Posted by Tom Turner on Thu, Jul 12, 2012 @ 09:29 AM
Do we ever say thank you enough to our customers? Ever tried to come up with that perfect gift that doesn't look like you are buying their continued business? You know, something simple, yet respectful...and yes it does say "Thanks" for the business.
Bearly Memories offers a set of keepsake boxes that you can customize or personalize with your customer's name or business unit stenciled on the box. Great to sit at the receptionist's desk for business cards, or marketing brochures, candy, or a guest sign-in book. These boxes are attractive enough to sit on the boss's desk, bookshelf, or in the lobby.
Offering a variety of styles, shapes, and colors, these keepsake boxes can be stuffed with interesting and imaginative products that help get your message across. Salt water taffy candy is a popular stuffer, or tootsie rolls make a nice touch. Some have even put gift cards for the employees or coupons for their products as a stuffer. The goal is too say thanks.
Some of the keepsake boxes have pre-printed sayings such as: Celebrate, Christmas Cheer, Faith Family Friends, Freedom Box, Live Love Laugh, others are just decorative.
Just a few examples of keepsake boxes many of our clients have purchased to say "Thanks"
You can see more at www.bearlymemoriesstore.com Just click on categories for different types and styles.
Posted by Tom Turner on Thu, Jul 05, 2012 @ 02:05 PM
Why is it so hard to find a good fulfillment partner? Someone who can pick, pack, and ship my products faster, better, and cheaper than I can myself, or who I have currently fulfilling my orders?
Getting a better understanding of the transportation charges for shipping UPS, FedEX, USPS, or International. How do incentives work? Is it cheaper for me to go out and set up a UPS account and have everything 3rd party billed to my own account, or just let the provider who does the pick and pack, ship the products on their account?
Bearly Memories asked Warehouse Basics to provide a quote to do their fulfillment.
Bearly Memories is a producer of Keepsake Boxes, Gift Sets, and accessories and other unique gift giving ideas, shipping throughout the U.S. from their on-line retail store. With customization and personalization of many of their products, there were many questions about the cost viability of outsourcing this function.
Helping Bearly Memories understand the costs to process an order, manage the inventory, the handling costs from inbound receipts to pick, pack, and shipping charges. How the communications from order entry to end of day billing for transportation and invoicing for warehousing will be handled. The use of call tags for returns and extra charges for residential delivery versus business addresses.
Setting crystal clear expectations became very critical to give the customer what they want, when they want it, and for a cost that makes sense. Keeping the communication clean, and removing as many assumptions as possible helped reduce errors, returns and disappointed customers.
Warehouse Basics, Inc. has been handling the fulfillment for Bearly Memories for several years now. We put some extra effort upfront to ensure we all understood the unit of measure, how often we felt it necessary to communicate, and most importantly, to fully understand all the costs associated in the supply chain.
Need fulfillment help? Give Warehouse Basics, Inc. a call and get a free quote.
Posted by Tom Turner on Tue, Jun 26, 2012 @ 03:40 PM
15 years in business...who would've thunk it?
On July 1st...Warehouse Basics, Inc. will be celebrating their official 15th year since incorporating in Georgia. My how time flys when you are having this much fun.
The last couple of years have been a little tougher as the economy continues to struggle along, however, with the team that continues to gut it out everyday, we are making a difference.
We have had some good years and we have had our share of some lean years, but I would not change a thing. The learning experience of having some of the best customers you could imagine make getting up each day a pleasure. Something to look forward to, and getting paid for what you love to to...it just doesn't get much better.
I want to take the time to say thank-you to all our customers...current, past, and hopefully future prospects. Thanks to our employees, vendors, suppliers, and all who have contributed to the success of Warehouse Basics, Inc.
In particular, I want to thank Ken Watkins, my partner, and most of all, the glue that has made the company what it is today. I just recently returned from a two month sabbatical, along with a trip to Alaska. To be able to do that after 42 years of working is nothing short of phenomenal, knowing the company was in good hands while I was off. Thanks Ken.
With continuing our push to lower costs, increase revenues through crossdocking, fulfillment, warehousing and distribution, the future looks bright. Our entire team is hitting on all cylinders, and we seem to have the right people on the bus in the right seats...Hold on, 25 years is just around the corner.
Need any help with warehousing, crossdocks, distribution, fulfillment, inventory management, or other supply chain or logistics solutions....give us a call @ 404 346-1848 or see more info at www.warehousebasics.com
Posted by Tom Turner on Tue, Jun 26, 2012 @ 10:24 AM
Crossdocking in Atlanta, GA
Have you ever arrived at destination and were told the customer can't take the load? Might be a couple of days before they will...who are you going to call? You have another appointment for a pick-up at another location...full trailer, and now your stuck...Well are you really?
Nope...just call Warehouse Basics, Inc. 404 346-1848
We will unload your trailer, get you on your way, and re-deliver the freight to your customer when he can accept it. This is a typical "Crossdock" situation.
