How Small Retailers Can Save on Shipping Without Volume Discounts

08/12/2021 — Jen Deming

Small businesses have it tough, and the fact that volume shipping discounts aren’t always an option makes shipping expensive. The good news is that small retailers have options to decrease shipping expenses without having to rely on volume discounts. Check out our helpful video to learn how. 

Asset vs. Non-Asset Based 3PLs: The Major Distinctions

01/21/2021 — Leah Palnik

There are two main types of third-party logistics (3PL) providers and they’re not exactly created equal. Asset based 3PLs and non-asset based 3PLs each have their place in the market. However, they have a few key differences that can impact how your freight is handled and how much it will cost you.

What are asset based 3PLs and non-asset based 3PLs?
Asset based logistics providers own some or all of the parts of the supply chain. This can include carriers, trucks, warehouses, or distribution centers. Conversely, non-asset based 3PLs don’t own these parts of the supply chain. Instead they are relationship-based and develop a network of partners to help move your freight.

The major differences between asset based and non-asset based logistics
Besides how they operate, there are some distinctions that are important for shippers to take note of.

1. Flexibility and ability to offer custom solutions
   Since asset based 3PLs have their own carriers, those are the carriers they will rely on to move your freight. Their carriers likely specialize in specific lanes or services or may only have a presence in one part of the country. If those specializations match up with your specific needs, it could be a great partnership. However, if they don’t or if your needs vary, you likely won’t be receiving the most efficient or cost-effective service.
   
   On the other hand, non-asset based logistics providers have a wider network. They have access to multiple carriers which allows them to source the one that most closely aligns with your needs. That flexibility allows them to offer more customized solutions for your freight.


2. Level of control over the supply chain
   Asset based 3PLs have more control over the supply chain because they own the assets that comprise it. What that results in is the ability to set their own pricing more easily because they don’t have to negotiate with an outside party. Asset based 3PLs also have more direct control over carrier issues and errors. They can implement changes with their carriers that non-asset based 3PLs simply can’t.
   
   Non-asset based 3PLs have less control, especially when it comes to what the carrier does. That’s because there are more hands involved with moving your freight. However, a quality broker will know what to look for to prevent issues and will have high standards for the carriers it keeps in its network.


3. The underlying interests of the 3PL 
   It’s hard to argue that asset based 3PLs aren’t inherently biased. They own their own warehouses and trucks, so it’s obviously in their best interest to have shippers use them over others.
   
   The interests of a non-asset based 3PL are more in line with the shipper than the carrier. The best brokers will work on your behalf to find discrepancies in your invoices, provide claims assistance, and use their expertise to help you ship more efficiently.

How to decide between an asset based 3PL and a non-asset based 3PL
The type of 3PL that is best for you will largely depend on your specific needs. In general, you want to make sure you are working with a broker that can get you access to capacity when you need it most. From there, you should evaluate the typical characteristics of your freight so you can find a 3PL that is closely aligned.

No matter the situation, you need to work with a quality broker that is dedicated to finding you the freight solutions you need. PartnerShip is a non-asset based 3PL with an extensive network of alliances designed to help you ship smarter. Contact us to learn how you can save on your freight and improve your operations.

Don't Fall for These Top 5 LTL Shipping Myths

07/29/2020 — Jen Deming

Whether you are an LTL newbie or seasoned pro, there's some common misconceptions about freight shipping that can impact your load, and most importantly, your costs. Don't take for granted that everything you know about LTL shipping is a fact. Learn more about the top five LTL shipping myths so you can ship smarter and dodge costly freight errors.

How to Package Parcel Shipments Cost Effectively

06/30/2020 — Leah Palnik

When evaluating ways to lower your shipping costs, you don't want to overlook the impact that packaging has on your bottom line. In fact, there are a few high cost culprits that may surprise you. Learn how to package your parcel shipments more cost effectively with these 4 simple tips.

Looking for an intro into the fundamentals of proper packaging? We have the ultimate guide.

The History of Semi Trucks

07/21/2015 — Matt Nagel

Are Self-Driving Trucks the Future of Shipping?

06/16/2015 — Matt Nagel

Technology innovations, like in every industry, play a huge part in pushing the trucking industry forward and keeping efficiencies for customers and carriers at the forefront. From pallets to packaging and everything in between, there are always improvements to be made and a better way to operate. So what’s the next big innovation for transportation? It may very well be something that Peterbilt Motors Company has been working on and recently showcased at the ITS World Congress in Detroit – self-driving trucks, or an “advanced driver-assist system” as Peterbilt refers to the technology. This innovation reduces active driver steering by 80-85% and requires a well-marked highway so cameras can read road lines and position the vehicle.

