Author: Whitney
Finding the Right Third-Party Logistics Company
If you’ve decided to use a third-party logistics company (3PL), you know that there are many benefits to small businesses and non-profits that outsource their transportation needs. But finding a good logistics company is about more than storage and transportation — it’s about finding a good logistics team. When there is a strong sense of teamwork from your third-party logistics company, you have a partner with dedication and passion for what they do. Here’s what to look for in order to find a 3PL company that will help you take your business to the next level.
The Right Third-Party Logistics Company Will:
Have Ethics
Unsurprisingly, businesses that are ethical practice ethical business. What this really means for your company is that what you see is what you get. There is no better business quality than transparency. Businesses with ethics are honest and truly care about providing the best service for the best price. They also foster a fantastic work environment for their employees. This is how they are able to maintain a workforce that is passionate, dedicated, and works well as a team.
Be Diverse
The best part of a team is having each other’s backs. When a business acts as a team, it knows the importance of diversity. Where one person falls short, another prevails and is eager and willing to pick up the slack. Great partners see the beauty and effectiveness of diversity. A diverse 3PL company will be able to provide your company or non-profit with a balanced and stable partnership.
Be Flexible
When there is a strong sense of teamwork in place, companies are able to be more flexible to work with your needs. That’s because a great group of people who know how to work together aren’t afraid of taking on a job that requires flexibility. If one person needs help, they know that they have responsible teammates to lean on to help finish it — and finish it well. The right third-party logistics company will let you choose from a wide range of options.
Once you make the decision to outsource your transportation and logistical needs, you need to pick the right company to be your partner. The right third-party logistics company will be ethical, diverse, and flexible. Want to find out if Mission Logistics is the right partner for you? Let’s talk! Give us a call at 1-877-647-5647, or contact us by email!
4 Reasons Outsourcing is a Good Business Decision
A lot of companies and non-profits choose to take on too many tasks because they feel that it is a waste of resources to pay an external entity. However, the phrase, “if you want something done right, do it yourself,” doesn’t always apply in the business world. Take a look at the four reasons outsourcing can actually help your business or non-profit thrive.
Save Money
It is not always more cost effective to handle things internally. Hiring a team to accomplish a project means that you have to pay the salaries of all of the new workers. It also means more management will need to be put into place. Additionally, even if your business currently has the capacity to handle the task, it still may not be the most cost effective solution. We all know that time is money. Even if your staff is capable of handling a task that is a little out of their realm, they may perform it slower and will be taking time away from other focuses of the business.
No Long-term Commitment
Hiring more employees to handle new business tasks not only costs money, it costs commitment. As you know, it is much easier to stop working with a company you contracted for a job than to fire employees that aren’t up to snuff. No long-term commitment means that you can shop around. If you’re not happy with the way a job is being performed, you can find another company to take on the job until you find the right match for your business or non-profit.
Hire Experts in the Industry
When you hire externally, you are hiring experts in the industry. This means you are getting the most passionate people in their trade, and you are most likely getting more of them than you would be able to afford on your own. For example, depending on your size, you could hire a small group of three to handle your advertising and marketing efforts. However, if you were to hire an advertising or marketing agency, your business’ marketing could be influenced by 100 great minds sharing their knowledge amongst each other. Even if there were only five people assigned to your account, those people are still engaging and learning from each other while in that work environment.
No Management Needed
Another great perk to outsourcing and hiring experts is that it is not your job to provide management. Hiring a company externally means you can sit back and relax while the job gets done. The biggest perk of all is being able to focus on your mission while you leave the rest to them.
Heard enough, but don’t know where to start? If you’re ready to utilize other companies to help your business, check out our blog on the Best Business Tasks to Outsource.
3 Wrenches That Can Ruin Your Business
Running a business requires a lot of balance to keep things running smoothly. Even when things are going well, it doesn’t take much to derail a company’s processes, especially when it comes to smaller businesses or non-profit organizations. There are quite a few “wrenches” that can get tossed into the mix, causing smaller speed bumps to mushroom into mountainous problems for you. Watch out for the following potential issues, and make sure you’re taking precautions to avoid larger setbacks down the line:
1. When a particular transportation need does not fit your organization’s routine operations.
When a company gets this wrench thrown into the mix, its routine can get discombobulated. Some examples of this are when there’s a special order or unusual circumstances that are not “business as usual.” One of the most important steps to a successful business is having a schedule and sticking to it. Don’t miss out on potential business opportunities because they don’t align with your normal way of doing things. Those lost business opportunities could be the difference between failing and prospering.
