The 3PL onboarding process is the most reliable indicator of how a relationship will actually function. A provider who showed well during the sales process can look very different once implementation begins. By the time the warning signs are obvious,...
Month three with a new 3PL, and the percent of on-time shipments is stuck in the low 90s. The provider thinks they’re doing fine. You don’t. And here’s the thing: neither of you is wrong, because nobody ever defined what “on-time”...
When you start making artisan chocolate in the back room of a diner with $32,000 from a taxi accident settlement, you don’t plan for nationwide shipping. For Bon Bon Bon, a Detroit-based chocolate maker offering handcrafted bon bons and...
Most manufacturers choose their fulfillment model based on current constraints rather than strategic analysis. A single warehouse feels simpler. Multiple facilities seem like the obvious next step when you’re growing. The reality is more nuanced....
We see this scenario play out more often than we’d like: a manufacturer signs with a 3PL based primarily on competitive pricing, confident they’ve secured an excellent deal. For the first month or two, operations proceed smoothly. Then the problems begin...
