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When you outsource your order fulfillment to an independent service company you get the best techniques and management strategies in the combined fields of warehousing, order processing, and shipment preparation and management. Some fulfillment service providers even include additional services, such as customer service staffing and direct mail marketing campaign management. You can take advantage of these services to help ensure that customers are happy with the products they receive and get help placing orders if they need it.
By outsourcing all your fulfillment needs you save your business the operating costs associated with storing and shipping your product inventory to your customers. Service provider companies even offer special incentives to new clients, ranging from discounts in their pricing structure to additional services included in the outsourcing agreement.
Business owners hoping to find the right fulfillment service provider are encouraged to conduct thorough research before entering into the contractually binding outsourcing agreement. There are fulfillment service houses located throughout the country, and there are several considerations to resolve before making the final selection.
For example, some business owners choose to enlist the services of a logistics management company that’s located relatively near their own business offices. While this does afford the convenience of being in physical proximity to the product inventory itself, however it is not necessary to successfully outsource all the product inventory warehousing and order fulfillment duties. Service provider companies can work just as well even when remote from their client businesses, thanks to modern online and cellular technology.
The remoteness can even sometimes become an advantage, especially for business located in the Northeast and in the nation’s other colder climates. Using a fulfillment service company that’s located in the relatively milder climes of the south helps prevent delays and shipping stoppages due to inclement weather, especially during the all-important holiday shopping season.
Business owners should search for testimonials from current and past clients of the service provider company. These opinions will most commonly be found with the company itself but also online within chat rooms, forums, and message boards.
Finally, business owners seeking a fulfillment service company are advised to find the provider that offers the most in terms of business growth. Because the client business will most likely expand at an accelerated rate after outsourcing, it should have a service provider capable of growing with them.
