Choosing a third-party logistics (3PL) provider is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make for your business. After all, your fulfillment partner is responsible for one of the most important parts of your customer experience—getting orders into your customers’ hands quickly, accurately, and with care.
The reality is that not all 3PLs are created equal.
Sure, pricing and space are an important part of the mix, but we also believe that a good 3PL partner should offer transparency, reliable technology, real people you can reach when you need them, and the flexibility to grow alongside your business. They should feel like an extension of your team, working toward the same goals and celebrating your successes as well.
Asking the right questions can help you avoid hidden fees, unexpected challenges, and fulfillment frustrations down the road. To help you make a confident decision, we’ve rounded up five essential questions every brand should ask before choosing a 3PL.
How do you ensure the right products are shipped to the right customers?
Shipping the wrong item is frustrating for everyone involved!
We’ve made substantial investments in our bright, clean facilities equipping them with automatic conveyors and robotics to support high-volume picking with exceptional accuracy. Each order is scanned at the individual SKU level during the picking process and then undergoes a weight validation as a second quality check for order accuracy.
Because of this, we have an impressive 99.98% accuracy rate for pick and pack operations.
How do you manage seasonal spikes?
Your 3PL should not be blind-sided by upticks in your business.
Accurate forecasting is key to delivering a seamless fulfillment experience. Our FP&A team analyzes historical order data to build forecasting models for brands that have been with us for more than a year. We then meet with each brand monthly to review projected volumes and adjust for upcoming promotions, product launches, and seasonal demand. This forecast-focused planning process along with our scalable staffing model helps keep labor and resources aligned with volume and orders flowing out the door on time.
Better business forecasting = SUCCESS!
When there’s an issue, do we talk to a person or a bot?
Automation is great… until you actually need help.
We have REAL people assigned to your account.
Reach out!
We’re here for you:
📧 hello@distributionmgmt.com
📞 800-405-4745
Can we pop in and tour one of your facilities?
3PLs should not operate behind closed doors.
We believe transparency is the foundation of a strong partnership! That’s why our doors are always open. We encourage our partners to stop by, take a look around, meet our teams, and even pick and pack their own orders to better understand how the fulfillment process works behind the scenes. Explore our returns department, check out our value-added services, and ask questions! Understanding how we operate fuels our collaboration.
What technology is in place to keep operations running smoothly?
Guesswork and manual keying are things of the past.
DM’s proprietary WMS delivers real-time inventory visibility and order tracking, while our in-house IT team ensures seamless integrations and reliable performance. Combined with redundant internet providers, we provide the connectivity and uptime brands can depend on.
Your 3PL partner should make life easier. Let’s chat and see if we’re a good fit to help your brand grow.
Hi! I'm Tyler.
I'm the Senior Vice President of our Fulfillment Division at Distribution Management. Finding a fulfillment provider can be challenging, I know. My goal is to help you understand our services & solutions so you can decide if we’re a good fit for your business.
Feel free to call me directly at (303) 587-2575 or email tyler.walton@distributionmgmt.com.
