If you’re a small to medium-sized business with an online retail platform, one of the quandaries you’ll face at some point is whether you should manage your e-commerce order processes in-house or outsource to a suitable logistics partner.
If you can’t decide what’s best for your business, here’s why you should consider outsourcing it:
1. Lower operation costs
a. Storage space:
If you’re no longer storing products at your property, smaller premises could be considered. Levels of stock can fluctuate, and you don’t want to pay for storage space not being used, Flight Logistics adjusts charges accordingly therefore saving you money.
b. Recruiting and hiring staff:
Seasonality and surges in orders can be difficult to accommodate cost effectively when balancing the need for permanent or temporary staff cover. Outsourcing to Flight Logistics takes this problem away and means you no longer need to employ permanent logistics staff, thus saving on cost and admin.
c. Technology:
If you’re outsourcing, there’ll be no need to invest in or license relevant software or train someone to use it. Out source to us and you will have full access to our bespoke Logistics Manager software with full visibility of your stock and a suite of on-line reporting and sales analysis functionality.
2. Lower shipping costs
Flight Logistics ships high volumes every day. Through economies of scale we enjoy low shipping rates from our partners through consolidation. As our client you would benefit from these savings – we buy better than you!
3. Brexit
At a time of unrest, confusion and potential change to Customs and border regulations, you can rely on us to keep you abreast of changing legislation and ensure compliance.
4. Extend your customer reach
Flight Logistics has a global shipping structure in place with expertise in appropriate routes to all countries. You will benefit from our global reach and grow into new markets.
5. Returns
Often the forgotten component of an e-commerce business plan, the unwanted practical necessity of dealing with returns! It’s quite possible that for whatever reason, the customer will reject an item, and having a robust international returns mechanism in place, is vital to bring it back, check it, then if appropriate replace into stock. Flight Logistics can manage this often-complicated service for you.
6. Customer support
Online retailers must at all times be available to help with customer queries pertaining to their delivery, and it can be time consuming if you’re shipping large quantities each day. This is where an appropriate logistics partner like Flight Logistics can really offer value with a dedicated CRM and Customer Services team on hand to help both you and your customers.
Managing a customer’s problem correctly and quickly can often instil confidence and can turn a bad experience into a good one.
7. More time to focus on growth
If you choose to outsource your logistics requirements such as; warehousing, order processing, fulfilment, pick-pack, dispatch, inventory management, shipping, customs issues/paperwork, tracking, returns, customer support and managing in-house logistics staff… you will create more time to concentrate on other areas of the business.
Making the change isn’t as hard as you may think. CLICK HERE for more information on this and our “Transition” check list.