SEE

10 Reasons to Outsource Fulfilment

Outsource fulfilment

This post first featured in ‘The Essential Guide to Fulfilment – Are Your Logistics Future Fit?’ published in association with PHL. To read the full ebook click here, or scroll to the end of the page to view on page-turning software.

As businesses grow in size and requirements change, it becomes increasingly difficult to manage products, storage space and shipping. If retailers aren’t careful, the limitations of self-fulfilment can prevent growth and eat into cash flow.

The solution is to outsource fulfilment to an expert, allowing retailers to focus their time and efforts on what they do best, while making sure the logistics run smoothly.

Here are 10 reasons to outsource fulfilment:

  1. Reduced warehousing and logistics costs

Agreeing to work with a fulfilment company means you can say goodbye to any warehousing and logistics costs that you previously paid when taking care of your own fulfilment. You no longer need to pay to rent storage space, organise logistics and much more, which means this money can be reinvested into the cost of outsourcing fulfilment.

  1. Save time

One of the major benefits of outsourced fulfilment is the amount of time it saves. Once you have chosen your fulfilment provider, you can relax, confident in the knowledge that your fulfilment is being taken care of by the experts. This means you can focus your efforts and newfound time on continuing to grow the business.

  1. Scalable

Choosing a fulfilment partner that can adapt to meet your changing requirements means you can upscale and downscale as required, evolving quickly with changing markets. This can be done efficiently and easily, meaning your fulfilment can be continuously suited to your business’ needs.

  1. Less health and safety regulations to consider

Anybody that has taken care of their own fulfilment will understand the health and safety issues that can arise. The great news is that when working with a fulfilment company, you don’t need to worry about this, as they have an understanding of legal requirements and policies, making sure all criteria are met throughout the fulfilment journey.

  1. Customer service

Outsourcing means you are able to enjoy industry-leading customer service, giving you peace of mind and great communication as your fulfilment orders are dealt with.

  1. No need to staff a warehouse

Fulfilment houses deal with their own staffing and HR issues, meaning you don’t have to invest time hiring, training or dealing with HR matters on the fulfilment side.

  1. No need to move

Many businesses that manage their own fulfilment find that they have to move premises in order to store and deliver larger or smaller quantities of stock. This upheaval isn’t necessary when fulfilment is outsourced, as fulfilment houses have the capacity to use different facilities, meaning you can stay exactly where you are.

  1. Discounted rates

Fulfilment companies build long-standing relationships with providers and suppliers, meaning they are often able to access discounted and negotiated rates. This can quickly make operations more cost-efficient, saving you money.

  1. Retain control

Outsourcing doesn’t mean you lose control. In fact, you still retain full control of the way you work, but a fulfilment company manages daily operations on your behalf. This means you can explain your goals and preferences, working with the fulfilment company to meet targets.

  1. Expert advice

One of the major benefits of outsourced fulfilment is that you don’t need to have expertise in this area. Instead, you have a knowledgeable team of fulfilment experts running this side of your operations.

Reasons to outsource fulfilment

An Introduction to PHL

A Short History

PHL is a friendly, owner-managed Fulfilment Company with over 20 years of experience in helping businesses deliver to their customers.  We offer a wide range of flexible services designed to take the hassle out of your logistics, saving you both time and money.  Trusted by some of the UK’s most recognised brands, you can rely on our wealth of experience to help support and promote your business.

The business was initially set-up to specialise in the collation and fulfilment of beautiful and intricate hand-assembled products for the Film and Music industry.  Today our busy contract packing department works with a cross-section of industries on print-collation, product rework, sampling, and retail pack assembly.  Working to tight timeframes and high volumes, we pride ourselves on our accuracy, flexibility, and process-driven approach. 

PHL also works with consumer brands fulfilling marketing and communication campaigns.  A large part of our marketing work has involved setting up and running Customer Service Centres.  Through this, we have developed a first-class customer service department, working on behalf of brands like Lucozade, O2 and Velvet.

PHL started partnering with online businesses early on, realising this would be an area of future growth.  We have invested heavily in the infrastructure and technology needed to service ecommerce clients effectively.  Today we work with a wide range of companies, from recognisable household names to independent, but fiercely successful, online retailers.   Our customers hail from a broad cross-section of industries, from Food & Drink, Pharmaceuticals, Beauty & Healthcare and Electronics.

Our passion and values

Working in true partnership with you – At PHL, we like to act as an extension of your business, embracing your passion and ethos. We understand that flexibility and customisation are critical to our clients’ ability to exceed expectations and create a point of difference. That is why being owner-managed is very important to us, giving us the freedom to change how we work if it doesn’t work for you.

Helping you achieve growth – We do this through the delivery of 1st class, scalable logistic solutions. With over 20 years of experience and a highly skilled team, we have both the know-how and resources to meet the challenges of the retail industry and unleash your business’ potential.

Helping you manage resources and costs – PHL are specialists in scaling up resources during promotional and peak seasons, and most recently during the COVID-19 crisis. We also quickly scale down during quieter periods, helping clients reduce their fulfilment costs while maximising operational efficiency.

Giving your customers exceptional service – Building brand loyalty through excellent service is vital for growth. Ensuring your customers receive their orders swiftly and cost-effectively is the heart and soul of our business, and we do it with care and pride.

Looking to your future – PHL is an innovative company; combining the latest technology and software with the in-house technical support team, we provide solutions that always deliver. Our cloud-based Order Management System (OMS) can integrate with a multitude of eCommerce platforms, Marketplaces, and Apps for a seamless customer experience.

Giving you complete control – We know that if you outsource your fulfilment, you still need to be in control. That is why our OMS gives you instant, detailed, real-time visibility to orders and stock. Your online access comes with a wide range of reporting, meaning you can say goodbye to downloading confusing spreadsheets and cross-referencing calculations. You can also receive Low-Level Stock alerts and Best Before Date alerts to help you manage your stock efficiently. 

We would love to discuss your current business challenges and how PHL could provide a bespoke built fulfilment solution. Book an initial 15-minute discovery call with one of our experts HERE. All consultations are commitment-free.

Read the full version of ‘The Essential Guide to Fulfilment – Are Your Logistics Future Fit?’ below.

Scurri