Among other technologies, the vehicle uses:

• Radar-based adaptive cruise control (ACC) which automatically accelerates and decelerates, maintaining safe distances.
• Lane departure warning systems (LDWS) that uses cameras to detect lane edges and striping to alert drivers when the vehicle is drifting.

At the bottom of this post is a brief video (of a video) that was taken at the 2015 Mid-America Trucking Show. The video, while not the greatest quality, gives a very nice visual of the self-driving technology in action.

As you may be able to guess, there is still a lot of testing to be done and red tape to navigate before you should expect to see an unmanned semi on the highway. Even if/when this technology does come into use, you can still expect to see a driver, but more as a spectator rather than a primary operator.

There is technology that you may see on the road sooner rather than later and it’s called “platoon” trucking. A platoon is described as a convoy of trucks linked electronically to a lead truck with an active driver. This practice is said to increase fuel efficiencies up to 15% by limiting wind resistance. Producers and purveyors of this technology estimate that it could be on United States roadways in as little as a few years (click here to see a video of platoon trucking demonstrated by Volvo Trucks taking place in Spain a few years back).

There are many truck producers working to perfect these technologies and change the future of the trucking industry. As with most big ideas, it’s just a matter of time.

The Can't Miss Event for Association Professionals

06/08/2015 — Matt Nagel

PartnerShip will be exhibiting at the ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition this year in Detroit, Michigan on August 8^th-11^th. As a partner to over 140 associations, the ASAE Annual Meeting & Exhibition is a date that is circled on our calendars every year. It’s a great chance to spread the word about a PartnerShip managed Shipping Program as a valuable member benefit, as well as see some current association partners.

From an association standpoint, there are many reasons to attend the ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition year after year. For some, it’s the 120+ education sessions designed to generate ideas and provoke new thinking. For others, it’s access to fabulous parties and networking opportunities with over 5,000 colleagues from around the country.

We can vouch for the value of this show and encourage all association professionals to make their way up to Detroit for this once-a-year opportunity.We'll be in booth #233, so stop by and say hello!

Click here to register for the event and then visit the Schedule-at-a-Glace for information on show activities. If you need more convincing, watch the short ASAE video below with testimonials from association executives and the value they found at the ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition.

PartnerShip Receives Prestigious TMSA Compass Award

06/11/2014 — Scott Frederick

The past few days I had the opportunity to represent PartnerShip at the Transportation Marketing & Sales Association (TMSA) Annual Conference in Dallas, TX. As was the case in past years (see 2013 and 2012), the conference provided a great forum for networking and education with the top marketing and sales professionals in the transportation industry.

This year's theme, Driving Results Together, focused on the alignment between sales and marketing business strategies. There were a number of educational tracks that provided insights and tools to help transportation companies overcome shared obstacles and increase their bottom lines. Three particular highlights for me included:

• Opening keynote on the State of the Transportation and Logistics Industry by Adrian Gonzalez, President of Adelante SCM. Mr. Gonzalez posed the question "What Business Are You In?" and made the case for a broader perspective of the market, the competitive landscape, and a company's value proposition. 
• Eight Content Marketing Habits for 2014 presented by Nate Riggs, President of NR Media Group. Mr. Riggs did an excellent job presenting a framework to help industry marketers cut through the clutter and win more attention from customers by bridging the gap between the art and science of content marketing. 
• Closing keynote on Creating Strategic Impact - Making Great Ideas Reality by Mike Brown, Founder of Brainzooming Group. Mike, a former colleague of mine, used his trademark approach of creativity and humor to persuade the audience to embrace creativity within their own organizations, and how to make a meaningful impact on business strategy at all levels of an organization.

The biggest conference highlight for me, however, was when PartnerShip was presented with an Award of Excellence in the TMSA Compass Awards program. PartnerShip received its award in the prestigious —Integrated Campaign' category for our integrated brand-building efforts that past couple years, and we joined a short list of 33 other transportation companies that were recognized with awards of merit or excellence in this year's contest.

The Compass Awards program represents the hallmark of achievement offering TMSA members the opportunity to showcase their work, receive recognition, and benchmark work against others. All entries are evaluated by a judging team of industry peers, and then audited by the TMSA using a points-based scaling system. Fifty percent of the total score is based on the —Work Blueprint,' and the other fifty percent is based on the —Work Sample.'

