4 Top Tips For a Successful 3PL Implementation
Integrating your business operations with a third-party logistics (3PL) provider is a critical step in streamlining your fulfilment processes. This phase, known as implementation, sets the foundation for a productive partnership between your business and the 3PL. It involves the transition of your stock, data, and operational processes into the fulfilment centre managed by your chosen provider. While this sounds straightforward, successful implementation requires careful planning, coordination, and communication.
At Staci, with over 35 years of experience in fulfilment and PRINCE2-qualified project managers, we understand that a smooth implementation is essential for operational excellence. Here, we’ll share insights from our project management team on how to make your 3PL implementation a success.
What is implementation?
Implementation is the first step in the logistics process with a 3PL provider. It encompasses everything from physically moving your inventory to setting up systems and procedures for ongoing operations. During this phase, your 3PL provider receives your stock, verifies its condition, allocates storage, and integrates systems to manage orders effectively.
This process involves collaboration between your internal teams and the 3PL to ensure that everything—from inventory accuracy to workflow integration—is seamless. Done right, implementation sets the stage for a partnership that drives efficiency and growth.
Tips for a successful implementation
1. Have the right people involved in the project
A successful implementation relies on having a team of qualified and experienced stakeholders. Typically, this includes:
- A project manager: An expert in planning and execution, responsible for liaising between your team and the 3PL.
- A decision-maker: Someone empowered to approve processes and resolve issues quickly.
- Stakeholders from relevant departments: Involvement from departments like IT, procurement, and operations ensures alignment and smooth integration.
By assembling a capable team, you create a foundation for clear communication and efficient problem-solving throughout the implementation process.
2. Set achievable goals
Implementation is a structured process, often broken down into phases with specific milestones. Planning is critical, but it’s equally important to set realistic timelines and goals. For example:
- Defining a realistic timeframe for moving stock.
- Allowing sufficient time for data sharing and system integration.
- Accounting for contingencies, such as delays in stock transfer or system issues.
Clear, achievable goals keep the project on track, ensure alignment between stakeholders, and reduce the risk of disruptions.
3. Share data early
One of the most important elements of a smooth implementation is sharing data early and accurately. This includes:
- Part data: Information about SKUs and inventory specifications.
- Order data: Historical orders and expected volumes.
- Forecasts: Predictions of sales or operational peaks.
- Packing notes: Guidelines on packaging or specific handling instructions.
Providing this information early enables the 3PL to prepare adequately, forecast effectively, and tailor operations to your specific needs. This proactive approach minimises surprises and enhances readiness.
4. Know your business requirements
Every business is unique, and so are its logistics requirements. Understanding and communicating your needs is critical for a successful implementation. This includes:
- Highlighting your strengths and weaknesses.
- Outlining special requirements, such as personalisation, repairs, or customised packaging.
- Being transparent about problem areas that need improvement.
By providing a comprehensive overview, you allow your 3PL to design solutions that align with your goals and address potential bottlenecks.
Why choose Staci?
At Staci, we understand that implementation is more than a technical exercise—it’s about building a partnership. With our PRINCE2-certified project managers and decades of fulfilment experience, we’ve successfully implemented businesses of all sizes across industries.
Some of the standout benefits of working with Staci include:
- End-to-end project management: From planning to execution, our experts ensure every detail is addressed.
- Customised solutions: Whether it’s gift wrapping, personalised packaging, or specific stock requirements, we adapt to your business.
- Proven results: Our implementations are designed to deliver measurable improvements in efficiency, cost savings, and customer satisfaction.
Final thoughts
A successful 3PL implementation isn’t just about moving stock—it’s about building a logistics framework that supports your business’s growth. By assembling the right team, setting achievable goals, sharing data early, and understanding your unique requirements, you lay the groundwork for a seamless transition.
If you’re looking for a logistics partner who prioritises excellence from day one, Staci is here to help. Contact us to learn more about how we can support your business with our expert implementation services.
What is Logistics Planning?
This is the process of planning out your supply chain operations. As a fulfilment company who have been operating for over 35 years, many of our logistics plans are already well-defined and can be applied to many clients as a starting point. We then build out these plans individually for each client depending on their requirements and needs. There are also extra plans that have to be put in place and refreshed annually for peak periods, as these are built from the clients’ order data and forecasting.
What is the process of logistics?
The logistics process begins with implementation. This is where your stock is moved from wherever it was previously housed, into one of our fulfilment centres. This takes some planning and organisation to determine the volume of stock we will receive, that it is on the correct pallets/storage methods, where it will be placed etc.
A part of the implementation process includes integrating your business’ systems with ours. This means integrating your products into our warehouse management systems and ensuring every SKU is on our system. This is also the time when we integrate with your systems such as your webshop e.g. Shopify.
Once your products are in one of our global fulfilment centres, and our systems are set up to receive your order data, we can begin sending out your orders. As an order comes through, we will pick from your stock, pack up the order and send it out to its destination – whether that be your chosen retailer, or your customers’ address.
This process can vary from client to client, as we are a very flexible fulfilment partner. Any added value services your business may require will have to be planned into the process too, as well as any custom services you my need.
What is Logistics Planning for eCommerce?
The main difference with eCommerce fulfilment is the integrations with your systems such as Shopify, WooCommerce, Adobe Commerce etc. With B2B logistics, your orders have to be sent to the retailer usually in bulk, and packed in a specific way depending on the requirements that retailer sets for receipt of goods – which we know like the back of our hand thanks to Standard Operating Procedures with many high street, marketplace and niche retailers. With eCommerce, each order is packed individually, and is done so with expert precision to ensure there are no errors and the presentation is perfect, ready for your customers to receive directly.
Challenges of Logistics Planning
The main cause of issues during planning is communication. After 35 years, we know what questions we need to ask our clients in order to gather all the information we require to implement them smoothly. However, sometimes issues can arise when planning for peak periods if our clients’ forecasting isn’t accurate. Luckily, our teams are always on hand to assist you with forecasting, so you’ll have a helping hand to ensure we get the most realistic numbers. This allows us to plan our staffing numbers, extra transport needed, extra packaging units needed etc. perfectly.
Why is logistics planning important?
If we didn’t do any planning for our clients, we wouldn’t know if we have the capacity to house their stock, we wouldn’t know where it was going, we wouldn’t be able to receive their order data, therefore we would be unable to send out orders, so planning is essential to the process.
How to choose a logistics partner
Communication is a really important factor to look out for when choosing a logistics partner. This is essential to the planning process and ensures you’re kept in the loop. A partner who cares about your business and shows they are invested in your success will help you not only fulfil your orders, but grow your business as well. We’re not just a service provider, we’re a partner to your business and are committed to seeing you succeed. The location of your partner can play a part, if they’re placed somewhere that is ideal for your business, and have global locations allowing your expansion in the future, this could be a good match for you. Someone who has positive client testimonials, and awards and accreditations, can indicate their expertise and good service.
FAQs
When should you create a logistics plan? – If you’re doing your logistics in-house, you should already have a plan. If you’re thinking of outsourcing, coming up with a rough plan is a great idea, then you can discuss this with the providers you’re speaking with, which could help you make your decision as one provider may be more capable of honing and bringing your plan to life than another.
What are the benefits of a logistics plan? – A plan allows everything to be set up and run smoothly so that your orders can be sent out with precision and accuracy. It also means we can maximise on peak periods to help you sell as much of your products as possible.
Should you outsource logistics planning? – Having an expert handle your logistics planning will give you peace of mind that everything is planned meticulously and accurately. This minimises the chance of errors, and increases the chance of implementation and peak periods going to plan.
Need an expert to help plan your logistics?
Talk to Staci. Drop your details below and a member of our team will contact you to begin planning:
As global multichannel fulfilment experts, Staci knows a thing or two about getting the right products to different customer types, in different countries, at the same time – at high volume.
Whilst the complexity from eCommerce orders can come from short lead times, personalisation requirements and returns, brands and retailers in the UK appear to be struggling most at the moment with getting their orders to their various B2B retail partners – and the impact of getting this wrong really can be devastating to any business, whether start up or established.
B2B orders often require a great deal of time, support and careful management. Requirements range from timely booking in, compliance with delivery windows, careful paperwork completion, crucial stock presentation requirements, and minimum shelf life compliance – and often all different for every retailer, and many 3PLs are simply unable to cope with this level of complexity.
The consequences? Additional costs from retailer failures, re-working and redeliveries, delays in stock being available for sale, cash flow impact and tarnishing retailer relationships – sometimes irrevocably.
“Over the last 6 months we’ve had so many reports from companies in the market that their existing 3PLs are really letting them down when it comes to B2B orders. It’s one of the biggest real pain points we find, and we’re able to really help potential customers out here because the management of complexity is what Staci has been so strong at for over 35 years” said Andrew Scanlon, Staci UK Head of Sales and Marketing.
“We send out 15 billion items a year, much of this coming via eCommerce and D2C orders where we’re integrated with systems such as Shopify, Commerce Cloud, and other online platforms, and the strict processes which we follow, supported by robust training, recruitment and technology sees these orders flow through really seamlessly.
“And indeed, it’s that strength of process, scoping, analysis and additional time and care that Staci takes on B2B orders that has really made a difference to our clients. At Staci, people are our greatest strength, and our business is geared entirely around accuracy. With Standard Operating Procedures in place for countless retailers, and a team of 500 in the UK and 3,000 globally, we give our teams time to focus on getting it right, because we know you can’t allow it to be wrong.
“Staci knows exactly what it takes to flow stock into retailer and marketplace distribution centres, as easy as it is to deliver to a customer at home.”
“Any brand or retailer struggling with their B2B orders at the moment should talk to Staci – we know many are struggling out there, and we really can help make life easier for them today.”