174 | What are 3PLs or Fulfillment Centers with Allen Befort, Givington's
Fulfillment has been a hot topic in our Proof to Product communities lately so I wanted to bring on a special guest to chat about how fulfillment works from the 3PL side of things.
I was joined by Allen Befort of Givington’s, a fulfillment company that pays attention to the small details so you can focus on the bigger picture of your business. Allen jokes that he kind of fell into starting this business with a friend. Seven years later they’ve seen great success and pride themselves on the relationships they’ve built with their customers and the genuine, personalized experience that they can create with their partners.
Allen and I covered a lot of ground in this episode and it's rich with information for anyone who may be considering outsourcing their warehousing and fulfillment process. We went over the logistics of working with a 3PL including how to know if you’re ready, technology integrations they have, questions to ask when interviewing fulfillment centers and common pricing models. We also talk about why it’s critical to build trust and relationships when outsourcing fulfillment.
ON TODAY’S EPISODE:
What a third party logistics company or fulfillment center does
How Allen got into this business
The types of companies they usually work with
Key indicators that you might want to outsource this part of your business
How most of his clients have come to him
What you can do to best prepare for outsourcing fulfillment
How having barcodes helps to reduce human error
How pricing works for fulfillment centers
The best platforms for automating the fulfillment process
Using 3PLs for marketplace selling
Questions you should ask when considering outsourcing
Misconceptions that people have when it comes with working for 3PLs
How his company works with customers who have bulk, once a month shipments
What’s coming next for his business
Download These Quotables to Save and Share
KEY TAKE AWAYS
“You have to have fulfillment, but it may not be the thing you want to be an expert at.” - Allen Befort
“We kind of fell backward into it. We didn't mean to start this, but here we are seven years later.” - Allen Befort
“There's a place where it's not cost-effective. You are trying to get this thing started, every dollar matters.” - Allen Befort
“To give up that control can be challenging for many.” - Katie Hunt
“ You want to understand your monthly overhead costs against your variable costs because somebody may be taking advantage of you over here if you're not moving enough volume.” - Allen Befort
“Everyone's needs are going to be slightly different.” - Katie Hunt
“We need you to sell so that we win.” - Allen Befort
“We want a strong partnership so we're all working together toward the same goal.” - Allen Befort
RESOURCES:
MEET ALLEN:
Married to Meg, with two cute blonde-haired kids and a third on the way. We live in Fayetteville, AR, an amazing town with a great community of friends. We kind of fell backwards into helping start and build Givington's in 2013 when one of our best friends was launching it and asked if we wanted to come along for the ride. 7 years later...we're still here. Personally, I have a deep love for Chipotle and Tottenham Hotspur soccer.
CONNECT WITH ALLEN
Webite: givingtons.com | Instagram: @givingtons | Facebook: @givingtons
Connect with Katie Hunt
Katie Hunt is a business strategist, podcaster, mentor and mama to four. She helps product based businesses build profitable, sustainable companies through her conferences, courses and coaching programs.
Website: prooftoproduct.com | Instagram: @prooftoproduct
you might also like:
