Category: Sales Force Distribution

How Do Modern 3PL Providers Reduce Packaging Costs and Streamline Time to Market?


Every corporate logistics manager wants to find a better way to manage their packaging workflows and speed their products to market. After all, time is money!

Located in Dover, NJ, Fulco Fulfillment, Inc. is a full-service 3PL provider that aims to answer both needs, as well as many more.

By providing clients with an integrated solution and one point of contact to manage vendors and cut out middlemen, Fulco Fulfillment, Inc. is able to coordinate the design, assembly, purchasing and delivery of a wide range of packaging materials; in the end saving production and distribution costs that can make a big difference for a client’s bottom line.

Managing packaging work flow every step of the way.

Only the most equipped 3PL providers have the capacity to manage packaging projects and all they entail from start to finish. Fulco Fulfillment, Inc. specializes in helping clients reduce administrative costs and streamline logistics resulting in everything from quicker turnaround to reduced freight costs.

If you’re presently shipping your products out to a packaging provider only to have them sent back to you to store in your warehouse, Fulco Fulfillment, Inc. can help you skip the extra freight costs and speed the cycle time by handling every aspect of your package design, packing, warehousing and distribution needs.

Fulco Fulfillment, Inc.’s custom-designed Order Management System enables clients to assign understock levels to avoid packaging supplies from being depleted. When packaging inventory reaches the replenishment level an alert is triggered and emails are generated. The client and their Fulco Fulfillment, Inc. client representative are notified that packaging is running low and it’s time to reorder, thereby avoiding delays and keeping back orders to a minimum, if not eliminated all together.

FFI’s 3PL services provide many multi-level benefits worth considering:

  • Reduction in product turnaround time and speed cycle time
  • One point of contact when utilizing a single facility for your complete packaging
  • Eliminate middlemen and maintain control of project management
  • Eliminate packaging supply out of stock or backorder situations
  • Reduce administration and freight costs
  • Stunning package design and flawless execution to maximize savings.

Why is a 3PL the right choice for your packaging solutions?

Fulco Fulfillment, Inc. works with experienced package designers who are steeped in packaging guidelines that conform to specifications as set by the client’s industry. Every design is checked carefully throughout the design and production process to make sure they qualify for the lowest freight options and avoid dimensional weight charges. While packaging is a unique part of the company’s comprehensive menu of logistics services, the true advantage is when you combine all of these services under one roof. Working with one single contact affords greater clarity and communication throughout the process thereby mitigating any chance of surprises emerging along the way. This coordination allows shipping deadlines to be met.

From start to finish, Fulco Fulfillment, Inc. keeps clients engaged in the process ensuring that the prototypes produced accurately represent not only what the client’s package will look like but how it covers all the bases from regulatory requirements to freight charges.

Fulco Fulfillment, Inc.’s unique cutting-edge technologies enable a streamlined end-to-end production process guided by one-vendor accountability to meet all of your print and packaging needs, including:

  • Specific pallets to meet your requirements
  • Gift boxes
  • Customized packing tape
  • Glue dots
  • Polybags
  • Kits
  • Belly bands
  • Inserts
  • Labels
  • Test samples
  • Shrink wrap
  • Tubes
  • Cartons and more.

Specialty packaging: Is your 3PL provider fully equipped to do the job?

Throughout the year and particularly leading up to the holidays, brand managers need to plan far in advance to ensure their specialty packaging needs are ready to meet timely delivery. Attempting to fulfill these processes and meet these timelines in-house is out of the question for most retailers and consumer goods manufacturers. That’s why many choose to outsource their gift and promotional packaging to a 3PL provider who can source all of the elements that are needed, assemble them into the final deliverable, and then warehouse and distribute them.

A fully capable 3PL should be able to manage the entire design, production, packing, warehousing and distribution processes preferably all under one roof to eliminate the extra costs associated with transporting materials back and forth. Fulco Fulfillment, Inc. manages every aspect associated with specialty packaging going so far as to include applying secondary packaging such as gift wraps or packing special theme kits to assist in customer retention and to drive sales growth.

There are benefits to choosing a 3PL provider in a centralized location.

The closer a 3PL provider is to several or more transportation hubs the better freight costs can be managed. Fulco Fulfillment, Inc., for example, is located at the veritable crossroads of the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast, virtually sitting alongside I-80 where it intersects with I-287. The company is within driving distance of every important commercial center within the critical radius that spans from Boston to Washington, D.C., and its fulfillment center is just 45 minutes from mid-town Manhattan.

Fulco Fulfillment, Inc.’s convenient location is just one reason why it is the custom warehousing and fulfillment solutions provider for some of the most well-known brands in the world. With expertise gained over 20 years serving multiple industries, Fulco Fulfillment, Inc. is able to fast track your packaging processes in the most creative, cost-effective, and business savvy ways possible. To learn more, call 973.361.1700 or email hello@ffiweb.com.


Third-Party Logistics (3PL): Because Logistics and Supply Chain Management Matters More than Ever


There are many reasons why turning over your company’s logistics and supply chain management to a third-party logistics (3PL) provider makes total sense. Chief among these is that it lets your company do what it does best: make and sell products rather than distributing, warehousing and fulfilling orders. That’s what Fulco Fulfillment, Inc. does better than anyone.

Fulco Fulfillment, Inc. is the 3PL of choice for some of the largest, most widely recognized companies in the world. We support leading industries where fulfillment, warehousing, sales force distribution, kitting and other services are keys to success, including pharmaceuticals and healthcare, ecommerce, manufacturing, education, and many more.

We are a conduit for our customers to large networks of resources enabling them to take advantage of our complete solutions for assembling, packaging, warehousing, distribution and transportation support. Working from a 161,000 sq. ft. fulfillment center in Dover, NJ, Fulco Fulfillment, Inc. provides:

  • Unparalleled supply chain management experience
  • Faster turnaround
  • More cost-efficient assembling, packaging, warehousing and distribution
  • Wide-ranging resources to support every distribution initiative
  • Scalability and flexibility, and more.

An experienced 3PL can make all the difference in your logistics performance.

Are you certain that your internal logistics department has sufficient access to all of the modern resources and relationships that have been cultivated by Fulco Fulfillment, Inc., an organization that specializes in streamlining supply chain management 24/7/365? If not don’t worry, you’re not alone. In fact, we help our clients leverage our expertise and the relationships we’ve built to access volume discounts that can lower overhead costs and enact faster turnaround.

Consider the benefits of outsourcing your logistics to Fulco Fulfillment, Inc.

Better supply chain management, convenience and cost savings are just a few of the initial benefits offered by Fulco Fulfillment, Inc. But there’s much more:

  • Expertise. We have the organizational experience and depth of knowledge that far surpasses your internal fulfillment operations. For over 20 years we have been fine-tuning our logistics and supply chain management services so that you can realize the greatest cost efficiencies.
  • Dedicated service manager. Fulco Fulfillment, Inc. will assign you a dedicated client service manager who can guide you through everything from figuring out the filler material and the box best suited for an order, to packing and dispatching your orders in a timely manner most considerate of your budget.
  • IT systems. Our data management systems are unparalleled, including order management and warehouse management systems that are constantly updated and adapted to match the requirements of your business and its suppliers.
  • Space saving. Free up your warehousing and shipping/receiving space as well as the clutter inherent in these operations for more billable business activities. By moving these services to Fulco Fulfillment, Inc., you’ll save time and money as you grow your business.
  • Save on postal and freight services. We will present you with the best way to save money on postage and shipping charges, such as taking advantage of zone skipping when shipments allow.
  • Crunch times or seasonal slowdowns, we’re ready. Fulco Fulfillment, Inc.’s services are highly scalable, meaning you’re not locked into costs that can stymie flexibility during off-season, holiday, or transitional periods when business ebbs and flows.
  • Focus on what you do best. Our logistics services allow your company to focus on your core business, leaving the fulfillment, inventory management, pick, pack and ship to us.
  • Packaged your way. You don’t need to sacrifice the quality of your branded packaging. Fulco Fulfillment, Inc. ensures the quality of your packaging is maintained always.

Why choose Fulco Fulfillment, Inc. for your 3PL?

The better question might be: why wouldn’t you choose us? For beginners, we have the business volume, references, past performance and technology that are proven to be unsurpassed in the industry. Our problem solving and client communication skills are key attributes that help us deliver for our clients every day.

We understand that every client’s expectations are constantly evolving and we pride ourselves on meeting those expectations head on. As a highly reliable 3PL partner to our clients, we can handle your business volumes no matter how large or small your business is and how much you need stored, packaged, and shipped. Furthermore, we are expert planners and can easily maintain our day-to-day operations no matter whether your product numbers go up or down.

Our references speak for themselves.

