Packaging Tips For 3PL Companies To Make 2017 Your Best Year Yet

Mis-picks, mis-packs and general shipping errors are the quickest ways to drive profitability out of operations. This becomes a bigger problem when unhappy customers start questioning why they ever started doing business with you and might never do business with you again. There’s absolutely no doubt that logistics and supply chain issues are critical to any 3pl’s success. But you don’t always need large-scale overhauls that require months to implement to get dramatic improvements.

Below, we’ve listed 6 smaller, less overwhelming ways to improve your packaging and shipping processes in 2017.

  1. Inventory should be positioned strategically. 

If your company ships from more than one location, place D movers in just one location, but A & B movers in both to reduce inventory carrying costs. It can also reduce your inbound shipping costs too. If you need a hundred D movers, put them where the labor costs and warehouse space are lowest.

  1. Packing materials and boxes should be kept close at hand.

It is important to reduce the steps in the warehouse. Keeping packing materials, tapes and boxes, at the shipping workstation will help reduce the steps your employees will have to take to go somewhere else to pick up the bubble wrap or a box.

  1. Pick into the actual shipping box.

Have employees pick into a pre-labeled shipping box whenever possible to save time processing orders. This option is particularly helpful when almost all orders fit in boxes of a standard-size.

  1. Wireless mobile printers. 

Companies should outfit their warehouse staff with wearable label printers that can merge 2 steps into 1. When they pick ready to ship, prepackaged items, these printers are programmed to print shipping labels when these items are scanned.

  1. Try on-demand packaging.  

Now that dimensional weight is an industry standard, rightsizing packaging is more critical than ever. This will enhance sustainability and reduce shipping and packaging costs.

  1. Work with a packaging and shipping systems professional
    Finding a balance between meeting merchandising demands and satisfying customers is no simple task. When you team up with experts, your company will avoid expensive decisions that obstruct fulfillment operations. However, working with a packaging and shipping systems professional will help you reach profitability goals. Having someone help you reduce costs by eliminating non value added steps and automating packaging processes will be invaluable to your company.

By partnering with a packaging and shipping systems professional at Pollock, you’ll get the best packaging solutions that’ll save money and time on your packaging and shipping processes.

How have efficient packaging methods helped your company?  Have you increased output or saved money or time?  Let us know below.