Today, more and more health systems are moving from self-distribution to third party medical supply distribution companies to manage their logistics. With the rapidly changing nature of healthcare, knowing how to evaluate a potential courier to meet your company’s medical courier needs is an important step in running an efficient operation that allows you to focus on providing quality care.
Many trends in logistics are impacting the healthcare supply chain and healthcare transportation. From the Internet of Things and drone technology to decentralization of supplies and increased supply chain visibility, the healthcare industry is following—as well as leading—some of the most common logistics trends seen across the supply chain.
Customer satisfaction is key for companies seeking a competitive advantage. Reliable product delivery in the supply chain is a main factor in maintaining customer satisfaction, and logistics is an integral cog in the supply chain wheel.
The 2016 20th Annual Third Party Logistics Study shows 3PLs and their customers are becoming more proficient at what they do, individually as well as together, which is improving the quality of their relationships. Seventy percent of those who use logistics services (shippers) and 85% of 3PL providers said that outsourcing logistics to a 3PL has contributed to overall cost reductions, while, 83% of shippers and 94% of 3PL providers said using a 3PL contributes to improved customer service.
New regulations approved under the largest overhaul of the nation’s food safety practices in decades are now being instituted. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) gives comprehensive new regulatory and enforcement powers to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and applies to food manufacturing facilities, food labeling, inspection of imports, shipping and virtually every link in the food supply chain, including shippers and food and beverage transportation specialists.
The law, which was approved with bipartisan support by Congress in 2010, aims at enlisting a preventative approach to food control to address biotechnology and nutrition labels and protect consumers from unsafe imported food and foodborne illness.
This article appeared on the Courier Magazine blog in October 2016.
Courier Magazine: Could you give me some background on your company? Fill me in on how your company has survived/thrived over the years, along with its history.
SB: Quick Courier Services, d.b.a. QCS Logistics, corporately headquartered in New Orleans, La., is a multi-service transportation logistics firm. Established in 1984 by founder Ronald V. Burns, Sr., we recently celebrated our 30th anniversary in business last year. We provide expedited and routed delivery service to a diverse clientele across many industries throughout southeastern Louisiana and the Gulf Coast region. QCS maintains service on a twenty-four hour basis, seven days a week, including holidays. Our drivers are uniformed, drug-tested, and trained.
In this competitive industry, we are fortunate to have loyal customers who have stayed with us because we focused on quality service at affordable prices. Many are still with us today.
The supply chain environment is continually evolving, so logistics roles must be flexible. To stay at optimal performance, companies must continually analyze and fine-tune their logistics operations. More and more, these businesses are outsourcing some portion of their logistics to an outside transportation service company, or third-party logistics provider (3PL).
Logistics management plays a significant role in the success of any company’s operations and has a direct impact on the bottom line. More importantly, logistics processes play a big part in customer satisfaction.
Third-party logistics providers and users of their services—shippers—continue to move toward meaningful partnerships as 3PL services become more mature, according to the 2017 21st Annual Third-Party Logistics Study.
The study showed continued improvement in the strategic nature of relationships between shippers and third-party logistics providers, which continue to move away from primarily transactional. As a result, 91 percent of 3PL users and 97 percent of 3PL providers report their relationships are successful and yield positive results, and 86 percent of 3PL users say 3PLs have contributed to improved customer service.
Third-party logistics providers are part of most businesses’ supply chains. 3PL service allows you to outsource operational logistics from warehousing all the way through to delivery and ultimately enables you to focus on other parts of your business.
While some organizations have the human capital, industry depth and expertise, and IT infrastructure to manage their transportation in house, the majority do not. Today, more than 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies outsource some aspect of their logistics.
Successful transportation and logistics companies today use robust technology platforms that automate several manual processes and integrate logistics, delivery, tracking, and reporting functions. The latest logistics management software provides transparency and accountability with comprehensive tools, including intelligent dispatching capabilities, user-friendly online order entry platforms, and fully visible package tracking technology. Automated route optimization and GPS tracking modules provide delivery companies route efficiency while barcode scanning and signature capture offer real-time delivery tracking and proof of delivery.
There are so many delivery options available to businesses and individuals today. In the rush of everyday life, often people don’t put much thought into how they want to deliver or receive a package but just choose the first name that comes to mind. For deliveries in your area, choosing a local courier service is often the most efficient and economical route, and unlike big-name carriers that increase their rates 3-4% per year every year, we focus on quality service at affordable prices. From flexibility to technology to integrated transportation services, we have highlighted 10 reasons why choosing a local courier service like QCS rather than a standard delivery company or big-name carrier is often the smarter choice.
