1、 外文翻译 原文 How to Choose an Effective Third Party Logistics Provider Material Source:Management Research News Author: Seyed Abstract The purpose of this article was to identify the steps that need to be taken when choosing an effective third party logistics provider. Based on the research completed, i
2、t was determined that third party logistics are beneficial to many companies. The use of third party logistics provides a competitive advantage in todays business world. The optimal solution for a company choosing a third party logistic provider would be a five-step process. Introduction The intenti
3、on of the research is to identify the most effective ways of choosing a third party logistics (TPL) provider. Logistics management consists of three core functions: transportation management, inventory management, and value added services. Third party logistics is defined as when a third party is br
4、ought in to help manage these functions. A TPL provider is an independent economic entity that creates value for its client. A trucking company, a warehouse operator, and a contract manufacturer can all be considered third parties. The TPL industry is constantly changing, although its existence is n
5、othing new. The range of value propositions they offer today has changed dramatically in recent years. Global industry consolidation, technology integration, industry specialisation, and industry alliance networks have driven this change. TPL integrates expertise in transportation management, invent
6、ory management, and value added services. State of the art technology is a part of each of these functions. TPL create reliable distribution channels and thorough controls. TPL are highly efficient, and tap into highly specialised capabilities and functions that increase value for any company. TPL p
7、rovide warehouse management, consolidate shipments, select carriers, provide logistics information systems and provide fleet management and operations. TPL also negotiate rates, manage product returns, help with product assembly and installation and provide order fulfilment, as well as replenish inv
8、entory. TPL have a significant impact on not only the past and present but also the future. TPL provide a wide range of benefits depending on the needs of the company. The advantages include lower costs, improved expertise, market knowledge, and data access. TPL also improves operational efficiency,
9、 customer service, provides an ability to focus on core business objectives, and provides greater flexibility. Today, more than ever it is essential for a company to create a competitive advantage either locally or globally. A successful third party arrangement consists of good communication, a comm
10、itment from both parties to succeed, a reward structure for the third party and a corporate chemistry. Corporate chemistry refers to two parties sharing common business beliefs and practices. Productive TPL requires good relationships between a company and its TPL providers. This relationship requir
11、es ongoing maintenance. A company can expect cost savings, productivity improvements, hassle free operation, and measurable service improvements when they find the right TPL provider that works. Communication is the key component in any third party logistics relationship. When looking for a TPL prov
12、ider, companies should be up-front with their expectations. Companies should research a TPL providers ability to accomplish what the company wants. The requirements of the TPL providers from the company also need to be discussed. The focus of this article is on how to choose an effective TPL provide
13、r. TPL can be implemented and useful in nearly every industry, whether it is retail, service, manufacturing, etc. It is also possible for a company to use more than one TPL provider. TPL differs from industry to industry. Therefore, each industry has to look at its specific needs when choosing a TPL
14、 provider. The focus of the present article is on identifying the steps involved in choosing a good TPL provider, and these steps will be mostly related to the retail and service industries. Every industry has its own unique needs and so it is important that the TPL provider is right for the particu
15、lar company. This research shows that TPL can be very effective if the proper tools are used in implementing one. Background Logistics is the process of strategically managing movement and storage of material or products and related information from any point in the manufacturing process through con
16、sumer fulfilment. Many articles and abstracts focus on how TPL are being used more often. TPL has become a more popular technique for managing transportation, warehouse and inventory management. TPL are often seen as providers of the integrated supply chain, which uses many value-added services to w
17、ork with the customer. The market for TPL services is growing by 18 to 22 per cent a year. TPL originally began as public warehousing during the 1970s. Managers of warehouses began selling space to businesses in the area that had run out of space or were in need of additional space during the busy s
18、easons. During the 1980s TPL expanded into selling not only space but also offering throughput to physical distribution managers who wanted to improve customer service with their current customers. By the 1990s TPL saw the consolidation of both warehousing and transportation organisations to offer l
19、ogistics support to logistics vice presidents who saw an opportunity to reduce costs and through value-added services provide higher levels of customer satisfaction via third party logistics (Tompkins 1999). There has also been another direction added to TPL in the 1990s, which is a warehouse manage
20、ment system. Warehouse management systems are often in the form of order entry. Now as we move into the 21st century, we are seeing even more change in the service offering of TPL. Users continue to rely most heavily on third parties for warehousing management (56 per cent), transportation services
21、(49 per cent), and shipment consolidation (43 per cent).Use of TPL for these “traditional” logistics functions has remained relatively stable in recent years, but the use of third parties for a number of manufacturing related functions has generally declined (Gooley 2000). Most TPL facilities have b
22、rought together materials handling equipment and systems to be able to handle many operational goods such as high throughput, picking efficiency, rapid order processing, efficient use of space and efficient processing of value-added services. The goal of TPL providers is to customise operations to s
23、upplement their transport and warehousing services. TPL often uses the customised activities as entry into the distribution channel. By operating warehouses and transportation systems for manufacturers, third party logistics have carved out a position in distribution channel operations (Van Hoek 200
24、0). Customisation may be used to increase turnover in a higher-margin area of the supply chain. By offering supplementary services, TPL can penetrate segments of the supply chain with higher-value added operations, such as final manufacturing, than the commonly offered transport and warehousing base
25、d services. There are many benefits to using TPL They offer expertise and cost advantages to the company. Some of the benefits include reduced need for personnel, reduced transportation and distribution cost, improved customer service, improved cycle time and freed up capital in manufacturers and ma
