E-commerce is currently at an all-time high. The frequent government shutdowns and stay-at-home orders have pushed the consumer online, radically shifting the global marketplace and its supply chain. Warehousing services have become an indispensable feature for businesses wishing to remain relevant in the changing distribution channels.
The modern consumer is currently crazy over same-day or next-day deliveries, pushing companies to rethink their storage solutions. You may need to start looking for warehousing services to facilitate your last-mile deliveries. To facilitate fast and effective shipping, here are five tips to finding the right warehousing and distribution company.
1. Location
The physical location of the warehousing services office that you choose will significantly impact various aspects of your supply channel. You may need to find a warehouse that is reasonably close to your target customers. It may help ensure timely and cost-effective deliveries to the market.
The warehouse location will also affect its accessibility. You may need to find a facility connected through different modes of transport. The ease of access may also be determined by the nature of traffic, interconnectivity, and road conditions. Finding the ideal warehouse location can help reduce late deliveries that may negatively impact your brand image.
2. Safety and Security
When analyzing third-party fulfillment services, you may need to keep in mind the security protocols places to keep your goods safe. The warehouse ought to have round-the-clock security systems in place, closely monitored by onsite staff. Safety also involves the handling of the merchandise in the facility. The staff ought to have property training on safety protocols that minimize the risk of damage to your products.
3. Scalability
With the rapid expansion of e-commerce, you may need to find warehousing services that can easily scale up to accommodate your business growth. Can third-party logistics handle the increased receipt and dispatch of your products? It can be a nightmare having to move your large shipments to another facility because the current one cannot handle your business expansion.
4. Technology
You may need to find Phoenix warehousing and distribution services with an efficient management system. Choose a logistics firm that has an up-to-date stock management system that can integrate flawlessly with shipping companies and other essential services. The software and apps should also enable you to track the status of your goods remotely. Monitoring and tracking may help keep your client’s informed about the status of the delivery.
5. Additional Services
Most warehouse providers offer distribution and transportation services as well. You may need to thoroughly understand your logistics needs before heading out for your search. There are nearly 12 million trucks, rail cars, locomotives, and vessels that move goods and raw materials through the transportation network. You may need to decide if you require warehousing services that include packing, labeling, and quality control processes. While the extra services come at a fee, you may save more in the long-term.
Warehousing services play a critical role in completing shipping requests and distribution to the final consumers. You may need the factors above before deciding to work with a specific logistics partner. American Western Distribution provides warehousing, distribution, installation, and transportation services all across the country. With a 32000 Sq Feet State-of-the-art warehouse facility in Phoenix, Arizona, we believe our storage solutions can help save your bottom-line.
