How Can Partnering With Independent Agents Grow Your Logistics Business?

By Author: Sidra N.
Total Articles: 739
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FedEx, UPS, and DHL—what is the secret to their success? All of these international transport companies have complex, efficient networks for providing international logistics solutions. By partnering with independent agents across many regions and countries, these multinational logistics providers have been able to meet the shipping demands of major global companies.


Successful 3rd party logistics companies often promote their capability of providing end-to-end supply chain solutions to major companies. What allows these 3rd party logistics providers to sell these services is that they leverage the various specialties of various agents. For example, the 3rd party logistics provider may be operating out of the United States, but has partners around the globe in China, India, or the Caribbean, and some of these agents might specialize in niche markets such as oversized transportation. Therefore, by partnering with agents, a 3rd party logistics company has access to a variety of tools and resources it can utilize in order to provide a seamless and cost-effective transaction for customers.

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... today’s globalized world, logistics companies must value the highest customer service and strive to accommodate customer needs no matter how complex they may be. Consequently, 3rd party logistics providers need to be prepared to provide expedited freight service when needed. For instance, agents should partner with companies who have an advantage in that they provide truck load service in the southeast U.S. and shipping from Jacksonville. In addition, 3rd party logistics companies are often subsidiaries of large companies that manage twenty independent marine transportation, air cargo, and intermodal shipping companies that work together to provide a comprehensive, streamlined transportation package for their customers. As a result, these companies, together, are capable of providing every aspect of support for business conducted on land, air and sea.

In order to be a competitive player in transportation and logistics, corporations must focus on expanding their service options, and they can generate new opportunities to grow their business by collaborating with independent agents and freight forwarders. Many agents can also benefit by making use of the certifications and licenses of the 3rd party logistics companies they choose to partner with. For example, being C-TPAT certified is a major advantage for any logistics company, and an agent can use that to their advantage when seeking business by letting companies know that they are affiliated with a 3rd party logistics provider that has this certification so they can rest assured that their cargo will be secure from point of origin to destination.

To conclude, the key to success in logistics, especially in this slowly recovering economy, is to develop strategic partnerships. If you’re an agent, you should seek to work more closely with a 3rd party logistics company, or if you’re a 3rd party logistics company, you should reach out to some independent agents. At the end of the day, both parties have the opportunity to make a profit.

Sidra N. works for Spectrum Logistics, a third party logistics service. As a premier 3rd party logistics provider, Spectrum provides a wide array of services to meet your needs--reliable staff, technology, truck load service, and equipment for accurate, on-time domestic and global transportation via air, freight, or ocean. To know more about trucking companies in Florida, visit our website.