Much of our business comes from referrals, which means we must be doing something right! We understand with each referral we receive there is a client on the other end who is putting their reputation on the line, and so we dedicate ourselves to protect that client in everything we do. We strive to be an excellent asset to our customers and to help them build their businesses with every project undertaken.

Do you require a 3PL you can count on? Choose Fulco Fulfillment, Inc.

We invite you to come visit our offices and 161,000 sq. ft. fulfillment center, conveniently located nearby routes 80, 287, 280, 78 and 46 in Dover, NJ. You’ll see for yourself how well-organized, detail-oriented fulfillment services and warehousing can have an immediate impact on your sales and marketing processes. To schedule an appointment, call 973.361.1700.


Why Outsource Your Literature Fulfillment?


Literature fulfillment is a necessary component to any sales and marketing strategy. As pervasive as the web is, many companies still require tangible materials to arrive in good condition in the hands of their sales team, channel partners, customers and key prospects.

For some, keeping an in-house inventory of magazines, various-sized direct mail pieces, postcards, folders, brochures, binders and other assorted marketing materials seems like the best way to manage sales literature distribution. But is it really?

Have you explored outsourcing literature management and distribution?

At Fulco Fulfillment, Inc. we’ve yet to meet a client who wasn’t pleasantly surprised by the significant advantages of moving their literature fulfillment off-site to our warehousing and distribution facility.

We can manage all of the picking and packing and order management more cost efficiently than internal mail departments. Considering the worker hours that are required to run an efficient in-house fulfillment operation, and the floor space that could be utilized for more profitable purposes, outsourcing makes perfect sense for many of the leading B2B and B2C companies in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast.

In addition, our state-of-the-art order management system can save your business time and money with online access, including inventory inquiries, placing orders, managing order approval, checking the shipping status of those orders and running many unique reports as well.

By outsourcing your literature fulfillment to Fulco Fulfillment, Inc. you will not only improve the quality and consistency of support for your sales team in the field or in the home office, you will also:

  • Lower costs overall
  • Speed up distribution
  • Save valuable office space for more revenue generating activities

Fulco Fulfullment Inc. specializes in helping large organizations distribute products and marketing materials faster and at a lower cost.

How does outsourcing literature fulfillment save money for our clients?

For beginners, think of the material costs required to run an in-house mail distribution operation. You have to constantly be on top of ordering more supplies and then storing them; and you’re captive to the whims of the automation and printing equipment that is supposed to streamline your operation. We already have all of this technology in house and we are constantly replenishing our stocks of envelopes, wraps, boxes and other fulfillment materials, in effect spreading the costs out to the benefit of all of our customers.

Furthermore, the Fulco Fulfillment, Inc. team is:

  • Fully informed and up to date on all postage and freight costs, and can recommend the best solutions for all of your literature distribution needs leading to significant costs savings.
  • Highly experienced with real-time inventory control systems and equipped with state-of-the-art barcode scanners, presort software to ensure your list is clean by running it through address correction services, USPS National Change of Address (NCOA), postal presorting and other critical technologies.
  • Solutions oriented in everything we do. We help our clients plan and enact sophisticated marketing campaigns and then support them every step of the way by picking, packing and shipping with no hassles and better results.

If time is money, bank on Fulco Fulfillment, Inc.

How many worker hours does it take for your internal fulfillment team to process and distribute time critical mailings and distributions to your end users? Moreover, how scalable are your personnel resources when demanding time frames and deadlines dictate quick turnarounds?

When you outsource your literature fulfillment to us, you can be certain that we have the worker power on hand to get the job done on time and within budget whether the project calls for regular turnaround or a rush situation. If your answer to an all-hands-on-deck scenario is to move staff from their billable roles to lend a hand with picking, packing and shipping, your business could benefit greatly from working with a partner like Fulco Fulfillment, Inc.

Our experienced fulfillment project managers are the best in the business.

When you transfer your literature fulfillment to us, you can be sure that the people who will be managing your account have the necessary. Our management team has been helping our clients succeed and grow for over 20 years. Your dedicated project manager will become a key part of your team, and will help you navigate the entire process from ordering materials to shipping them out the door.

Visit our 161,000 sq. ft. fulfillment center in NJ.

We invite you to come visit our offices and fulfillment center, conveniently located in Dover, NJ. You’ll see for yourself how well-organized, detail-oriented fulfillment services and warehousing can have an immediate impact on your sales and marketing processes. To schedule an appointment and get a free quote for your literature fulfillment, call 973.361.1700.