2. When you run into problems managing your own fleet.
Owning and maintaining your own truck or fleet can be more time and money than it’s worth. While you’re trying to manage this aspect of your business, there are several problems that could suddenly arise. Expensive vehicle maintenance, overworked employees, and drop off mistakes are just the start of the problems you can encounter. These can be a headache at best and detrimental at worst.
3. When You Lose Focus on Your Company’s Mission
Thinking about all of the tasks, both small and large, that your company has to juggle every single day can be overwhelming within itself. So one of the worst things you can do is take your eye off the ball. When you attempt to execute unnecessary tasks into your business plan, you can overload both yourself and your employees. The best practice is to focus on your mission. If you can outsource a task that is bogging you down– do it. If not, you could be draining your resources dry on tasks that aren’t directly focused on your mission.
Thankfully, there are resources you can rely on to help deal with the wrenches that get thrown into your business operations. Mission Logistics can help your business flourish by handling some or all of your transportation and logistical needs by eliminating your need to manage your own fleet of vehicles, handling your needs that fall out of routine, and helping you focus on your mission. The best part is that we work with you and cater to the needs of your business or non-profit. It’s our mission to let you focus on yours.
Best Business Tasks to Outsource
If you run a company or non-profit, you may be considering outsourcing some of your business tasks in order to focus on your mission and save time and money. The real question is, what are the best tasks to outsource? We know it can be daunting to determine which tasks are the right choice, so we’ve put together some recommendations to help you explore the possibilities and make beneficial moves for your organization.
Accounting
Accounting is a great job to outsource simply because it is a straightforward task that can easily be handled by professionals. Simply supply the person or company with your books and leave the rest to them. Another huge perk is that there are so many accounting firms that you can get competitive pricing for the work being done.
Web Design
Having an in-house web designer may be too underutilized to your business in order to stay constantly useful. Instead, hiring a freelancer or web design firm can come in handy when your company’s website needs tune ups. This will save you money that you can then allocate to the business objectives that emphasize your mission.
Transportation and Logistics
The best task to outsource is your transportation and logistical needs. How much time and money does your company spend maintaining your own freight or handling your own transportation? Hiring a company like Mission Logistics can help you further your business more than you can imagine. We offer our services 24 hours a day, without long-term contracts. We also respect your budget. When you work with us, you’re getting a great price, great service, and are lending a hand to our parent company: Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania. Focus on your mission and leave the logistics to us! For more on this, check out the Top 3 Reasons You Should Use Bulk Transportation Services.
Starting to consider outsourcing some of your business tasks is a great first step to aiding in the success of your business. Now that you’ve seen examples of tasks you can outsource, you’re even further on your way to using your resources more effectively to achieve your mission.
3 Characteristics of Every Innovative Business
What makes for an innovative business? While innovation is often characterized by the ability to turn a vision into new products or services, it also is the ability to re-imagine things that already are. Therefore, being innovative can sometimes mean taking something familiar and making it better in a way that it isn’t traditionally done by the competitors. These three qualities of every innovative business can help you determine where your business is exceeding and where you may need to change up your strategy.
It Fills a Gap
No industry is perfect, but this comes as an advantage to business owners. When gaps in an industry exist, innovation comes into play. Finding gaps to fill is easier said than done, but rest assured that no industry is flawless, and there is always room for improvement. For example, when it comes to transportation and logistics, you might think that there couldn’t possibly be a gap to fill in the industry. However, here at Mission Logistics, we found there to be many company and non-profit transportation needs that weren’t being met, including less-than-truckload deliveries and low-budget transfers.
It Has a Greater Good
Innovative companies know that there is a greater good beyond business. In this case, you get what you give. Taking the time to give back to your community in any way helps your business be innovative because it brings perspective and a good reputation. Just like its parent company, Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Mission Logistics works to create employment opportunities for deserving individuals.
