Two-thirds of businesses find that 3PL providers help reduce logistics costs; here’s how to tell if your order fulfillment company is in need of a new 3PL partner.
Consistent Mistakes in Order Fulfillment
Mistakes are inevitable. But they should also be rare. If your 3PL partner consistently makes mistakes during the order fulfilment process, whether that takes the form of mismanaged and lost inventory or failing to deliver on shipping promises, then it’s time to look for a new 3PL provider.
Failure to Evolve Fulfillment Processes/Technology
The e-commerce market is loaded with competition, driving innovation and technological improvements in order to ensure orders are delivered faster and more accurately than ever before. Falling behind the technology race can mean falling behind on your competition. And with customers famously expecting the best when it comes to e-commerce (56% of customers under 35 expect same-day deliver), ensuring your business remains on the cutting-edge is key, and your 3PL partner should help keep you there.
No International Shipping Ability
Many e-commerce companies are domestically focused…to start. But with growth comes the ability to scale and tap into new markets. These international consumers can supercharge revenue as you grow, so finding a 3PL provider with international shipping capabilities is critical as you scale.
Not Scalable
Speaking of scaling, you never want to be stuck with a partner that can handle your current needs but aren’t able to manage evolving demands that are a natural side-effect of growth. As your company gets bigger, in other words, so too does the resource demand on your 3PL provider to keep up. Your partner should have the resources to account for this growth, saving you from having to switch to a new provider whenever you experience strong growth.
Lack of Support in Returns, Exchanges, and Refunds
A strong provider will not only make fewer mistakes (leading to fewer revenue-draining refunds, exchanges, and returns) but will also ensure that your business is able to manage this side of the business quickly and efficiently. A competent provider will be able to significantly reduce the costs of processing returns, exchanges, and refunds.
Increase in Customer Complaints
If you’re seeing customer complaints increase in frequency, then it’s time to move on from your current 3PL partner; this is a terminal issue for an order fulfillment company. With so many other e-commerce businesses out there, complaints are the first indicator that you’ll be losing customers, and if your 3PL provider’s current services are leading to more complaints, it’s time to jump ship.
Why Choose APS as Your Next 3PL Partner?
With the supply chain crisis and other pandemic-related issues making fulfillment a more complicated and fraught process than ever before, you need the right 3PL partner at your side. With the right 3PL company, you can better respond to these conditions and avoid sustaining revenue and customer loss.
At APS Fulfillment, Inc., we offer full-service e-commerce fulfillment out of Miami that includes state-of-the-art warehouse management software (WMS). We make inventory management and goods tracking easy and simple, even during these complicated times. We’ll also support your business and automate the warehousing, prepping, shipping, picking, and packing of your orders!
Get in touch with us today and one of our consultants will tailor a fulfillment plan that will help grow your business. To book a consultation, call (954) 582-7450 or email [email protected].
