When is the right time to outsource your fulfilment?
Taking your business from a budding start-up to a thriving enterprise can be highly rewarding. But as your company expands, the initial thrill of managing everything in-house often gives way to the realisation that certain tasks, like fulfilment, can become a bottleneck to growth. But when exactly is the right time to hand over the reins and outsource your fulfilment operations to a third-party logistics provider? Hallmark Consumer Services provides the answers and explains how taking this step can help propel your business forwards.
When growth outpaces capacity
As an established business, you’ve likely hit your stride, and could be processing anywhere upwards of 200 orders per month in-house. Around this time, you may find that managing daily fulfilment internally can start to hinder your growth. If you’re spending more time packing boxes than focusing on strategy, or if your team is stretched too thin to explore new opportunities, it may be time to outsource your fulfilment.
Outsourcing fulfilment isn’t just about freeing up time. It’s about leveraging expertise that can streamline your operations, reduce costs, and enhance customer satisfaction. An experienced fulfilment partner brings the systems, infrastructure, and flexibility to handle your growth efficiently, allowing you to concentrate on scaling your business rather than getting bogged down in the logistics of order management.
The ideal time to reassess
The period following a busy sales season is a prime time for reflection. After the dust settles from the holiday rush, many businesses look back and can see they were overwhelmed, realising that their current fulfilment process may not be sustainable as they continue to grow.
It may be that you struggled to fulfil orders within the expected delivery times, you found it difficult to store and manage stock for a significantly higher volume of orders, or you didn’t have capacity to handle an increase in customer queries. It may also have been down to a lack of planning or your suppliers letting you down. Whatever issues you faced, you’ll likely want to ensure that these are resolved so that you are better prepared for key retail events in the year ahead.
The period following summer sales and/or January are often popular times for re-evaluation, making it an ideal time to explore outsourcing options. Businesses recognise that a more efficient, scalable fulfilment solution could have made their peak season smoother and are eager to avoid the same stress in the coming year.
The benefits of outsourcing
Outsourcing your fulfilment to a third-party logistics provider (3PL) isn’t just about delegating tasks; it’s about partnering with experts to fuel your growth. For instance, Hallmark offers award-winning solutions that go beyond simple pick-and-pack operations, providing our clients with:
- Comprehensive services including inventory management and real-time data analytics, giving you the insights needed for informed decision-making.
- Access to state-of-the-art infrastructure and deep industry knowledge, helping you scale operations efficiently – whether expanding your product range, entering new markets, or managing higher order volumes.
- Flexible solutions that adapt as your business evolves, ensuring your systems and staff are always equipped to handle demand.
When you outsource your fulfilment to a specialist like Hallmark, you can reduce operational pressure and focus on strategic growth, without worrying about capacity or staffing during peak times.
So, when is the right time to outsource your fulfilment?
The answer is when you recognise that your current setup is limiting your potential. Whether you’re managing fulfilment in-house and struggling to keep up, or you’re already working with a 3PL that can’t scale with your business, it’s worth exploring how a more tailored, expert solution could benefit you.
Starting your search early allows ample time to find the right partner and transition smoothly before the next peak season hits. Taking this proactive approach not only prevents the last-minute scramble, but also ensures that your business is in the best possible position to capitalise on the busy months ahead.
Partnering for growth
Choosing Hallmark Consumer Services means more than just outsourcing fulfilment; it’s about building a partnership that aligns with your business goals. Our experienced client account managers will listen to your concerns and work with you to fully understand your processes and objectives and help you find the most efficient and cost-effective solution.