There are a lot of factors that you should consider while you choose a logistics supplier that can store as well as ship your products to your consignee on time.
You want the supplier to ship the merchandise in the best possible way, but there is something more that you should think that catches an eye while their walk-through facility.
You want them to know about your product, be competent enough to match the competition of the market, provide the best service and at the same time be very flexible.
Here is a list of areas you should check and ensure that the supplier you are choosing is the best in the crowd to perform your warehouse and transportation related issues.
Check Area 1. Are they Inquisitive to know your Product and Services?
This is the point where a good warehousing begins. Your supplier should know everything about your product. They should have well-informed personnel who may look at the product and know about their technicalities if some new product arrives at any point in time. The supplier should know every single detail of the product before he brings to the first carton into the warehouse as it will determine how and where it has to be placed. If it contains a fragile item, it has to be handled and stored safely so as to cause least possible damage to the product and minimize the loss.
He should question about the product regarding:
- Dimensional specifications: Is it bulky or heavy? is it shaped in an irregular manner? is it compact and handy?
- Sensitivity conditions: When will it expire? Does it need proper refrigeration? How can excess heat or moisture affect it?
- Fragile and handling requirements: If the products are fragile, they need special packaging. If it can be double stacked while shipping?
- Safety issues: If its is hazardous? Does the product they are shipping needs proper ventilation? Can it be placed next to other products?
Check Area 2. Proper space and volume
A reputed warehouse supplier will figure out a way to plan the deliveries accordingly. If at any point of time some shipment arrives, they should have enough space to accommodate them without crowding the place. Volume and the weight determine how much space the shipment will be needing for the ones arriving into the warehouse and the ones leaving. The supplier should have a proper layout about how is he going to store it in the warehouse without creating any trouble.
Check Area 3. Handling Personnel
The most important issue that can cause serious and potential problems to the resources for storing and shipping the shipments is when the supplier does not have an adequate planned personnel for the job. The supplier that is handling your goods should have a plan and a business proposal for both the quantitative and qualitative needs that tells about all the special requirements they can offer you at the time of need.
The requirements are not the only one’s in the list but helps you to give a good start. Taking them into consideration will help you in selecting the best warehouse supplier that can perform an optimal working operation for your products.