We've all been there: Your customer sends an angry email because their package, which was supposed to arrive three days ago, is on a cross-country road trip sans destination in view. It's oh-so-easy to shake your fist at your third-party logistics - more commonly referred to as a 3PL-service provider. But let's take a step back and figure out when it's genuinely their fault, when it's actually you dropping the ball, and when we should be blaming the sneaky middleman: the carrier.
Sometimes orders go MIA, and with them, your sanity.
Nothing quite screams "logistical nightmare" like orders just, well, sitting there doing nothing. If your 3PL service is taking the term "fulfillment" a bit too figuratively - like they're hoping the orders fulfill themselves spiritually - then yes, blame away. Any delays to fulfillment that have nothing to do with inventory, instructions, or carrier mishaps are definitely on them.
The Box That Played Hide and Seek
Your customer was promised this nice new set of somethings, but the tracking information
says it has been stuck in 'In Transit' limbo for weeks. When packages go missing without a trace, that's when it's time to start pushing the 3PL service to push the carrier for some answers. A good 3PL will have contacts at various carriers to assist with these types of issues. They can only do so much when working with a carrier, but a good 3PL service will do their best to assist.
The Damage Hall of Fame
Let's get real: Packages get damaged in transit sometimes, no matter how well they're packed. If your customers are consistently receiving packages that look like they took a few rounds in a ring with Mike Tyson, it's time to revisit packaging options with your 3PL service. Sure, logistics can get dicey sometimes, but if your goods keep showing up like they have lived through the apocalypse, it is time to have a heart-to-heart.
Your Product Information is Incomplete
Remember, the 3PL service can only work with what you tell them. So if your plush toy really weighs more like 500 grams but you were telling them it weighs 50 grams, expect delays and surprise fees. Poor data management leads to incorrect shipping quotes and delayed deliveries, hence it's not the 3PL playing fast and loose; it's you.
"I never got my package."
Surprisingly enough, shipping to the wrong address really does occur, and it is not the 3PL service that decides where the goods go - you do. If the uploading of customer data has been done incorrectly, do not shoot the messenger - or, for that matter, the shipper. Invest in some quality address validation software and save yourself the headache. (Shipping Bros includes this with their software service!)
The Mystery Tour of Your Package
So, you had a package shipped from Los Angeles to New York, and somehow it ends up in Wyoming. Twice. That is not down to you or your 3PL service. That is the carrier taking your goods on some kind of mystery tour. Sometimes for reasons completely unexplainable, carriers have weird routing issues, which means you have every right to demand answers from them - and maybe a map.
Weather Delays Deliveries. or Apparently, a Strong Breeze
Seriously, we get it. Blizzards, hurricanes, and zombie apocalypses-most of us can think of valid reasons why a shipment was late. But if your carrier's "severe weather delay" involves a drizzle that wouldn't deter a determined dog on a walk, it's okay to get a little salty. Especially if they consistently fail to meet their delivery commitments, it's definitely a carrier issue
"Delivered" Yet Has Not Arrived
You've heard it all before: the carrier says the package is delivered, but your customer is standing at their door, wondering if that's delivered to a parallel universe. Sometimes, carriers mark packages as 'delivered' when they are sitting in the back of a truck or were delivered entirely to the wrong address. That would be the time to follow up with the carrier for some GPS proof of an explanation that doesn't include sci-fi.
Actionable Tips to Avoid Fulfillment Issues with your 3PL service
Communication is Gold
This isn't just a cliché; it is actually important. Don't assume your 3PL service knows what you want if you haven't explicitly told them. Set up recurring meetings or email check-ins, especially before any big sales or inventory changes.
Standard operating procedures can your business.
Create an SOP for everything: inventory management, order cut-offs, packaging standards-you name it. Share these with your 3PL service so there's no ambiguity on what's expected. Invest in some of the technology tools that will help you connect your inventory in real-time to your 3PL service. If you notice that a mistake is occurring in real time, then you are able to catch it and correct it before it snowballs.
Working with a 3PL service and a carrier is like running a three-legged race: you've got to make certain everyone's in sync, or you'll be face-first in the mud. There's a time to blame your 3PL, a time to blame yourself, and-let's not forget it-a time to call out the carrier when they've clearly dropped the ball, or the box.
If we can keep our roles clear, we can keep our customers happy and our sanity intact.
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