Logistics are essential for structuring a business, even if you’re not running your own fleet of trucks or vans and are nowhere near to doing that. For instance, knowing the timings of when you can expect deliveries, or how services will be rendered to you counts as logistical planning, and in retrospect, even structuring a workday with its associated schedule could be considered in this light.

For a more direct use of the term however, it’s important to consider logistics as the means by which you can deliver your inventory, transport it around, and ultimately grant this to your customers. For instance, delivering your food product to a supermarket on time and at the correct temperature requires sensitive logistics, and for that reason, they must be carefully planned to make this approach work properly.

But what are the basics of business logistics, and how should small firms hope to expand in this way consider the fundamentals going forward? These are worthwhile questions to ask, as great implementation will have long-term fortuitous consequences for your brand. With that in mind, let’s get started:

Reliable Services

Reliable services will have to be used if you’re a small business, because the upfront cost and maintenance costs of developing a logistical chain are too high for you to develop your own framework. This means that making sure you opt for reliable less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping when necessary, making sure said service is able to conform to sensitive standards, and that you can calculate the cost of your shipped freight is all important. Talk to your service, and shop around for the best deal. Odds are you’ll find a competitively priced option, but remember to select value and inventory care over price as a measure of competence.

Surgical Schedules

It’s very important to consider your logistical schedule from a surgical perspective, that is, you know when freight will be shipped, when it will be picked up, the time window in which it will arrive, and the timings of your unpacking, storing and preparing of your inventory. When all this can be accounted for, you can make sure you predict your timings and design your schedule more appropriately. In this way, it can be relied upon like clockwork, ensuring that proper procedure is followed, and that mistakes, overbookings, and lost items are reduced.

Sensitive Conditions

Of course, transporting your goods from one place to the other is a necessity, but doing so in a safe, practical and measured manner is also important for a range of businesses. This means working closely with your logistical support is essential, including laying out your needs to the letter. This might involve not allowing items to be stored overnight, refrigeration necessities, or ensuring that items are covered and boxed to prevent against potential damage from sunlight. Hygiene may also be an essential consideration, and so your logistical supplier must understand why you’ve packed in a certain manner.  When you pay attention to conditions and not only timing or reliability, you complete the trifecta of requirements you need to meet.

With this advice, we hope you can understand and apply the basics of business logistical work.