulfillment clients. The only way to handle it is to have an operation that can seamlessly scale to meet the uptick in demand.
When considering all the costs involved in getting your containerized goods from port to market, it’s easy to think of all the “big” things that drive up your spend. These big-ticket items include your ocean carrier, drayage, and warehousing costs.
As your container makes its way through your supply chain, however, there’s a smaller – but cumulatively significant – cost that is likely eating away at your margins: the chassis rental fee. In this article, we’ll examine key ways to reduce this fee and improve the profitability of your operation.
It was a great day for your business – Costco agreed to carry your product, both in stores and online. Awesome!
Your team worked hard for this deal and, after the celebration, you went home for some much-needed rest before starting to tackle this great new opportunity the next day with your current third party logistics partner (3PL).
That night, a vivid dream transports you to your desk the following morning. You call your 3PL provider to begin discussing a rapid ramp-up process for planned volume increases. But instead of excitement about the new opportunity, your 3PL instead expresses concern and tempers your expectations about what can be done and how fast.
The retailers and manufacturers who use third party logistics (3PL) services agree: logistics outsourcing is an effective strategy to drive down operating costs, while improving service. But one area that can be a sticking point is 3PL contracts. We’ve got some tips to make this process go smoother.
3PL partnerships work best when both parties are engaged and understand each other. Like any relationship, it takes some work to get to the ideal level of partnership. The 2017 Annual Study on the State of Logistics Outsourcing published by Dr. C. John Langley stated: 91% of 3PL users and 97% of 3PL providers reported that their relationships are successful and that their work is yielding positive results. Following are three keys to establishing an effective successful relationship and avoid a costly breakup and transition.
Holding your 3PL accountable to deliver on the service promise can be difficult. However, a key component of that is monitoring key performance indicators (KPI’s).
You realize that partnering with a 3PL service provider can save you money and expand your capabilities. Yes! Good idea! Partnering with a 3PL is a smart option to take your business to the next level with a variable cost structure, flexible capacity along with technology and expertise to improve your supply chain. What are some keys to get the solution you need?
In society today, there is a large focus on weight. For many, the temptation of a pink box in the office can be cringing if you are trying to watch the pounds. Luckily in the logistics world it can be a good thing to be heavy – when it comes to containers. Although overweight containers are not allowed to travel across town, they have a home in the overweight corridor. A distribution plan that includes heavy containers and the overweight corridor can equal great savings.
Does your warehouse or 3PL provider have an internal audit program in place? It is critical for all operations follow standard operating procedures (SOP’s) – that’s how you get to the quality we need to deliver on our promises.
