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Originally Posted On: https://expeditedelivers.com/5-reasons-to-outsource-shipping/
One of the bets ways for a small business to streamline is to outsource shipping
Being an entrepreneur and the owner of a product-based business is filled with highs and lows.
In the best of times, you are growing your business, working the hours you want to work, and earning better than you did as an employee.
In the worst of times, you realize how much you are actually responsible for, that your job description is “do every job,” and that there’s no such thing as quitting time.
For start-ups like yours, time is one of the most essential resources you have. Choose how you spend it well, and you’ll see the rewards.
One of the decisions that owners of product-based businesses face early on is what to do with their products.
When the garage is no longer an option, what do you do? Finding a way to manage operations and the regular shipping of your existing product is key. Without it, you’ll spend too much time on operations and not enough time or focus on innovation.
Those operations can include warehousing materials, storing products, and getting them to your customers. Depending on how well you set these processes up, your growth and success could lead to an unsustainable, unwieldy system.
You can avoid that by bringing in a shipping partner. By outsourcing the shipping and/or delivery of your products, you get timely, hassle-free deliveries that help your company grow while maintaining a strong reputation with your customers.
When should you outsource shipping?
At Expedite Delivery System, we’ve helped entrepreneurs and business owners of all shapes and sizes with their shipping. In serving them, we’ve come across five major factors that contribute to the decision to outsource some or all of your logistics operation.
1| To save warehousing and storage space
For e-commerce or offline marketing organizations, the effective use of storage space is critical. When it’s well managed, making deliveries promptly is far simpler. As your business grows in size, you’ll soon be managing multiple categories of items. If you’re not using your space wisely, that volume can become unwieldy.
Rather than trying to force a smaller space to work or looking for a warehouse that you’re not ready for, you can outsource your shipping instead.
2| To increase shipping options
As an entrepreneur, you have enough decisions to make everyday. When you outsource your shipping, you’re allowing experts to weigh in and help you make those decisions. In this instance, you know your products may have multiple ways to arrive at their destination – road transport, air travel, etc.
By outsourcing shipping, you don’t have to worry about all of the logistics for each product yourself. You’ll get the best of each shipping option, each time.
3| Outsource shipping to gain flexibility
When you give yourself more flexibility as an entrepreneur, you give yourself more opportunities for success. By outsourcing your shipping to an established firm, you get to tap into their shipping knowledge and experience.
They may know the best routes, the best times of day, or the best partner companies to get your product delivered in the right way.
4| To reduce order realization time
Running a product-based business is almost entirely about customer satisfaction. When your customers are happy, they’ll recommend you to others. They may even become repeat customers. And a big part of that is getting them what they’ve ordered as quickly and smoothly as possible.
By outsourcing shipping, you’re removing yourself from the equation for a smoother operation. At a certain level, you can even have multiple operations centers to reduce delivery times. Reducing those delivery times is key to faster, more frequent payments.
5| Outsource shipping to save on overhead costs
As a business owner, you’re all too familiar with your margins. Depending on the size of your company, having a team just for deliveries – along with their salaries and insurance payments – may be a cost you can’t justify at this stage.
It may make sense to outsource your shipping so you’re better able to stay competitive now, then expand the team once you are more established.
What to do when you’re ready to outsource shipping
If you are looking for warehousing and distribution services in the mid-Atlantic, get in touch with the expert team at Expedite Delivery System. In addition to our same-day delivery services, we are also committed to offering critical parts logistics and distribution services to guarantees a positive experience for your recipients.
