As eCommerce needs continue to evolve, choosing the right 3PL consultant has become increasingly important for business owners. A good 3PL consultancy will guide you through selecting the best features and services, understanding pricing structures, managing your inventory, and creating efficient supply chain processes beyond contract negotiations with carriers and fulfillment centers.

When considering potential consultants, keeping these strategic elements in mind can help you land one that makes sense for your specific situation. This blog post will unpack How to Choose the Best 3PL Consultant options to fit your business needs!

What is Third-Party Logistics?

Third-Party Logistics (3PL) is a business outsourcing service in which a company contracts out its logistics and distribution functions to another company. 3PL providers handle many logistics functions, such as transportation, warehousing, and inventory management, allowing the outsourcing company to focus on its core competencies. 3PL providers can also offer value-added services such as packaging, assembly, and reverse logistics.

What are 3PL Consultants?

3PL consultants are professionals who specialize in helping companies optimize their logistics operations by using third-party logistics providers. They work with companies to understand their logistics needs and help them find the right 3PL provider to meet them.

Experienced consultants typically have a deep understanding of the logistics industry and can provide a range of services and resources, such as:

• Assessing a company’s current logistics operations to identify areas for improvement.
• Identifying the most appropriate 3PL services for a company’s needs.
• Helping a company evaluate and select the best 3PL provider from a group of candidates.
• Negotiating contracts and service-level agreements with 3PL providers.
• Managing the implementation of new logistics processes and systems.
• Monitoring the performance of 3PL providers to ensure they are meeting the company’s expectations.

How Do 3PL Consultants Work?

3PL consultants typically work with companies in several key stages:

1. Initial Assessment: The consultant will conduct an initial assessment of the company’s current logistics operations, including key questions regarding transportation, warehousing, inventory management, and other logistics-related activities. This assessment will help the consultant understand the company’s specific needs and identify areas for improvement while planning.
2. Recommendations: Based on the assessment process, the consultant will recommend how the company can improve its logistics operations using third-party logistics providers. This may include identifying the most appropriate 3PL services for the company, such as transportation management, warehousing, or inventory management.
3. Provider Evaluation: The consultant will then help the company evaluate and select the best 3PL provider from a group of candidates. This may involve reviewing the providers’ capabilities, costs,  references, and conducting site visits.
4. Implementation: Once a 3PL provider has been selected, the consultant will help the company implement new logistics processes and systems. This may include negotiating contracts and service-level agreements with the provider and managing the transition.
5. Monitoring: After the implementation, the consultant will monitor the performance of the 3PL provider to ensure they are meeting the company’s expectations and that the operation of the new logistics is running smoothly. The consultant may also make additional recommendations for improvements as needed.

Ways to Work with a 3PL Consultant

For those who would like comprehensive logistics operations management, full-service consulting is the way to go. Working with a 3PL consulting service can be tailored to address a client’s specific needs and goals. This covers everything from the initial assessment and planning to implementation and ongoing monitoring of the company’s operations.

For projects that require short-term assistance, project-based consulting works well for quick results. Advisory services give the advantage of having a specialist available when needed throughout an organization’s lifetime, while retainer-based consulting locks in a set number of hours per month from the consultant for support and advice. Whatever need arises, there is likely an option to match it!

How to Use a 3PL Consultant to Find a New 3PL Vendor

When evaluating and selecting a new 3PL vendor, a 3PL consultant typically uses a set of objective criteria to ensure that the vendor is a good fit for the company’s specific needs. 

