With both ramp to ramp and door to door options available, there are many approaches that a shipper should take to maximize his freight spend whilst still meeting his customer needs. But understanding that there are multiple approaches to employ is not the same as executing against that plan. Shippers work hard to master their core competency; they want to brew the best beer, sell the most fashionable clothing, manufacture the fastest equipment, etc., they don’t have time or capacity to spend on transportation.
What they need is a great relationship with a Third-Party Logistics provider (3PL) to help them navigate the options available to them. Working with the 3PL and forming a relationship based on trust and understanding will enable the shipper to meet his two goals, satisfying his customer and doing so at a reasonable cost.
The 3PL will work with the shipper to get a full understanding of the items that are most important to the shipper. For some, the fastest possible transit time is the most crucial factor to consider when shipping, for others it is shipping as cheaply as possible while still other may want consistent transit times at reasonable pricing. The 3PL will help determine which the shipper is looking for and will work to put a plan in place to meet those needs.
What steps will the 3PL take to meet the shipper’s needs? We will discuss that in our next update.