Moby Dick 3pl Blog

How to Maintain a great relationship with your 3PL Partner

Outsourcing your labor and moving into a relationship with a 3PL partner can be hugely beneficial. However, if you don’t choose the right partner for your business, or both parties don’t make the relationship a priority you can find yourself questioning your decision.

This time can be especially challenging to business owners who are unfamiliar with the partnership of a fulfillment center. At Moby Dick 3PL we know that having an unproductive or strained relationship with your 3PL provider can damage your business. That is why we pride ourselves on customer service and open transparent communication.
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Here are a few reasons the relationship between 3PL’s and business owners can break down and what Moby Dick is doing ensure that we maintain the best working relationships with our partners.

1. Lack of Communication: ‍
   Nothing can impact a relationship more than a lack of communication. This is especially true in the business setting. From the start of the relationship with your fulfillment partner or 3PL, it is important to develop clear communication and for everyone to spell out expectations. At Moby Dick, we are clear from the beginning on what services we can provide and what success metrics and specific outcomes we can met. This allows our merchant partners the ability to decide if that works within their business model. We also inform our partners of how all communication will be conducted moving forward and make sure everyone is clear on the right person to contact should any issues arise.
2. Misunderstanding each other’s Operations:‍
   It is imperative that your 3PL partner fully understands the scope of your business and it is equally imperative that your business understands the scope of your fulfillment center or 3PL partner. This comes in the form of regular touch points between the two businesses and an open understanding to continue to learn about the other’s business.

At Moby Dick 3PL we like to get an understanding of the merchant partners culture and growth goals. We have systems in place to allow our partners to inform us of special needs that may pop up throughout the year. We have transparent pricing up front, and are willing to help explain fee’s or charges before they become a surprise to our partners. Moby Dick 3PL was built from experience launching our own E-commerce business so we come with a greater understanding of the challenges that can arise forE-commerce owners and we are prepared to assist them through those challenges or changes.

If you are looking to build a partnership with a fulfillment center or a 3PL is important to get to know them and to be transparent with your expectations so that you can start the relationship off successfully. Moby Dick 3PL would love to discuss your new transition to 3PL partnership with you. We are also happy to discuss a transition to Moby Dick 3PL if you find yourself in a strained relationship with your current partner.