CEO of Cygnia Logistics, Glenn Lindfield, highlights some of the key features that are essential when searching for your ideal supply chain partner, and the benefits you will gain as a result.
Five key features of the perfect supply chain partner
- Experience and capability
Growth is at the heart of both ecommerce and omnichannel retailing.
To achieve that, reaching new customers and building long-term, trustworthy relationships with them is key.
It’s important to look beyond the short-term when selecting a suitable logistics partner. Ask yourself, how can they contribute towards your growth ambitions and long-term business operations?
Your supply chain operations must be able to scale quickly with your business – and this is where experience is important. Think about whether they have demonstrated the ability to scale with well-known brands in the past, or whether they have been able to adapt operations quickly to fit the changing needs of their customers’ customers.
- Knowledge and insight
For any logistics partner, having good knowledge of both your business and your customers is key. Customers are the heart and soul of your business and delighting them should always be the number one priority. To do that, your logistics partner needs to fully understand your customers’ needs.
This understanding, together with data insight, will allow your 3PL partner to prepare for various peaks in demand. It will also help them to predict the needs of your customers as they evolve over time.
- Trends and Technology
In addition to knowledge and experience, it is also important that your supply chain partner is up-to-date with the newest technologies and consumer trends to provide service improvements at every level.
Is your partner aware of the demand and technological trends that could affect your business operations? This may include livestreaming, warehouse automation, delivery preferences and tracking systems, for example.
Keeping one step ahead in terms of your customers wants and needs is essential to successfully unite your brand with your customers.
- Relationship with your sales team
To keep your customers delighted, it’s crucial that both your logistics and sales teams are moving in the same direction.
Your sales strategies and promotions should be aligned with your logistics partner. Say, for example, that you’re offering bundle deals or discounted products, that communication and alignment will mean your logistics partner can comfortably deal with the rise in demand as a result. This also ensures the right products are discounted, depending on real-time inventory levels and demand predictions.
- Ambition
Both you and your logistics partner want your business to grow.
The strategic direction and ideas from your logistics partner can improve your supply chain operations dramatically, for instance by helping you to find efficiencies that allow you to serve demand peaks and meet consumer expectations more effectively.
What does success look like?
In short: brand loyalty and business growth.
Building a solid relationship with your logistics provider enables you to deliver peak performance, throughout the year, ensuring that your customers get what they want, when they want it. This consistency builds trust and promotes brand loyalty, delighting your customers time and time again.
