GOOD QUESTION | When choosing a logistics provider

Customer Service, Transportation, Supply ChainWith a tumultuous global economy and trade uncertainties, the most important consideration is value. Can they provide global visibility to your supply chain? Can they help you effectively navigate the ever-changing regulatory landscape? Park Williams VP, North America Sales BDP InternationalCustomer service. Simply put—you can win and lose with cost, but you will always lose with poor customer service. A cheap rate still carries a minimum level of service expectations. Without customer service, your rates won’t matter.Bryce Williford Senior Director, Commercial Sales BlueGrace LogisticsNow is not the time to trade off costs for customer service. While costs cannot be ignored, with the growth of e-commerce and the heightened expectations of customers, enterprises are leveraging transportation as a competitive weapon, and it is a critical element of the customer experience. Brian Hodgson Senior Vice President, Industry Solutions Descartes Systems Group Driving costs out of the supply chain is a given when choosing a logistics provider. What’s key is building long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships that deliver efficiency, transparency, and supply chain optimization year over year. Bill Goodgion PresidentAscent Global LogisticsDepends on the mode of shipping, type of product, and parameters of the move. If you’re shipping LTL or truckload without time restraints, then cost is most important. On the other hand, if you have time restraints or need added attention because of your product, then customer service should be the #1 consideration.Scott DiCiccoAccount Manager Exline Global LogisticsWhy not have both? With the volatility of order profiles and the new metric of next-day delivery, it is extremely important you and your selected logistics provider perform a detailed design session to align on the key metrics of success, and on how when volumes go up, so does the price. Michael Wohlwend Managing Principal Alpine Supply Chain SolutionsCustomer service, especially when an emergency strikes. You want a partner that invests as much time/resources into relationships with customers and partners as it does developing solutions.Yamini Vellore CIO & Head of Customer Success Blume GlobalCompanies shouldn’t have to choose between cost or customer service. With human capital management tools and processes, organizations equip their people managers with tools to monitor workplace productivity and limit overtime, optimizing labor costs and passing the savings on to customers.Robert O’Dwyer Logistics Industry Principal Kronos IncorporatedHave a great answer to a good question?Be sure to participate next month. We want to know:Will the supply chain management function be obsolete in 10 years?We’ll publish some answers. Tell us at editorial@inboundlogistics.com or tweet us @ILMagazine #ILgoodquestion