Typical minimum charge is $150.00 for a palletized load up to 24 pallets for the unloading and the re-loading at our facility. Re-delivery and transportation charges will be based on destination.
We will hold your freight up to 3 business days with no additional storage charges.
That is just over $3.00 per pallet handling in and the same out for handling an emergency and keeping the truck on-time to meet all your financial responsibilities.
Flexibility, reliability, and overall ability to unload, load, provide all appropriate paperwork and communication to you and the customer is what we do.
Open Monday to Friday 7:30 am - 5:00 pm we can react to most needs. Typical in and out of the building in under 2 hours...most of the time under one hour. Help us help you solve this appointment problem. Want to know more click here...http://mce_temp_url/
Posted by Ken Watkins on Thu, Jan 27, 2011 @ 09:52 AM
As fuel costs rise the impact is felt throughout the industry a
nd ultimately the consumer. Foreign and domestic policies, clean energy initiatives and off shore drilling are potential long term solutions, but the results of those intitiaves will not be felt for years or decades. The immediate solution is for logistics companies and consumers to adapt to the current issue of rising fuel costs. Consumers and businesses are paying more attention to where their money is going and fuel costs are certainly at the top of the expense category. Ultimately the increase in fuel costs will be imbedded in the price of goods purchased by consumers. Businesses can help offset those increased consumer prices by better managing their supply chain solutions. Freight carriers have the biggest opportunity to help offset the cost to consumers. By maintaining equipment, combining partial loads and reducing idle times carriers are able to reduce their fuel costs. Carriers can also partner with 3PL warehouses to help better utilize their equipment.
Third party warehouses give the carriers an opportunity to max out their LCL loads by giving them a location to cross dock mutliple shipments for local deliveries. Building a relationship and a network of 3PL warehouses throughout the country provides a quick solution to problems that arise everyday for carriers/drivers. The fuel savings a carrier can gain by having a quick solution to problems can ultimately lead to less fuel waste and unnecssary expenses that ultimately lead to higher margins for the carrier and reduced costs to consumers.
Posted by Ken Watkins on Thu, Sep 30, 2010 @ 09:26 AM
The big buzzword sometimes used by marketing folks in the logistics industry is “flexible warehousing.” For those of you who are new to third party logistics or are still in the discovery phase of outsourcing part or all of the management of your company’s supply chain I thought I would provide a description of the phase and how it can help you.
Flexible Warehousing Many warehousing companies tend to use “flexible warehousing” as a way to describe their main benefit to potential customers. If I were to pick one of the biggest advantages of outsourcing to a third party logistics provider I definitely would say its the flexibility they provide. By flexibility they mean the ability to alter your logistics program to fit your current needs at any moment. By the business quarter, by the month, by season etc.. One disadvantage to companies who run their own distribution centers or network is they don’t always have this kind of flexibility. If your product has a very heavy seasonal inventory build followed by months of very low inventory levels then usually flexible space is going to be the best solution.
Using a 3PL offers flexibility in:
* labor
* storage
* handling
* equipment
* location
By using a flexible “variable cost” solution companies can ramp up inventory during their busy seasons and then bring inventory levels significantly down, or opt to completely cease storage of inventory with a provider for a period and then start building inventory again in peak season. Another term that is also sometimes used is “scalability.”
Source: http://www.logisticslist.com/flexible-warehousing-solutions.html#ixzz111KtLIYO
Posted by Ken Watkins on Mon, Aug 30, 2010 @ 03:05 PM
Carriers would all agree that when the wheels are not turning, revenue is not being generated. The biggest problems facing carriers are distressed loads. Distressed loads can be as small as the driver missed their appointment to as big as the load shifted in transit and the consignee has refused to unload the load. All of these delays create heart ache for dispatchers and drivers. In this tough economy delays add up to costly expenses and loss in revenue.
*Refused by consignee **Ready for delivery
The best solution for the dispatcher is that they have a reliable warehouse in the area that can correct the problem. The warehouse has to be flexible and reliable offering a variety of labor and equipment to complete the work and keep the costs as low as possible. A great warehouse will ask questions over the phone to determine what the problem is with the load. If the problem is simply a missed appointment, a great warehouse will charge a fee to handle the product into their warehouse and offer transportation to redeliver the load at the newly scheduled time. This is usually done as a cross dock service, which elimates the need to charge a storage fee. This service allows the company driver to be on their way to get the next load that is waiting on them. If the problem is the load has shifted the great warehouse will ask questions over the phone to determine what will be involved. Once the driver arrives, the warehouse will take pictures and email them to the dispatcher. The warehouse will then estimate the charges to rework the shifted load and the time to complete so that the dispatcher can make a determination whether to keep the driver on the load or allow the local warehouse to deliver the load. At the end of the day the warehouse partner you choose should provide a flexible, reliable solution.