It Has and Executes a Clear Vision
Here at Mission Logistics, our vision is to support your vision. We strive to handle your transportation logistics so that you can focus fully on accomplishing your mission. It is not enough to just have a clear vision, it must be executed. This means that your company or non-profit needs to be concentrating on your vision so that it can be executed effectively. After all, what is a vision worth if it never gets fully off of the ground? It can be tempting to want to handle everything internally, but at the end of the day, innovative businesses know how to stick to what they do best. Outsourcing jobs like transportation gives you the time and energy your team needs to build or continue your innovative business objectives.
Businesses that strive to put innovation at the forefront of their strategic goals foster success naturally. By filling a gap, focusing on a greater good, and executing a clear vision, your company can be on it’s way to bringing innovation to your industry in your community.
3 Tips for Running Your Business
Every business wants to be successful. The tricky part is getting all of the many pieces that make up a business running smoothly as one. These three tips can help you and your team reach your full potential, whether you are a for-profit or non-profit company.
1. Focus on your objective
This tip may seem obvious to some, but time and time again businesses lose track of what they are really trying to accomplish. When businesses lose focus on their objectives, it is often because they are trying to be too many things at once. Businesses that attempt to handle all aspects of their business internally instead of outsourcing tasks such as logistics and transportation needs often find that they aren’t allocating their resources efficiently. Success comes when your eye is on the ball. Here at Mission Logistics, we know that it’s in your best interest to focus on your mission and let us manage your shipping and logistical needs.
2. Treat your employees well
Sometimes good employees aren’t found, they’re made. Your employees have an astronomical impact on the success of your business, and how you treat your employees has a big reflection on their work ethic. This isn’t to say that you don’t need to bring good people to your team. However, it’s important to treat them well in order to keep them with your company and get the most out of them for your business. Good employees respond well to being respected and valued. Provide them with the pay and benefits that they deserve, foster a positive work environment, and lighten their workload from unnecessary tasks. This last one ties back to tip number one. Your whole team needs to be focused on your mission and not overburdened with work that could be outsourced.
3. Shoot for good enough
Perfection has no place in the business world. What truly matters is that your business is getting things done. Once you are focused on your objective and fostering great employees, you will be tempted to strive for perfection. However, perfection is a goal that no business can achieve. Instead, settle for concentrating on your mission and getting it done, even if the means embracing a few bumps on the road.
Running a business or non-profit is complicated. Focus on your objective, treat your employees well, and shoot for good enough. Finally, when you need help with your transportation and logistical needs, give us a call. Here at Mission Logistics, we thrive on being a dependable partner and aiding in the success of your business.
Launch of Mission Logistics LLC
On February 16th, Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania held a press conference to announce the launch of Mission Logistics LLC — that’s us! Operating under the Goodwill umbrella as a “fair-profit” company, we’re a transportation and distribution service that aims to solve many of the problems commonly faced by both for-profit and non-profit companies.
Mission Logistics LLC plans on filling in the gaps of other transportation services by allowing for short-term contracts and making deliveries with trucks that are not filled to capacity. We also deliver during both daytime and nighttime hours!
This project represents innovation at its finest. By utilizing Goodwill’s existing fleet of vehicles, we’re able to make this a win for all. Our customers benefit and Goodwill benefits. Not only will companies enjoy the benefits of working with Mission Logistics, but they will also feel proud to support Goodwill’s mission and charitable impact on our society. Board chair Frank Hammond says, “We’re excited to see Goodwill optimize its existing fleet and staff in order to meet a business and social need that will generate revenue and benefit existing programs. We challenged Goodwill to think ‘outside of the box truck’ – and they certainly did.”
In our first year, Mission Logistics plans to concentrate its efforts on point-to-point deliveries. However, as we get off the ground, we plan to continually expand and offer even more transportation and logistical services. We also have plans to incorporate “green” efforts for better environmental impact.
Companies and non-profits will be able to trust us, just as they would trust Goodwill’s outstanding reputation. With the launch of Mission Logistics, companies have the opportunity to take advantage of outsourcing their transportation and logistics through a trustworthy company that benefits a wonderful cause for our society.
