What are the best practices for communicating with your 3PL partner during peak seasons or disruptions?

Prior to the peak season or disruptions, collaboratively establish key performance indicators (KPIs) with your 3PL partner to gauge partnership success. Ensure KPIs are relevant, measurable, achievable, and time-bound, aligning with specific business objectives and customer requirements. Consider tracking accuracy, timeliness, and cost-effectiveness of 3PL services. Clearly define reporting frequency, format, and channels to facilitate transparent sharing of KPI data and feedback. A proactive and strategic approach to KPI alignment enhances partnership effectiveness and sets the stage for successful collaboration during challenging periods.

I agree but, I would also point out the importance of direct communication or direct contracting of individual services. The biggest waste of time and money we experience is through too many links from the driver of the vehicle carrying the goods through the forwarder, shipping line, customer planner, purchasing, warehouse manager to the warehouse operator. The warehouse operator should be able to contact the company controlling the actual road haulage. 90% of delays and demurrage can be avoided when the haulage company updates the warehouse rather than the sales person controlling the shipment.

Amid peak seasons or disruptions, maintaining frequent and proactive communication with your 3PL partner is crucial to prevent misunderstandings, delays, or errors. Designate specific points of contact for each party, establishing contingency plans for emergencies. Utilize diverse communication channels, including phone, email, text, or online platforms, to ensure swift and efficient connectivity. Timely communication of changes, issues, or expectations is essential, with constructive feedback and recognition reinforcing a collaborative and responsive partnership during challenging periods.

If you’re a microbusiness, you probably don’t need to have too much communication with your 3PL. And if you use a 3PL with automated systems, logging into their system is good enough. If you’re a bigger company, consider setting up a periodic review such as a quarterly business review. Or in many cases with larger enterprises weekly.

Forecast forecast forecast. If you drop surprise sales on clients without keep your 3PL partner in the loop, be prepared for delays. Communicating and executing your sale to you clients or email list can happen in a flash. Going from 10 orders a day to dropping 300 on a 3PL could possibly be painful for them.

During peak seasons and disruptions, collaborative problem-solving with your 3PL partner is an opportunity to navigate changing market conditions and customer demands. Treat your partner as an extension of your team, involving them in planning, forecasting, and decision-making. Leverage their expertise for innovative supply chain solutions. Mutual sharing of best practices, lessons learned, and improvement suggestions strengthens the partnership. Seek input and feedback from your 3PL partner, fostering a dynamic and responsive approach to supply chain challenges.

During peak seasons or disruptions, aligning expectations and contingencies with your 3PL partner is crucial. Clearly communicate SLAs, quality standards, and customer satisfaction criteria, monitoring compliance regularly. Discuss potential risks, scenarios, and impacts, developing contingency plans with your 3PL partner. Regularly review and update expectations and contingencies, promptly communicating any changes or deviations. This proactive approach enhances transparency, preparedness, and adaptability in navigating challenges.

In most part of ecom-Logistics that includes 3PL, best practices not only during Peak and Disruptions, but overall round the year is trust and transparency. When we refer a 3PL as Partner, there are lot that goes in building this partnership a success to deal with volatility of Logistics in different waves. As trusted relationship not only will enable your 3PL to proactively share the constraints but also will own the solution to make it success for both. 3PL totally understands during peak or disruptions you might miss your forecast, you might have some challenges in EDD or end consumer experience etc.. So they are the one or can be the 1st one to work together to make it a win-win for both.

To ensure smooth collaboration during peak seasons or disruptions, fostering trust and transparency is paramount. Open, honest, and supportive communication between you and your 3PL partner is crucial. Transparency should extend to sharing pertinent information, data, and feedback, avoiding concealment of issues, and addressing conflicts proactively. By cultivating a relationship based on mutual respect and collaboration, you lay the foundation for effective communication, enabling both parties to navigate challenges and seize opportunities together.

All of these areas of focus relate to building a partnership with your 3PL. Too much time is spent beating up 3PLs over pennies and peak season comes around and those same people expect the 3PL to do them favors and give them special treatment. That partnership mentality doesn't start during peak season but should be a culture built from the beginning of your relationship with that 3PL.