Transportation and Logistics

Hire a transportation and logistics consultant Transportation and logistics consultants don't move and store stuff for you -- they evaluate your operation, and then tell you how you could move and store stuff more efficiently. A consultant is a great option when you want to improve your logistics management but don't want to hand over your transportation and warehouse shipping needs to a third party.

I recommend:  Accugistics are logistics management consultants in the areas of strategic planning, facility design/planning, productivity/efficiency improvement, and operational planning/improvement. Chainalytics specializes in helping companies improve their supply chain logistics, while The Progress Group deploys a unique team approach focused on a client's business goals.

Hand your transportation and storage over to a third-party logistics provider Third-party logistics providers, also called 3pl providers, take over all or part of your transportation and warehouse shipping, using their expertise and technology to perform those jobs as efficiently as possible. Contracting with a trusted third-party logistics provider saves you from having to know much about logistics. Not surprisingly, some of the big names in shipping now market themselves as third-party logistics providers; think of them as really, really, really full-service shipping companies.

I recommend:  Check out 3pl providers, such as Glen Raven Logistics (a full-service 3pl for the U.S. and Mexico) and tools such as Vendorseek.com, which can collect customized quotes from up to five 3pl providers based on your input. Other well known 3pl companies include DHL, Kuehne + Nagel and FedEx. Find more third-party logistics providers at Business.com.

Use logistics management software The 3pl providers use logistics management software to keep track of where everything is and, more importantly, how moving and storing that stuff can be made more efficient by combining or dividing shipments, changing routes, changing carriers (from truck to rail, for example), reworking inventory management practices, and so on.

I recommend:  Prophesy Logistics Software markets ShipperPlus, a transportation management system designed to help manufacturers and shippers consolidate shipments and optimize loads in real time. LeanLogistics markets On-Demand TMS, a logistics management software package that networks you with your suppliers and partners to view the entire chain and find areas to streamline. Other vendors include 3pl Central and Cadre Technologies.

Invest in logistics management training Logistics is an area for ongoing improvement, and that's best achieved by eyes on-site. A few courses or a degree in logistics management could position you or someone else in your company to play a valuable new role -- one that will continue to deliver benefits for years to come.

I recommend:  American Public University offers an online logistics management degree, while the Supply Chain Academy is a more informal logistics learning solution targeted at supply chain professionals.