Focus on your mission and leave the logistics to us — we aim to support our customers with their internal logistics so that they have more time to do what they do best. For more, check out the top 3 reasons you should use bulk transportation services.
Top 3 Reasons You Should Use Bulk Transportation Services
If you’re considering using bulk transportation services, you’re already on the path to a better, more efficient business plan. Although there are several reasons your business can benefit from outsourcing your freight transportation to Mission Logistics, we’ve highlighted the top three reasons you should adopt this resource into you business.
Allocate Your Resources Effectively
With every business there are only so many resources available. If your company is a non-profit, for instance, you may have limited resources at hand. Allocating those resources effectively is one of the biggest determinants of success. This isn’t just in regards to money, but also the time and energy used to complete a certain aspect of your business, such as shipping. If you are using your own trucks for shipping, you are paying for vehicle maintenance as well as the employees needed to drive those vehicles. You are also losing time that could be spent concentrating on your core mission. Whereas if you outsourced this process, you are gaining time and money back into your business.
Keep Operations Running Seamlessly
A business is more efficient when it has a routine that it is able to execute seamlessly. However, as any businessperson knows, efficient operations can be hard to establish and maintain. Outsourcing the job is in your best interest to accommodate for the bulk transportation needs that are not a part of your regular schedule. This can keep your schedule on track and, with Mission Logistics’ fair rates, on budget!
Account for Growth
Ideally, you want your business to grow. In fact, in a dream world, it would grow as fast as possible! Outsourcing your bulk transportation services to a company such as Mission Logistics allows your company to grow unhindered. Being able to take advantage of low-cost freight services to your business sets you up for success. Leave the inventory management, picking, sorting, repackaging, shipping, and delivery to us while you plow full steam ahead with your business endeavors.
Bulk transportation services can be beneficial to any company or nonprofit. Mission logistics has low rates and a wide variety of options so that you can capitalize on the opportunity to advance your business.
Welcome To Mission Logistics
Do you have items that need to be transported and delivered for your business? You may have your own truck or fleet, but at the end of the day it could be costing you more money than you had anticipated. Or, it might not be the best way for you to allocate your resources. Even worse, you may have experienced items being forgotten or damaged upon arrival. To help combat these problems, we are proud to introduce to you, Mission Logistics! Here, we strive to aid in your business’ goals and become the solution to your bulk transportation needs.
Filling the Gap
It is our pleasure to become the helping hand you need to grow and succeed in your business. Whether you are a for-profit or a nonprofit, we understand that you need reliable service delivered to you at a fair price. We want you to be able to focus on your mission and leave the rest to us! You can expect the same characteristics of us as you do from our parent company: Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania. This means we offer service that will go above and beyond your expectations!
Our Options
We offer a wide range of services to accommodate your specific company and freight needs:
- provide all of your transportation and logistics functions so that you can focus on your business or mission,
- outsourcing particular transportation needs that do not fit an organization’s routine operations,
- point-to-point services to single retailers or non-profit organizations, large or small,
- pool distribution, aggregating the transportation needs of a given client or set of clients, collecting cargo, then sorting and re-aggregating cargo by various destinations , e.g., to a number of regional branch locations for a single retailer or to a number of retailers within a single complex,
- low-cost freight services such as package collection and dispatching for services that are not time sensitive,
- cartage agent service supplemental pick-up and delivery for local zone-based delivery organizations.
Supporting a Greater Cause
Everyone deserves to find a career and reap the benefits provided by hard work and dedication. By utilizing Mission Logistics’ bulk transportation services, you are not only helping your business, but helping the efforts of Goodwill to break down the barriers preventing people in need from having prosperous careers. In 2014, Goodwill provided job preparation, skills training, education assistance and support services to more than 53,000 facing challenges to finding employment. These opportunities help deserving people reach their full potential.
At Mission Logistics, we manage our own fleet. This means that there is no middle man and allows us to provide quality service, even to companies and nonprofits with unwavering budgets. Our wholesale transportation and delivery services are performed by drivers who are trained to industry standards. Let us show you why we can build a fruitful and lasting relationship with you and your company!