Objectives

1. Services Offered: The consultant will evaluate the vendor’s capabilities and services, such as transportation, warehousing, inventory management, packaging, assembly, and reverse logistics, to ensure that they align with the company’s needs.
2. Costs: The consultant will review the vendor’s expenses, including transportation rates, warehousing fees, and other charges, to ensure that they are competitive and in line with industry standards.
3. Quality and Reliability: The consultant will evaluate the vendor’s reputation for quality and reliability, including the quality of their equipment and facilities, the reliability of their transportation fleet, and their track record for meeting or exceeding service level agreements.
4. Technology: The consultant will assess the vendor’s technology capabilities, including their warehouse management systems, transportation management systems, and other logistics-related technologies, to ensure they can provide the level of automation and visibility the company requires.
5. Scalability: The consultant will consider the vendor’s ability to scale their services up or down to meet the company’s changing logistics needs over time.
6. Compliance: The consultant will check if the vendor complies with industry regulations and standards, such as safety and transportation regulations, customs laws, and environmental standards.
7. Customer Service: The consultant will evaluate the vendor’s customer onboarding and service, including their responsiveness, ability to communicate effectively, and willingness to work with the company to resolve any issues that may arise.
8. Location: The consultant will consider the vendor’s location, including whether they have multiple warehouses or transportation hubs that are geographically well-suited to the company’s needs.

These criteria will help the consultant ensure that the vendor is a good fit for the company’s specific needs and can help the company achieve its logistics goals.

Scope

The scope of a 3PL consultant’s work is comprehensive, ranging from helping companies assess the pros and cons of outsourcing versus insourcing to evaluating existing 3PL relationships and improving upon them to tendering and negotiating with new potential providers.

With their expertise and market knowledge of logistics, 3PL consultants are equipped to provide insights into various solutions that can help businesses streamline their operational efficiency and reduce warehouse and fulfillment services costs. By assessing and asking the right questions and selecting and using the right contract logistics solutions that match the needs of a specific business, these consultants ensure businesses can remain competitive in the ever-evolving market.

Methodology

A 3PL consultant can be essential in helping a company find the right vendor for their logistics needs. To ensure that the selected vendor is the best fit, the consultant follows a disciplined methodology that begins with defining the company’s requirements and researching and identifying potential vendors.

The consultant then evaluates and shortlists them, issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) to solicit detailed responses from each. Once these are evaluated, the consultant selects the best vendor and helps with the implementation process.

Finally, they review and monitor the performance of the new vendor toward meeting business goals. In this way, companies that use 3PL consultants gain access to an accounting professional who can help them make informed decisions regarding their supply chain strategies, goals, and objectives.

Deliverables

The deliverables for a 3PL consultant when selecting a vendor can vary depending on the specific project and the company’s needs. However, in general, a consultant’s deliverables may include the following:

1. Initial Assessment Report: This report will summarize the consultant’s initial assessment of the company’s current distribution operations and identify areas for improvement.
2. Vendor Shortlist A list of potential 3PL vendors that have been researched, evaluated and shortlisted by the consultant as suitable for the company’s logistics needs.
3. Request for Proposal (RFP) Document: The shortlisted vendors will send a detailed description of the company’s requirements, expected service levels, and other relevant information.
4. Vendor Evaluation Report: A report summarizing the consultant’s evaluations of the potential vendors, including an assessment of their services offered, costs, quality and reliability, technology, scalability, compliance, customer service levels, and location.
5. Vendor Selection Report: A report recommending the best vendor from the shortlist, including the rationale for the selection and any negotiations or agreements made with the vendor.
6. Implementation Plan: An implementation assistance plan outlining the steps and timelines for development and implementing the new logistics operation, including transferring data and inventory and coordinating any necessary training or support.
7. Performance Monitoring Report: A report on the ongoing performance of the new 3PL vendor, including a review of the vendor’s service level agreements and any recommendations for improvements.
8. Final Report: A final report summarizing the consultant’s work, including an overview of the entire process, an assessment of the results achieved, and any recommendations for future improvements.

How to Choose the Best 3PL Consultants

Choosing the best 3PL consultant for your company can be a challenging task, but there are several key factors to consider that can help you make an informed decision.

