If you run a shopping cart website or three, you will already be aware of the many logistics issues that can come up during peak periods and holidays, such as Christmas and New Year. It is when your resources are stretched that problems can arise, and with that in mind, here are a few tips to help you maintain prompt and efficient goods deliveries to your customers.
Outsource To A Third-Party Logistics Company
If summer orders are already coming in thick and fast, don’t try to keep up with the demand, rather call in a third-party logistics (3PL) company and let them handle picking, packing and delivery of all your products. The 3PL sector has been growing exponentially since the start of the pandemic, trying to keep up with the huge increase in e-commerce orders and once you join forces with such a provider, your logistics worries are a thing of the past.
Deliver Your Products And Packaging To A 3PL Warehouse
This means when orders come in, you simply forward them to your logistics partner, who can pick and pack the order and send it out on the very same day. It only takes a minute or two to send your logistics partner an email and they can get to work in super-quick time. You might not be that busy at other times of the year, in which case you can handle your own logistics and when the season comes around, start the 3PL service and you can relax.
Streamline Your Logistics Process
While you can easily deal with 3-4 orders per day, as the holiday season approaches, the volume of orders will increase and this is when mistakes are easily made. If you have warehouse staff, make sure the system they are using is effective and keep products that sell well to the front of the packing area, which does save time, especially when fulfilling multiple orders. You can find an affordable yet reliable taxi truck courier Perth or your city trusts through a quick search on Google. This service is usually run by a local 3PL company and is suitable for smaller deliveries.
VoIP Driver Communication
If you are making good use of VoIP communication, you can communicate with all your drivers in real-time, which makes your system more efficient. A driver might be very close to a pick-up location and using Zoom, you can tell the driver to collect the consignment, as they are close by.
Stock Up Your Inventory
If you know you are moving into a busy period, you should order more products to be delivered, as running short of any product is simply not an option. Equally, if you use a 3PL company, make sure that they have an adequate supply of your products and packaging, otherwise deliveries will be delayed.
We are now approaching the busiest time of the year and that means taking steps now to arrange for efficient logistics, which will avoid any delivery issues when the time comes.
