Don’t Wait for Seasonal Peaks to Focus on Quality Logistics 

As part of Radial’s 2024 peak season coverage, Radial leaders describe peak season challenges and the importance of high quality 3PL partnerships. In this article, Billy Peterson, SVP of Service Delivery Operations at Radial, describes the importance of high-quality logistics—all year long.

This year’s peak season is around the corner. The 2024 holiday shopping season will be shorter than ever, with only 27 days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Consumers are adjusting their holiday shopping timelines accordingly, and retailers must prepare to meet customers’ high expectations in order to drive sales and end-of-year success. 

Supply chain executives begin their peak demand preparations long before the weather changes and holiday decor lines store shelves. Many seek third-party logistic (3PL) partners to drive great omnichannel distribution and eCommerce fulfillment. They select partners that drive the kind of quality and scalability necessary to meet consumer demand—and customer expectations. 

Leading 3PLs don’t simply focus on peak season. Instead, they focus on delivering high quality operations year-round to drive merchants’ success—from January to December. 

Most importantly, 3PLs drive quality operations by deeply understanding merchants’ business goals and strategies beyond peak seasons. Peak demand periods are critical for many retailers, but they don’t necessarily fall between October and December. Instead, 3PLs can work strategically to assess businesses growth goals and logistics requirements throughout the year, connecting the dots to the right supply chain solutions.  

Leading 3PLs focus both on consistent processes across operations and the ability to flexibly scale to meet changing retailer needs. That means focusing on creating standardization across people, processes, and technologies. Standardization drives flexibility and allows 3PLs to effectively manage inventories and orders during and beyond peak periods.  

3PLs can focus on these operational elements to drive both quality and scalability:  

Great customer communication drives quality because it focuses 3PL operations on customers’ actual goals and strategies. A 3PLs goal shouldn’t be about simply shipping units during seasonal peaks. Instead, focus on constant client collaboration, strategy meetings, and escalation paths beyond peak. This includes integrative planning and forecasting throughout the year. 

Great customer communication also leads to new discoveries and solutions. For example, a customer may plan a pop up, product launch, or new campaign outside of traditional peak periods. A 3PL partner can then focus on driving quality operations across these new opportunities. 

Consistent feedback—from both customers and employees—leads to high quality results. This requires setting up systems designed to collect feedback and drive action. These systems can work in conjunction with traditional audit processes and include post-peak season reviews. Audit cadences can increase amid seasonal peaks before ramping down during slower seasons. 

Hiring and retaining great talent is key to quality results. High quality operations require effectively structured and trained workforces. Leading 3PLs build a reporting structure that streamlines operations throughout the year while also making it easier to scale temporary resources during peak. Organizations can then focus on robust, systematic training programs. These programs are designed to standardize processes and move beyond individual specializations.  

Streamlined processes drive operational efficiency. 3PLs can assess and continuously improve processes from order processing and inventory management to shipping and delivery. Resources can then easily be trained to reduce manual errors and maximize throughput. That means more efficiency and more cost-effective operations. 

The right technology is key for providing real-time visibility. 3PLs invest in technology so that they, and their customers, can transparently monitor and track operations—from inventory replenishment to order fulfillment and shipping.  

The right technology solutions provide transparency and improve communication. They also allow 3PL partners to respond quickly to disruptions and consistently update their clients. Technology empowers organizations to deliver exceptional service and meet the needs of customers—during peak season and beyond. 

Seasonal peaks should be exciting. And the best way to capture peak season wins is to focus on year-round quality and scalability. Retailers can flip the script on peak season preparedness by partnering with 3PLs like Radial.  

Radial’s warehouse operations are designed to accommodate the dynamic needs of enterprise clients, providing the flexibility to scale up or down based on fluctuating demand. Radial’s solutions are designed to scale seamlessly with your business, allowing you to adapt to changing market conditions and customer demands. Whether you’re experiencing rapid growth, seasonal fluctuations, or unforeseen challenges, Radial’s scalable infrastructure and flexible solutions means retailers meet demand without missing a beat—this holiday season and all year long.  

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