A recurring theme seems to be surfacing in the complex world of global third party logistics providers (3PLs) these days. The sector is booming, but shippers are still “shopping around” for a better price or more complete service.
Explaining this friction that exists between 3PLs and the customers they serve in key manufacturing and retail sectors was a daunting challenge for researchers at advisory firm SCM World, but a recent study may finally provide some answer. “The disconnect between 3PL performance levels and their reluctance to embrace new technologies was something we hoped would change by now,” says Barry Blake, vice president of research at SCM World. “But that hasn’t been the case at all. Shippers say that they’re still searching for more value.”
Between January and May of this year, SCM World fielded a six-question survey in order to understand the supply chain community’s perception of its 3PLs. After sifting through the remarks made by 557 global shipper organizations, the results were made public last month.
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