A strong economy means good times for business, right? Generally speaking, the answer is yes, but there are some nasty side effects of economic strength. In the logistics industry, one of these side effects is the difficulty in attracting and retaining talent in a high-employment market.
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.
As a company grows, so does its need for new talent, and in today’s workforce there are several generations to choose from. One can select from the well-seasoned Baby Boomer to the green bushytailed Millennials, each with their own strengths. Figuring out the correct balance for a company can be a challenge and takes some understanding of where the company stands in its development. All customers, regardless of their respective generations, are looking for the same things from a 3PL: timely communication, meeting delivery times, and avoiding additional cost.
Keep in mind the following when dealing with different generations.
We all face the drive to “get it done” and usually it means “get it done right now!” But sometimes in the rush to mark the next item off our “to do” lists, we stop listening. We stop engaging our partners – and we stop listening to constructive dissent which is often the last best defense we have against really getting it wrong!
Communication is vital to any business operations but in supply chain it is critical for everyday success. A slip in communication can cause major problems and huge losses down the road. These are the 5 ways to effectively communicate:
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.
As the Distribution Center Manager for Weber Logistics’ Stockton facilities, and throughout my career in Warehousing, Logistics and Supply Chain, it has become apparent that one of, if not the, most important factors to success in the field is communication.
