The spiralling price of fuel has a domino effect on many industries. For shippers and transport companies, such increases only add to supply chain costs. Such fluctuations in operational expenditures can put some companies in financial jeopardy, forcing them to find other ways to maximize revenues and minimize costs by streamlining processes and eliminating wasteful efforts. Contracting an experienced 3PL to assist in transforming the machinery of your supply chain is a great way to develop better collaboration with partners like trucking companies in Canada.
The Benefits Of Working With Third Party Logistics Companies
One of the primary skills employed by top 3PL companies is their ability to develop relationships. That’s true when it comes to their customers, and it’s true when it comes to their many partners. Trucking companies in Ontario that have aligned their business efforts with competent 3PL suppliers know how transformative that can be for their business. It benefits their trucking operations and also helps shippers who rely on professional transport companies and organizational experts working for logistics companies in Canada. Contracting the right 3PL providers can improve efficiencies and reduce costs, streamlining your supply chain in the process. Here are some typical ways a 3PL working with trucking companies in Canada can help customers:
- Not every business has the volume to justify the use of FTL trucking options. Working with your 3PL provider, you can find ways to consolidate shipments to maximize your transport budget. Using LTL freight options, your 3PL provider can find similar companies who need shipping to share the costs. Doing so can also optimize your timelines to get things shipped. When demands are high, consolidating shipments so your products are on the road and not sitting at a dock is beneficial to your business. Your 3PL team can find refrigerated trucks or flatbeds designed to handle oversized heavy construction equipment. In other words, they bring flexible options.
- Finding the right carrier is critical for peace of mind shipping. Not all trucking companies in Canada have the same menu of services. Some specialize in heavy freight and oversized loads while others focus primarily on CPGs. A well-connected 3PL provider will have access to a large network of transportation companies across Canada and North America. If ground transportation isn’t the best option, your 3PL should be able to recommend other options including trains, planes, or container ships. Ultimately, you have choices; some are more expensive than others, and there are pros and cons to every choice. You want to be able to rely on your 3PL team of experts to identify the best possible transport method for every shipment you make, whether it’s frozen food or booster rockers used to send billionaires into space. Lots of companies have fleets of shiny new trucks, but not all of them have the skilled drivers and support teams to justify being hired. Only your 3PL knows the best choices to make every time.
- Anyone who has ever driven across the 401 through Toronto on the Friday of a long weekend knows that traffic is a nightmare in urban centres across Canada. It’s not exactly the most efficient delivery route to take if you’re in a hurry. Your 3PL partner can quickly determine the right routes, the best times to hit the road, and the most experienced carriers to use to optimize your delivery schedules and efficiently move your goods to their destination. That includes crossing the border. Given the number of kilometres a 3PL provider has analyzed in the process of routing deliveries, they have the data necessary to make informed decisions on the most direct routes and the safest roadways. Depending on the size of the load being shipped and the urgency in which it has to make it to its destination, a 3PL provider will have the insight to plot out the most efficient travel schedule. Flexibility is key; it allows a 3PL to choose multiple options. There will always be emergency shipments that have to be prioritized; however, for all other shipments, a 3PL provider can work with its network to determine the best plan of attack.
- Incorporating cutting edge technology into its operation is the key for 3PLs to stay relevant and ensure customers are getting the best available service. Data is king, and competent 3PL companies integrate state-of-the-art software to track, route, and handle administration responsibilities in the most efficient manner possible. Automating supply chain operations with end-to-end visibility incorporated into the process means companies waste less time and money. Even the consolidation of invoices and improvement of billing accuracy can be quickly modernized using industry leading digital options. Always ask your 3PL provider what latest technologies they have integrated into the delivery of their responsibilities. If they’re using file cards and typewriters, you may want to consider a different 3PL.
- Helping you with inventory. This is a critical function of highly experienced 3PL operations. Knowing how much inventory you have on hand, how much is in transit, how much is on order and how much has recently sold are just a few of the key metrics a business needs to know to keep the operation running smoothly. Having such data can help you make important decisions on storage and shipping choices. A good 3PL partner has all the tools at its disposal to implement the best programs to help you move your freight across the country, track your inventory and organize your processes.
NATS Canada Is One Of The Top Logistics Companies In Canada
For clarity, transparency, safety, organization, affordability and overall competency, NATS Canada is the choice to make when you need to improve your supply chain logistics. We have a vast network of proven carriers at our disposal, and years of experience shipping loads for every industry. Let us help you revitalize your processes and work smarter to maximize your budgets. Anything you can do to make your supply chain more efficient is going to benefit your bottom line in the end.