Managing Sales Force Logistics Programs


When trying to attract new customers while keeping hold of any current ones, successful businesses provide different sales collateral to both potential customers and sales representatives, this can include but is not limited to brochures, kits, point-of-purchase aids and sample product.

Fulco Fulfillment Inc. is an expert in sales force logistics which is the process of distributing the sales collateral of a company to wherever it may be needed while at the same time adhering to the various company protocols which govern the limitations and approval requirements of these items.

Challenges

You have most likely seen a variety of different sales collateral wherever you go, this can include things such as a the goodie bag given at a dentist’s office, filled with dental products, paint samples at a Home Depot or a brochure seen at the counter in a convenience store, but all sales collateral shares the following things in common.

  • Costly production
  • Control of distribution in order to maintain a balance between keeping costs from getting out of hand while using material properly and efficiently.
  • Detailed feedback is important so that their effectiveness in helping to capture sales can be measured and, based on results, objectives can be set for their future use.
  • Distribution may also be legally regulated like when dealing with pharmaceutical samples and depending on locality those constraints can vary.

Solutions

There are a variety of solutions to overcome many of these challenges and in order to tackle sales force logistics properly then it is valuable to follow some of the following procedures.

Control and limit recipients

This includes simply limiting who receives the collateral by practicing control over shipping addresses. Fulco Fulfillment Inc’s Order Management System allows client to set restrictions so this doesn’t need to be a manual process.

A good example of this is having the capability to restrict shipments to only defined addresses within a sales representative’s address book instead of sending collateral to all the addresses you have available to you.

Using restrictions can limit where and or to whom any sale representative will send the valuable collateral. Restrictions can also be predefined for promising prospects or current clients.

Product Specific Controls

Product Specific controls is what limits collateral item’s availability during ordering using different user or market specific controls.

For example, while browsing a nationwide restaurant chain’s website for store managers, a store manager is able to view, and order only those particular market available for his particular geographic market and not other items available elsewhere. Or, an insurance company’s salesmen are able to order collateral materials unavailable to at-large brokers.

Cost Control

Cost control is limiting the amount of collateral that is available for order for the sake of limiting the all-inclusive costs.

Quantity limitations can be quite difficult to set up especially when things such as distribution channels are not handled uniformly. Setting up quantity limitations do commonly include specifying a limit to how much is distributed and using budget constraints.

Sales representatives are more often than not allocated different budgets for ordering things such as collateral premiums or merchandise, budgets that have limitations that can be understood and can help decide how to best employ others during a sales representative efforts. Cost control will help a sale representative understand that the moment budgets run out either the ordering stops completely or ordering can only continue with approval. Budget limits are assigned in order to control sales collateral expenses.

Flexibility

Having flexibility means that no matter how constraints are defined, a sales force logistics program must have the capacity to anticipate any exceptions that may occur to them.

That is, it must be able to communicate, accept and process, when deemed necessary, ad-hoc requests for collateral that exceed established limitations. As an example of when such flexibility is important: a salesman has exhausted his collateral “budget,” but has prospect who wants a sample product. The Sales Forces Logistics program must be able to (via email) inform his manager of this in a timely way and enable the manager to override existing constraints and authorize the collateral to be released and shipped promptly to the salesman/prospect.

Self-Direction

To have a sales forces logistics program with self-direction it should allow sales representatives to review along with manage their own allocated collateral accounts.

Throughout self-direction a sale representative can handle collateral distributions and their associated costs directly and when necessary permit them to either petition for authorization to go past the budget or pay any excessive expenses all on their own (usually by billing a credit card).

Order Limitations

Sales Forces Logistics programs should have order limitations, for the sake of the fulfillment provider, of the number of collateral orders that is shipped to destinations within a desired time period, for example a quarterly time period.

Putting down limits helps control and keep down any costs during the distribution of sales collateral by preventing any rogue sale reps who may order excessive quantities of material for any “personal reasons”.

Approval Management

During approval management requests such a exceeding an allotted budget must receive more than one approval.

Sales force logistics programs should be capable of notifying sales representative that multiple approvals are required in order for his request to be fulfilled. Following that authorizers must be alerted for permission to go over the budget and lastly enabling the sales representative to keep track of the status and overall outcome of the specified collateral order.

Brand managers may need to approve any product that is overseen by them and collateral orders may require the approval as well as the partial approval of several different brand managers. Sales force logistics teams must be capable of handling these types of requests and thankfully Fulco Fulfillment Inc. is capable and experienced to handle all of this.