Advantages That a 3PL Freight Broker Provides

3PL freight brokers provide a valuable service in the marketplace. They are a necessary link in the supply chain that helps to keep it moving. Most companies do not have the resources available to dedicate a single person or an entire team to the management of their freight transportation needs. Additionally, most carrier companies do not have the availability to reach out and find new customers that they can ship for. In fact, 91.5% of carrier companies operate 6 trucks or fewer.

3PLs are able to improve operations and make the entire supply chain and shipping process easier for everyone involved. Their entire purpose is to improve shipping for their customers and provide more opportunities for their partnered carriers. However, before we get too deep into the advantages, let’s define what a 3PL is.

What is a 3PL?

A third-party logistics company (3PL) provides freight transportation services for their customers. 3PLs typically handle:

  • Trucking and transportation
  • Warehousing
  • Customs brokerage
  • Freight forwarding

3PLs usually make the most sense for companies that don’t have the capacity to handle all of these procedures themselves, either because they’re too small or because they don’t have the resources. However, companies that do have these systems and procedures in place can still find a 3PL partnership beneficial. There are multiple advantages offered by 3PLs that companies of any size can and should take advantage of. Finding the right 3PL is another challenge entirely, one that we have covered in a previous blog post.

What advantages does a 3PL Freight Broker provide?

3PLs provide countless benefits to many different industries and organizations. Some benefits will help some more than other depending on many factors. There are, however, three main benefits offered by 3PLs that will help any shipper. The three key advantages offered by a 3PL are:
  • Access to Experience and Knowledge
  • Save time and money
  • Increased flexibility
Number one is access to experience and knowledge. There is a lot of work that goes into properly managing a company’s supply chain and ensuring that the shipment goes right. When a company partners with a 3PL they gain access to a vast sea of knowledge and experience. 3PLs focus purely on shipping and transportation. They have proven processes in place that help their customers through any situation. No matter what issues arise, they have probably seen it before and know what to do. Number two, is shippers save time and money by partnering with a 3PL freight broker. This is probably the number one benefit for most people, why else would they be using a 3PL in the first place? The time-saving aspect comes from the fact that, by partnering with a 3PL, shippers no longer have to spend time working on freight shipping. That time can go back into focusing on what that organization does best. Then, cost savings come from a 3PLs technology and strong carrier base. Two things that let them find the best options for their customer’s freight.
Key Advantages Offered by 3PL Freight Brokers

Third, is the increased flexibility. There are countless things that can go wrong in shipping. Carriers can back out of a deal, freight can go missing, and times get pushed around. 3PLs are able to manage these situations which allows the shipper to operate much more quickly. Additionally, this impacts the scalability of an organization. There are countless growing pains that a company faces as they grow, one of which is their supply chain. However, a 3PL freight broker is able to handle any growing need.

Conclusion

A 3PL Freight Brokers main purpose is to act as a link between a shipper and carrier. However, in doing so, they are able to provide countless benefits to both the shipper and the carrier. By finding a good 3PL partnership, a shipper is able to gain access to a wealth of experience, save time and money, and become more flexible in their operations. Any company that is having trouble with its supply chain or freight shipping should immediately look into developing a 3PL partnership. It can take time to find the right fit, but the benefits will kick in immediately.

If you are currently looking for a 3PL to partner with then you should check out HTL Freight. We have over 35 years of experience and focus on providing value in each shipment we work on. We do this by being responsible, reliable, and responsive each and every day. To reach out to someone at HTL Freight you can check out our contact page. Additionally, to get started immediately, you can click here to request a freight quote.



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