What is a 3PL?

You have a business to run. That means inventory to manage. Payroll to meet. Sales targets to hit. And dozens of other tasks to tackle every day.

Dealing with shipping no doubt falls somewhere high on that list — and it's something that can easily chew through huge chunks of your time.

That's where a third-party logistics provider (3PL) can help. A 3PL provides logistics support that can span the entire range of your shipping operations. Here's a look at some core 3PL services and how they can work for you.

Benefits of adding 3pl services to your shipping strategy

Transportation management

While 3PLs aren't carriers — they don't own trucks or planes — they do have relationships with a select group of carefully vetted, reliable carriers. And that means they can find efficient, cost-effective ways to get your goods across town or across the country. They also can negotiate rates, oversee payments, manage insurance documents and more.

Technology solutions

Many 3PLs offer what's known as a transportation management system (TMS). A TMS can perform multiple functions, including pickup scheduling, real-time shipment tracking and tracing, delivery/delay alerts and more. Many TMS systems also let users compare costs and delivery speeds, add insurance coverage when needed and integrate with e-commerce platforms.

Relationship based customer support

The best 3PLs assign dedicated support teams that get to know your business. They can provide updates, anticipate potential problems and step in to find solutions if something goes wrong.

Working with Worldwide Express – an expert 3pl logistics partner

Over the last quarter-century, we've built a reputation as one of the nation's top 3PLs. We work with 75+ top-quality LTL carriers and more than 85,000 truckload carriers, so we can meet every freight shipping need you have. Our proprietary TMS, SpeedShip™, is a robust and fully customizable system that can be tailored to your company's requirements. And thanks to our partnership with UPS, we can offer competitive rates on parcel shipping, along with the security that comes with knowing you've got two industry leaders behind you.

But that only tells part of the story. We've worked with SMBs for more than 30 years, and we understand their unique needs. And that drives us to make it easy for you: Tell us what you need — day, time and destination details — and we'll handle it from there. And when challenges turn up, you can turn to your dedicated service team to handle them.

Ready to get started? Schedule a custom shipping consultation today and let Worldwide Express help you uncover smart solutions for your shipping needs.