Some shippers still tend to only consider the cheapest available option when appointing a third-party logistics (3PL) provider. The downside to this approach is that it is merely a compilation of cost-effective freight rates and does not take into consideration the overall lifecycle of logistics costs.
Bridgewater Logistics has retained customers on a long-term basis by constantly delivering according to expectation, in addition to the affordability of its cutting-edge supply-chain solutions.
While these shippers already have a high-level of trust in the company’s capabilities, potential new customers at least conduct a small-scale test of Bridgewater Logistics’ abilities to determine whether the claims that it makes are achievable.
Some customers have delved deeper by also assessing the company’s ability to devise, implement and operate innovative solutions. Importantly, they also want to know more about the technological expertise that the company deploys on a daily basis to ensure efficiencies, as this provides the basis upon which further improvements will be implemented throughout the partnership.
Quinton de Villiers, managing director of Bridgewater Logistics, says that another important factor to evaluate is a 3PL’s ability to respond timeously to a problem.
“While our customers know that perfection does not exist, it is understandable that they do expect something very close to that from our team. They, therefore, thoroughly scrutinised the speed at which we are able to respond to unforeseen issues before appointing us as their preferred transport-logistics partner. This is in addition to assessing our commitment to doing things right the first time round and the internal measures we have in place to ensure that an incident is never repeated,” De Villiers says.
Bridgewater Logistics’ many unique capabilities in the field of long- and short-haul transportation, in addition to warehousing and cross-docking continue to provide the company with a tactical edge over it competitors. This is considering the critical role that they continue to play in assisting its customers drive high-performance supply chains.