As part of the awards program, each winning company was asked to submit a 1-2 minute video highlighting the entry and the team that worked on the project. Here is the video that we produced and submitted on behalf of PartnerShip:

Along with the Award of Excellence, TMSA provided the following comments that came from the judges who reviewed the PartnerShip entry: "Very well written. Really liked how your results and metrics matched up with your goals and objectives and that these numbers were included in that section. We really thought the timeline you provided was great as it helped keep track of all the moving elements. We also enjoyed the tie in with the internal aspect of re-launching a brand and that is to get employees on the same page."

On a personal and professional level, it is so cool to have PartnerShip recognized among some of the most well-respected transportation companies in the world (some of which are important partners with us), including FedEx, Pilot Freight Services, Pitt Ohio, C.H. Robinson, and many others. To view the PartnerShip winning award submission and to learn more about the TMSA Compass Awards, visit www.tmsatoday.org/recognition/compass-awards.

Soles4Souls and PartnerShip Announce a New Alliance!

03/25/2014 — Matt Nagel

PartnerShip employees recently lended a hand to Soles4Souls to help provide shoes to Boston's less privileged. Now, PartnerShip and Soles4Souls have entered into a new type of alliance - PartnerShip will be the endorsed Soles4Souls shipping provider and will coordinate the shipping from the donor drives to the nearest warehouse location. PartnerShip will also help Soles4Souls manage their transportation between warehouse facilities and shipments to shoe distributions in the U.S. 

Soles4Souls, Inc. is a nonprofit social enterprise that advances the fight against global poverty by monetizing used shoes and clothing to create sustainable jobs and fund direct relief efforts around the world. The organization collects new and used shoes and clothes from individuals, schools, faith based institutions, civic organizations and corporate partners, then distributes shoes and clothes both via direct donations to people in need and through qualified micro-enterprise programs designed to create jobs in poor and disadvantaged communities.

Soles4Souls collects approximately 2,000,000 shoes each year through 5,000 to 7,000 donor drives taking place in any given year. A single donation drive may generate fifty pairs of shoes to three thousand pairs or more. The donors that sponsor the shoe drives are then responsible for paying freight cost to ship the shoes to the nearest of approximately 17 warehouse/distribution points around the country. Once the shoes reach one of the warehouse locations, the shoes are graded into A, B and C grades. They are then inventoried and eventually shipped to their micro-enterprise providers who pay for the freight (typically 53' containers).

PartnerShip is excited and honored to be a small part in such a worthy cause and look forward to providing shipping solutions for Soles4Souls donors — the lifeblood of this important organization.

If you would like more information or would like to donate today, visit Soles4Souls.org. You can also visit the official Soles4Souls shipping page to set up a donation shipment at PartnerShip.com/Soles4Souls.

A 25th Anniversary Message from PartnerShip

03/19/2014 — Scott Frederick

In case you missed it, we recently uploaded a new video to the PartnerShip YouTube Channel. The video, which is narrated by John Finucane, president and COO of PartnerShip, contains a few comments regarding the PartnerShip 25th Anniversary, our history, and a thank you message from all of our employees. If you haven't seen the video yet, we invite you to watch it here below.

The video also appears a couple of special web pages we have created specifically for our customers. One web page is for our college store customers, since they helped us get our start in the freight management business 25 years ago. The second web page is for our non-college store customers that span pretty much every other industry imaginable. Both web pages contain a copy of the video message above, and each has an entry form for customers to enter for a chance to win a small "PartnerShip Prize Pack" over a 25-week period of time. You can view the web pages and enter the weekly raffle below.

• The PartnerShip 25th Anniversary Web Page for College Stores
• The PartnerShip 25th Anniversary Web Page for All Customers

The main theme with both of the web pages above is that all of the employees here at PartnerShip are thankful for our customers, their business and their continued loyalty. We have fun doing what we do, and we hope it shows by the extraordinary service our customers receive when working with PartnerShip.

CAMEX 2014 - Thanks for the Memories!

03/12/2014 — Scott Frederick

PartnerShip® is a leading shipping solutions provider to small businesses across North America and - as the only endorsed NACS and CAMEX shipping provider - the college industry remains an important customer segment for us. That is why we annually have a large presence at CAMEX - the collegiate retailing industry's meeting place for the past 80 years.

