Third-party logistics, or 3PL, providers have seen a significant increase in revenue over the past decade as e-commerce sites have also seen significant growth. More consumers prefer to shop online now for several reasons – including convenience, savings, and most recently, the safety no-touch home deliveries provide. What’s the connection between 3PL companies and e-commerce sites? Third-party logistics companies offer a range of services to expanding companies from warehousing and inventory management to packing and shipping orders. 3PL companies spare growing companies the time and expense of investing in their own in-house fulfillment operations.
Growing Companies Are Turning To 3PL Companies For Fulfillment Services
When your e-commerce company starts to grow out of your current circumstances and surroundings, third-party logistics companies offer a turnkey alternative to leasing your own warehouse as your customer base expands and your fulfillment operations take on a life of their own. This means that if you’re not prepared for the increased volume of sales, your fulfillment processes could suffer and affect your bottom line in the long run. Getting your orders packed and working out how best to ship more orders efficiently and figuring out how to get them to your customers on time can take some time to perfect and get under control. Leasing your own warehouse space, sourcing packing and shipping supplies, and setting up your fulfillment operations is not only a major financial investment but hiring and training fulfillment staff can place your business initiatives on hold for the foreseeable future. Instead, more and more growing companies are turning to 3PL companies such as Phase V Fulfillment Company for the savings and increased efficiency these companies offer. In addition to providing warehousing and cutting labor overheads, the right 3PL provider can help your e-commerce site improve supply chain operations, resulting in increased sales and continued growth.
The Right 3PL Partner Matters
The right 3PL company will take an interest in your company’s goals and customize your fulfillment operations to meet your needs. At Phase V, we work with you to get to know your company and your vision to automate your fulfillment operations. From onboarding your inventory to making sure your orders are cost-effectively delivered on time to your customers, your Phase V logistic team is always looking for ways to streamline your fulfillment operations and save your company money. Here’s what you should look for in a 3PL provider:
- Warehousing your inventory In considering a 3PL provider, choose one that’s located near shipping and trucking routes in a secure facility. Phase V onboards your inventory into our secure, climate balanced facilities that protect and preserve the quality of your products. Strategically located in Fort Myers, FL, our facilities are central to all shipping and trucking routes. On arrival, our experienced warehouse personnel examine your inventory for quality and quantity, and designate a dedicated space for your inventory, monitoring your inventory at regular intervals.
- Technology counts To keep your inventory moving through your fulfillment operations without delays, exemplary fulfillment technology drives results. At Phase V, our state-of-the-art data-driven technology integrates with most e-commerce shopping carts. Promoting transparency, our technology allows you to view your inventory counts, at any time, as well as set up low inventory alerts that let you know when to restock products before any delays, such as out of stock and backorder issues, send your potential customers clicking away to other e-commerce sites. You also want to choose a 3PL provider with the technology that gives you real-time inventory counts 24/7, at any time during order processing and delivery.
- Pick and pack systems that customize your orders The right pick and pack operations include the ability of your 3PL provider to include all branded materials and inserts you need to pack your orders. Phase V’s skilled packaging experts work with your specs to ensure your packages are assembled as if they came directly from you with branded invoices and bills of lading, etc. Phase V works with your seasonal fluctuations to scale your packing labor to the season, adding more hands during busy cycles and reducing labor during the off-season and slower cycles.
- Knowledgeable shipping logistics team A crucial element in choosing a 3PL provider lies in their expertise in carrier options and freight regulations that will ensure your orders get to your customers as efficiently and expediently as possible. Consumer demand for shorter and shorter delivery times is high on consumers’ lists when it comes to online shopping. Phase V’s shipping logistics team is experienced in working with a variety of carriers and complicated delivery options to get your orders to your customers in a timely fashion. More satisfied customers mean increasing sales volumes and generating brand loyalty.
- Live customer service means more sales Everyone knows how frustrating it can be when you ordered the wrong size, you receive the wrong item or you just need to speak to someone about your particular situation and all you get is a recording telling you to call back later – that doesn’t help at all. At Phase V, customer experience is paramount to retaining customers and growing your online sales through return business and word of mouth referrals. Because consumers shop at any time of the day, a good 3PL provider will offer live support for your customers. That’s why at Phase V, our customer service representatives are thoroughly trained to address your customers’ concerns about returns, exchanges, and answer other questions that may arise.
The right 3PL provider for your e-commerce site will partner with you to offer hands-on assistance to effectively streamline your fulfillment processes, work with you to find new avenues to sell your products, increase your sales volume with consistent, efficient, on-time deliveries and provide customer service that helps grow your brand’s base. Phase V Fulfillment offers a one-stop shopping experience for all your e-commerce site’s needs. With over 40 years of experience, we’ve got the infrastructure, analytics, and experience to reduce your fulfillment costs and help grow your business. Contact Phase V to learn more about the broad range of fulfillment services we offer as your 3PL provider!
