Rating 3PLs on their IT Capabilities
My colleague Clint Reiser and I recently interviewed twelve logisticians at manufacturing, retail, and distribution companies ranging in size from very large to very small. Our focus was on four key...
View ArticleIf Operational Excellence is a Given, Then What Else Matters for 3PLs?
If operational excellence is not enough for third party logistics providers (3PLs) to differentiate themselves in the market, then what else matters? I’ve been thinking about this question a lot...
View ArticleGuest Commentary: What’s the Biggest Challenge for Logistics Service Providers?
Ok, there is not just one challenge that logistics service providers face, or one that stands out among the rest either. Logistics service providers (LSPs) face the same challenges that have been on...
View Article3PLs and Software Vendors: Keep Innovating Your Business Models
Most of the time, when people talk about innovation in supply chain management and logistics, the focus is on technology (e.g., social and mobile) or business processes (e.g., same-day delivery and...
View Article4 Important Factors to Consider When Evaluating 3PL Partners
I often get emails from logistics executives looking for help and advice on selecting a 3PL partner. A couple of weeks ago, for example, I received an email from someone asking if I had updated a...
View Article3PL Executive Insights from MercuryGate User Conference 2013
What is the path to building successful and lasting 3PL-customer relationships? That was the main theme of a panel session I led at last month’s MercuryGate User Conference 2013, which included the...
View ArticleWinner of Nobel Prize in Economics On Outsourcing and Supply Chain
Oliver Williamson, a Professor Emeritus at the University of California Berkley and co-recipient of the 2009 Nobel Prize in Economics, published a paper in April 2008 titled “Outsourcing: Transaction...
View ArticleGuest Commentary: Finding the Next Level of Value for 3PL Customers
Traditionally, most third party logistics companies have focused on creating value for customers by taking over their transportation and warehousing operations, and through economies of scale, systems...
View ArticleGuest Commentary: Solving Logistics Service Provider Business Problems with...
The overall business model for most logistics service providers (LSPs) is not that complex. The LSP provides services to their clients that, in turn, generate revenue for the LSP. A key challenge for...
View ArticleGuest Commentary: Change Agent: A Challenging Role for Freight Management
Much has been written about change management, and the basics of smoothing the way for new ideas and processes are fairly well known. But managing large-scale change in freight transportation deserves...
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