CAMEX 2014 was especially important to PartnerShip as we celebrate our 25th Anniversary this year. Once again, we sponsored opening night on Friday, hosted a special customer appreciation party on Saturday night, and used a coffee bar style booth to serve up coffee and cookies on the trade show floor Sunday through Tuesday.

Here are a few video and picture highlights from this year's event.

CAMEX is a great way for PartnerShip to say THANK YOU to our many college industry customers for their business and loyalty over the past 25 years! The following video/slide show contains pictures submitted by numerous college stores that either attended our 25th Anniversary Customer Appreciation Party at CAMEX 2014, or those that visited our 25th Anniversary College Store Appreciation website at www.PartnerShip.com/25years

PartnerShip also has shipping programs and services for non-college industry small businesses, retailers and suppliers. With over 17,000 active customers across North America, our customer base has become very large and diverse. We ship everything from shoes to auto parts, and everything in between. So, if you're one of our many non-college industry customers, we want to say THANK YOU for your business as well. In fact, if you visit www.PartnerShip.com/25th, you can watch our short thank you video and sign-up for some fun prizes we'll be raffling off throughout the year.

By Scott Frederick

PartnerShip Employee Goes to Olympics

01/24/2014 — Scott Frederick

PartnerShip LLC senior account representative Mike McLaughlin is looking forward to watching ice hockey games at the Olympics in Russia. But he won't be watching from his office in Westlake, OH; he will be in Sochi in person. Watch the FOX 8 Cleveland news segment for more details - or click here to read the article online.

A PartnerShip Christmas Story

12/19/2013 — Scott Frederick

Continuing our annual tradition, the employees of PartnerShip have once again created a short and fun holiday video in appreciation for our customers and our carrier partners. This year's video pays homage to the holiday classic, A Christmas Story, which was originally filmed in our hometown of Cleveland, OH (in fact, the house in our video is the same house from the movie).

You can watch the video below or you can view it directly on the PartnerShip YouTube Channel. Either way, we hope you enjoy it!

The PartnerShip team wishes you all the very best during this holiday season, as well as a prosperous and successful new year!

Tradeshow Shipping - Exhibitor Testimonials

07/12/2013 — Scott Frederick

The PartnerShip exhibit transportation team continues to accumulate many accolades and testimonials for our tradeshow shipping services. Common points of feedback tend to include:

• 'Your team is there supporting me from A-Z, start-to-finish for every show.'
• 'You help take the burden off the exhibitor of finding the right carriers and completing the right paperwork.'
• 'You've got great people working on your team, and I know they are always just a quick phone call or email away.'
• "PartnerShip makes every trade show go smoothly - we have never been dissapointed."
• 'In the rare cases where I have a problem or delay, your team is very responsive in resolving the issues.'
• 'The proactive communications and tracking information your team provides me goes above and beyond my expectations.'
• 'You guys are awesome, thanks!'

We love happy customers, and we love it when our customers share their experience with us (both good and bad), which is why we ask every exhibitor for their candid feedback after each tradeshow shipment we handle. In fact, we've recently started taking a camcorder with us to some of the bigger shows that we support in order to capture live feedback from a few of the exhibitors we serve. Here are three recent shows and testimonials captured on film by one of our very own senior tradeshow representatives, Bryan Chambers  - who we now affectionately refer to as "Bryan Seacrest" (the first video also includes an introductory interview conducted by Harry Centa, senior program manager for PartnerShip).

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We typically share our tradeshow videos and stories on The Tradeshow Stories Blog - and we also encourage our exhibitors to share their stories using a simple, online form. So if you're an exhibitor looking to work with one of the best, most experienced, tradeshow shipping providers in the industry, I encourage you to check out these resources and then give us a call for a free, no-obligation quote on your next exhibit shipment. 

Scott G Frederick

Minute To Win It - Employee Team Building Activity

03/13/2013 — Scott Frederick

Last week Thursday the PartnerShip employees at our Cleveland/Westlake, Ohio office participated in a fun, team-building activity. The event was organized by Brad Alflen, director of sales and customer service for PartnerShip. As part of the event, eight four-person teams competed in six "Minute To Win It" challenges. Each team was awarded one point for every team member that successfully completed a challenge. In the end, two teams tied with 10 points each and had to square off in a sudden-death elimination challenge.

Congratulations to Bryan, Laura, Lauren and Lexi for being the winning team in the competition!