Posted by Ken Watkins on Wed, Aug 25, 2010 @ 10:47 AM
Good customer service is the lifeblood of any business. It is even more important when providing a service, such as third party logistics. You can offer promotions and slash prices to bring in as many new customers as you want, but unless you can get some of those customers to come back, your business won’t be profitable for long.
Good customer service is all about bringing customers back. And about sending them away happy – happy enough to pass positive feedback about your business along to others, who may then try the product or service you offer for themselves and in their turn become repeat customers.
Here's a collection of inspirational Customer Service Quotes.
To my customer.
I may not have the answer, but I’ll find it.
I may not have the time, but I’ll make it.
UNKNOWN
If you make customers unhappy in the physical world, they might each tell 6 friends.
If you make customers unhappy on the Internet, they can each tell 6,000 friends.
JEFF BEZOS
The Customer is King.
UNKNOWN
There are no traffic jams along the extra mile.
ROGER STAUBACH
Quality in a service or product is not what you put into it.
It is what the client or customer gets out of it.
PETER DRUCKER
Do what you do so well that they will
want to see it again and bring their friends.
WALT DISNEY
If we don’t take care of our customers, someone else will.
UNKNOWN
Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify!
HENRY DAVID THOREAU
Customers don’t expect you to be perfect.
They do expect you to fix things when they go wrong.
DONALD PORTER
Give trust, and you'll get it double in return
KEES KAMIES
The quality of our work depends on the quality of our people.
UNKNOWN
One of the deep secrets of life is that all that is really worth doing
is what we do for others.
LEWIS CAROL
The goal as a company is to have customer service that is
not just the best, but legendary.
SAM WALTON
Mistakes are the portals of discovery.
JAMES JOYCE
Being on par in terms of price and quality only gets you into the game.
Service wins the game.
TONY ALESSANDRA
People expect good service but few are willing to give it.
ROBERT GATELY
Well done is better than well said.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
To my customer.
I may not have the answer, but I’ll find it.
I may not have the time, but I’ll make it.
UNKNOWN
Here is a simple but powerful rule - always give people
more than what they expect to get.
NELSON BOSWELL
In business you get what you want by giving other people what they want.
ALICE MACDOUGALL
You’ll never have a product or price advantage again.
They can be easily duplicated, but a strong customer service culture can’t be copied.
JERRY FRITZ
Although your customers won’t love you if you give bad service, your competitors will.
KATE ZABRISKIE
Customer service is not a department, it's an attitude!
UNKNOWN (Submitted by Mandy)
The way to gain a good reputation,
is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.
SOCRATES
Posted by Tom Turner on Tue, Aug 03, 2010 @ 03:09 PM
When looking to price warehousing distribution services, there are 5 critical areas to keep in mind:
1. Storage...there are typically 2 types of storage pricing...the initial storage is the 1st time entry of the goods into the warehouse...this can be figured through split month if the product comes in on the 1st of the month thru the 15th you should expect to pay a full months rent...if however, the products arrive from the 16h thru the 31st of the month you should figure on paying half a month's rent. Some companies might average the days or use a formula of 75% of the recurring monthly rent.
The second type of storage charges are called recurring, that is whatever number of the unit of measure, cases, pallets, sacks, totes, or whatever you agree on is billed for the quantity stored on the 1st day of each new month following the original entry.
Things to watch out for are: product arrives on the 14th of the month and goes out on the 1st day of the new month...you are paying 2 months rent for 16-17 days storage...timing is everything. If you hold off one more day...you could save a half month of rent...or at least you have something to negotiate...
Handling charges...these charges cover the inbound and outbound handling of the goods. Again, back to the unit of measure you agree on. What are some items that impact the handling price....weight, size, stackability (bulk or rack storage) number of SKU's (stock keeping units) and number and complexity of the times the product wil need to be touched. Whether product is handled by hand, pallet jack, or special forklift with specialized attachment.
Order entry / Admin costs: Typically the cost associated with handling all the Bill-of-lading, to phone calls, faxes, emails, scans, and paper shuffling. End of day reports, parcel and LTL shipments with tracing and tracking numbers all have an impact on the price. Complexity, and information technology can either add to the price or minimize "fat fingering" info into the database. Watch out for the pesky transaction fees, they can add up very quickly. If you require web visibility of your inventory management, typically the costs will sometimes get buried in this line item.
Next are accessorial charges...this can be anything and everything from pallets, stretchwrap, banding, UPS charges, phone charges, labeling, inventory cycle counts, and the change in scope...you forgot to tell me about this charge...all-in-all, this becomes a catch-all. Agree that these charges should only apply if agreed upon in advance.
Last but not least are "Contract terms and conditions"...Net payment terms, 30 day contracts, limits of liability, claim handling, insurance, and extra services. Ask lots of questions...don't assume anything...
Most contract terms and conditions in the public and contract warehousing business are boilerplate agreements...but keep one eye on the fine print.
If this still pretty confusing...give us a call @ 404 -346-1848 or email at warehousebasics@gmail.com
We will help you anyway we can...you are the customer...demand nothing but the best.