1. Experience: Look for a consultant with a proven track record of market knowledge and success in logistics. They should have a deep understanding of the industry, including the latest trends and technologies, and a history of helping companies optimize their logistics operations.
2. Industry Knowledge: Look for a consultant who has a thorough understanding of your industry and the specific logistics requirements of your business. This will help ensure that they can provide relevant recommendations and solutions.
3. Technology Expertise: Look for a consultant with experience and expertise in logistics-related technology, such as warehouse and transportation management systems. This will ensure that the consultant can help you select a 3PL vendor to meet your technology needs.
4. Communication and Collaboration: Look for a consultant who can communicate effectively and collaborate with your team. They should be able to understand your needs and provide relevant and actionable recommendations.
5. Flexibility: Look for a consultant who is flexible and willing to adapt their approach to your specific needs. They should be open to feedback and ready to make adjustments as needed.
6. Reputation: Look for a consultant with a good reputation in the industry. They should have a strong network of contacts and good references that speak to their ability to deliver results.

Capability Evaluation During the 3PL Selection Process

Selecting the right 3PL partner for a company’s logistics operations is an important task that should not be taken lightly. A consultant must have both IT and Industry IQ to choose the most suitable vendor.

IoT IQ ensures that the selected vendor has all the technical capabilities needed, such as integration with existing systems, security, scalability, support, and maintenance.

Meanwhile, industry knowledge is necessary to recommend suitable vendors that align with the company’s goals and evaluate their performance against competitors in the market.

A consultant possessing a strong technical understanding and industry insights can help make sure that the right 3PL partner is chosen and guarantee successful collaboration between both parties.

Key Takeaways

Here are some key takeaways from the information provided about 3PL consultants and the 3PL selection process:

• 3PL consultants help companies optimize their distribution operations by selecting and managing 3PL vendors. 
• A 3PL consultant can work with a company in different ways depending on the company’s specific needs and goals, such as full-service consulting, project-based consulting, advisory services, and retainer-based consulting. 
• When evaluating and selecting a new 3PL vendor, a 3PL consultant typically uses a set of objective criteria such as services offered, costs, quality and reliability, technology, scalability, compliance, customer service, and location. 
• The methodology of a 3PL consultant when selecting a new 3PL vendor typically includes several key steps such as defining requirements, researching and identifying potential vendors, evaluating and shortlisting them, issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP), evaluating vendor responses, selecting the best vendor, assisting in the implementation process and monitoring the performance of the new vendor. 
• Deliverables can vary depending on the specific project and the company’s needs but typically include reports, documents, and plans that help the company evaluate, select, implement, and monitor its new 3PL vendor. 
• IT IQ plays a crucial role in the 3PL selection process by ensuring that the selected vendor has the necessary technical capabilities to meet the company’s needs, including integrating existing systems, security, scalability, and support and maintenance. 
• Industry IQ plays a critical role in the 3PL selection process by ensuring that the consultant understands the logistics industry and the company’s specific requirements and can provide valuable insights and recommendations throughout the selection process. 
• When choosing the best 3PL consultant, consider factors such as experience, industry knowledge, technology expertise, communication and collaboration, flexibility, and reputation.

3PL Consulting Efficiency

Businesses need to look for a 3PL consulting firm that can provide them with an integrated eCommerce logistics solution. This will allow the company to manage its inventory better, understand pricing structures, and create efficient supply chain processes. Choosing the best 3PL consultant can be overwhelming, with so many options available. But by considering these strategic elements, you can find a consultancy that fits your business needs perfectly!

3PL Consultants FAQs

What Does 3PL Stand For?

A 3PL (third-party logistics) provider offers outsourced logistics services, which involve the management of one or more facets of procurement and fulfillment activities.

What Is 3PL Consulting?

3PL consulting evaluates the economics of outsourcing some or all of the business’s warehouse operations to a third-party logistics provider.

What Is the Best Third-Party Logistics 3PL Software?

ShipHero is the best third-party logistics (3PL) software for businesses looking to be maximally efficient, cut costs, and offer complete customer visibility. ShipHero’s WMS solution can dramatically amp up your warehouse output by 30% while substantially reducing mis-ships and smoothing task optimization, simplifying your shipping processes. With ShipHero, you’ll have the tools to navigate an increasingly competitive industry successfully while being equipped with reliable insight into every action to improve operations, build customer satisfaction, and ensure your business reaches its full potential.