Roadmap to Success with ODW Logistics’ Supply Chain Solutions

Roadmap to Success with ODW Logistics’ Supply Chain Solutions

One of the biggest lies, just behind the check is in the mail, is one size fits all.
 
That’s rarely true in clothing, and it’s certainly not the case when you partner with a third-party logistics provider to scale your business.
 
When you’re looking to scale your business, which could mean entering new sales channels (B2B, ECOM, Amazon, etc) or launching new product lines, you need a 3PL partner that offers logistics solutions tailored to your supply chain.
 
It’s like building a new house – you pick out the fundamental floor plan and then design it to your tastes and desires. If you have base-line logistics needs that don’t require customized solutions, that makes life simpler. You use the floor plan as is. But if you do need solutions designed to support the future of your business, you want a true strategic relationship with a 3PL like ODW Logistics. Having access to a team focused on delivering logistics solutions that are tailored to your strategies and objectives, positions your company for growth along with optimized processes that can equate to savings, cost avoidance,  and an elevated customer experience.
 
ODW has a proven process for helping clients scale their business, backed by continuous improvement programs and ongoing communication loops. ODW scaled three locations for one retail client growing their distribution footprint by 2.5 times over four years while designing processes and operations to meet all retail compliance considerations and integrating brand acquisitions. 
 
The proven ODW approach is built on four steps:
1.    Discover: Research, gap assessment and future state alignment
2.    Design: Custom-engineered solution based on the discovery phase
3.    Implement: Smooth transition without operational interruptions.
4.    Improve: Align solutions with evolving business objectives.

If you’re looking for a 3PL partner to set the stage for your company to scale, here’s how it works with ODW Logistics. 

Beginning Your Journey with ODW: Discover

The first step is getting to know each other. ODW prides itself on being a high-touch company.
The ODW team will conduct discovery and research sessions to understand your responses to three critical questions.

First, ODW will want to understand your corporate objectives or where your business is heading. Do you have plans for acquisitions or entering new markets? What are the drivers for your plans? 

Second, what’s the horizon for the next 18-36 months? How can ODW align with your strategic viewpoint?

Third, what are you currently experiencing that’s inhibiting you from meeting your strategy and objectives?

The team invests time into understanding how your business has operated and the unique characteristics that make it successful, your plans for the future, and any current obstacles to achieving those plans.

The goal is to ensure the solutions are designed for where you are today and where you plan to be in the near and long term. The final design is intended to create seamless opportunity for growth, tailored for your business to enhance your strategic outlook and enables agility to be resilient to unexpected situations.

ODW’s fundamental focus is on designing to a solution that is tailored to your needs. The discovery phase is designed to understand your company and your customers’ expectations. The goal is to build a true, strategic relationship where ODW can help you with tailored, specific recommendations.
 
Keep in mind the initial plan is not set in stone. It’s a starting point for the relationship. With a focus on continuous improvement, ODW will adapt your program to suit your needs as your company grows over the long haul.
 

Begin crafting your custom solution: proposal phase

The proposal phase is like designing your condo in a new skyscraper. It’s created for you from the ground up. Like a building, there are foundational elements such as warehousing, transportation, and technology. But how those elements are put together is unique to your situation.
 
As ODW develops a proposal for a client, three questions guide the internal discussions:
1.  Will we be able to help them solve their most significant issues?
2.  Are we able to meet their long-term objectives with a competitive solution that delivers value to their business and supply chain?
 
The proposal is based on the information from the discovery phase. It considers your pre-existing fulfillment network, vendor relations, and customer expectations, with recommendations for improvements.
 
Your business goals drive the proposal. Your goal may be to define what you need from your 3PL and ask for them to bring their expertise and years of experience to solve for these. They should be able to help you figure out the answers to those complex problems. ODW continues to help our clients solve business issues and entry points to new clients. For example, the ODW team has experience meeting routing requirements for large retailers and consolidating shipments for better rates and service.
 

formalizing partnership: contract and standup

As the relationship transitions from a proposal to a contract, the ODW project management team becomes engaged. You will have a single point of contact: a project manager who is backed by the entire organization to ensure the implementation remains in alignment with your objectives and meets your deliverables.
 
All parties agree to a sensible start-up timeline, which varies by complexity. Again, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Technology integrations are critical, as are processes and procedures. There will be a transition period, and rushing things could lead to undesirable outcomes or extended start-up timelines to steady state operations.
 
The launch plan includes critical elements such as safety, quality, inventory control, facility security, solution design, order planning, UAT testing, integration, etc. Each component has an ODW manager, with a corresponding client manager for each assignment.
 
As the go-live date approaches, weekly touchpoints review the progress toward the plan, and conversations arise around hiring, inbound and outbound strategies, and triage for any last-minute changes to the operation.
 

bringing plans to life: implementation phase

At the start date, formalized kick-off sessions gather key stakeholders to build on the foundation of trust and communication to ensure maximum performance. As the project goes live, the ODW operations team, led by the director of operations, takes over the day-to-day operations and customer engagement.
 

sustaining success: client relations

With ODW’s proactive approach, clients can count on regular communications, recommendations, and a forward-looking strategy. We take a “windshield” view to identify and anticipate opportunities and looming challenges. The “rear view” is critical for performance analysis and continuous improvement.
 
The foundation for the client relationship is the quarterly Client Business Review. These sessions ensure that all parties are aligned on understanding your goals and objectives and that ODW is hitting the KPIs to meet those needs. Forward-looking conversations look at opportunities to drive cost savings and efficiency within the operation.

The team leverages continuous improvement programs to ensure success. Every member across the ODW organization is trained in continuous improvement to help identify operational efficiencies to improve your business. That means each ODW employee on your account is ready to hit the ground running to drive cost savings and efficiencies.
 
The continuous improvement program works. Just ask the footwear company that took ODW’s recommendation to change their packaging from a cardboard carton to a polybag, saving over $2 million in packaging expenses.
 
Long-term client High Ridge Brands reduced their total supply chain costs 20% by combining transportation, warehousing and fulfillment to streamline operations and communication for greater efficiency. ODW helped them significantly reduce chargeback fines with big box retailers and improve overall retail compliance.
 

start your personalized plan

For ODW, the ideal scenario is working with a client that is highly engaged in the process. It’s not a transactional model. The goal is to understand if there’s a cultural and operational fit. No one wants to feel like a number. Look for logistics solutions to address current challenges and position your organization for the future. Contact us today or request a quote to see how we can tailor a logistics solution that fits you like a glove.