What We Mean by Customized Logistics Solutions
By Jan McCormick, Jr., Director of Marketing and Communications
There are a lot of third-party logistics companies that say they provide customized logistics solutions for their clients. But what does that really mean? Unfortunately for most businesses looking for outsourced logistics, that means they ultimately have to figure out how to make their needs fit inside the box of what a 3PL has to offer. That’s not the case with us.
What we mean when we say we provide customized logistics solutions is exactly that. Each is unique and designed specifically to meet the client’s needs – and no two solutions are alike. If clients are unsure of their exact needs, we work with them to build a solution from the ground up that’s a perfect fit. Here’s how and why we do it.
How We Provide Customized Logistics Solutions
The way we get started on building a customized logistics solution is by getting to know a client’s business. This begins with a Supply Chain Profile to understand business needs and get an idea of what their basic requirements are. In some cases, we’ll do a Business Analysis Review of current operations. This could range from a one-hour conversation to an on-site visit over multiple days, and allows us to get a better understanding of how things are being done with current operations. This research and due-diligence allows us to put together a Statement of Work, which along with a detailed proposal becomes the customized logistics solution that we present.
Knowing all this information to gather is made possible because of our leadership and their experience across so many different businesses. Whether it is automotive, food, retail, medical, or manufacturing, someone always has expertise to leverage when building a customized logistics solution. And because we offer a broad range of logistics services to so many industries, that exposure to different verticals allows leadership to cross-pollinate best practices when coming up with unique solutions.
Our systems play a big part in ensuring success when providing a customized logistics solution. Proper onboarding protocol is critical so that we can start-up quickly but still be as efficient as possible. Our proprietary client web portal, BLIWeb, allows for customized reporting to fit the client’s business needs. Constant communication plays a big part, whether it be daily conference calls or quarterly business reviews, to make sure we are made aware of changing business needs and can proactively plan for the future. And continuous improvement programs allow us to be looking to reduce waste and streamline processes over time.
Why We Provide Customized Logistics Solutions
At Bonded Logistics, our focus is our clients and always looking out for their best interests. We understand that a customized logistics solution allows for better efficiency, and matching our solution to a business is much easier than telling them that they need to fit our business structure. Ultimately, we want to be treated as their logistics partner, not as a vendor, and that only works when we put them first.
Business changes fast these days, and it’s happening even quicker now that we are dealing with so many unknowns related to the pandemic. Our client’s customers drive our business, and dictate what we need to do to push forward when it comes providing customized logistics solutions. When a customer’s needs change, we have to work with our clients to adapt and adjust. Providing an off-the-shelf solution isn’t something that’s going to add enough value to what’s ultimately delivered to their customers.
We understand that companies are going to go through a lot of stages, whether it be growth or contraction, an acquisition or buyout. In any case, by offering customized logistics solutions we can tailor our services to their changing needs. We have all kinds of services, multiple climates, and different locations so we can fit every need possible. And because we created each solution, we can be agile and adapt as clients change and grow.
Ready to have us get started on putting together a customized logistics solution that will truly benefit your business? Click here to start a conversation today with us!