26、rketers non-core areas. TPL can leverage tremendous freight volumes in contract negotiations with carriers to receive rates lower than what an individual shipper could obtain (Cooke 1998). TPL is also able to put money into warehouses and equipment and spread those costs throughout a group of custom
27、ers. This method can also be used when purchasing supply chain software that is used for distribution operations. Another benefit of outsourcing is that money is not spent on warehouse buildings, equipment like trucks and forklifts, and supply chain software. Many fortune 500 companies have now outs
28、ourced transportation, warehouse, and inventory management, functions that are not part of their core competencies (Burnson 2000). Papa Johns pizza restaurants are one such company that has chosen to outsource using UPS logistics group. UPS logistics manages the routing, scheduling and delivery of p
29、izza ingredients for Papa Johns and its supply subsidiary. However, UPS also provides the services of restocking the shelves, rotating the products and cleaning up afterwards. Papa Johns has been very successful with UPS logistics, they handle over 200,000 bulk deliveries per year. Deliveries are ma
30、de six days a week to PJ Food Service Quality Control Centres where twice weekly deliveries are made to more than 2,000 of the Papa Johns restaurants. Keeping tight on schedule is crucial because there is often only a three to four day supply of fresh ingredients so Papa Johns counts on the twice aw
31、eek deliveries UPS logistics employees have many tasks that are completed for Papa Johns. The drivers, also known as “customer service specialists” or “associates” not only deliver the products but they have an understanding about the products. The associates monitor the temperature of the pizza dou
32、gh as it is being delivered. Each associate has a specific routine that has to be fol lowed. The order must first be filled and the products are rotated for maximumfreshness. After that the associate must clean up any mess, this may go as far as sweeping and mopping the floors. Also as a value added
33、 service and customer service programme UPS logistics conducts frequent surveys with the managers of the restaurants, study the delivery network and provide suggestions for optimisation. By studying the delivery network UPS logistics is able to keep up with the changing volume of business. With UPS
34、logistics continued high level of performance over-seeing supply delivery, they have had great significance on Papa Johns ability to provide a very high quality experience to their customers. With all of the hard work that UPS logistics has done, Papa Johns named UPS logistics Group as Quality Suppl
35、y Partner of the Year for 2000. Five-Step Process There are many different TPL that market different services, from grocery store chains to clothing manufacturers. To help in determining what third party logistics to choose here is a five-step process. Step 1 - Making the Decision First, the company
36、 needs to decide if they need a TPL. Ateam of individuals representing all departments within a company should make the decision. This means manufacturing, sales, marketing, finance, quality control and customer. Step 2 - Developing Criteria and Objectives Next, the company needs to come up with the
37、 objectives it is trying to achieve and the criteria that the company believes the provider should meet. This can be done by discussing them with all of the different departments involved in the decision making process. In addition, the company should make a “Top 10 List” of TPL that most closely fi
38、t the company. Step 3 - The Weeding out Process After the company has made a list of possible TPL companys, letters of interest should be sent to each one. The letter should include: that the company is exploring a possible relationship with them, information about the company and the specifics of t
39、he logistics needs, and ask the TPL companies for a company profile and its capabilities. The TPL companies should respond within a month. If there is no response within a month, the company should follow up with a phone call. Based on the response the company should be able to narrow the list down
40、to a “Top 2 List” or “Top 3 List”. The company should prepare a request for proposal (RFP) to be sent to the “Top 2 List” or “Top 3 List”. The RFP is the most time-consuming of all the steps. Some companies hire consulting firms to assist them in completing the RFP. However, most companies complete
41、the process themselves. The RFP should include: a company profile, an organisational chart, customer information transportation requirements, project description, square footage, product flow, transactional information, and computer systems information. Other things that may be included are: company
42、 goals, priorities, order lead time, number of SKUs, handling specifications, peak shipping periods, and any information that will familiarise the third party logistics with the company. Step 4 - Determining Your Top Prospect Next, the company needs to meet the potential TPL companies. First, the co
43、mpany sets up appointments to meet management to do “walk-throughs” of their facilities, and learn all about the TPL. Members of the decisionmaking team should go together to the “site-vists”. Some questions that should be asked are: What are their customer service policies? Is the staff friendly? A
44、re they organised? Is the facility in good condition? To help make the relationship with the TPL successful here are several key areas: The TPL has similar value/objectives as the company The TPL has information technology systems that are up-to-date The TPL key management is trustworthy/not difficu
45、lt to work with The company and the TPL have a mutual respect for one another Both have a shared willingness to make the relationship work After considering everything, the decision-making team should know enough about the TPL to decide which one is the best for the company. Then, notify all the TPL
46、 that participated in the selection process and thank them. It is important that to leave with a positive perception of the company because the company may need the TPL in the future. Step 5 - Beginning the New Partnership The company begins a new partnership with the “Chosen TPL” just as in the sel
47、ection process. Collect details, ask questions, and feel them out to ensure that both companies are on the same level. Communicate on a regular basis, which includes internal, external, and customer communication. TPL Example Redwood Systems is a dynamic TPL provider and a fast-growing leader in the
48、 emerging field of logistics management. It was incorporated in 1997. Redwood Systems is a full-service contract logistics company with 11 locations in North America. Redwood Systems “manages goods while at rest or in motion” through integrated supply chain transportation and inventory management bu
49、siness processes. They are a single-source logistics solution, which means they are one-stop solution for all your logistics requirements. Redwood Systems specialises in transportation services; technology-based solutions; analytical modelling and planning; contract warehousing, inventory management and transportation; business process re-engineering and global multi-modal logistics. Their core competencies and areas of expertise are the centre of our Logistics capabilities: Transportation Management Inventory Management Value-added Services According to Redwood
