We used an e-sourcing model for the bid. This allowed us to present one company to the carrier base as opposed to a fragmented approach.

We treat our 3PLs the same way we do our own staff; that has a lot to do with our success.

They don't have operational duties; they are tasked only with supply chain and sourcing process improvement. These folks push, poke, and prod a 'Let's do business a little differently' mentality to the rest of the organization.

We explain our business needs to our partners, and give them the information necessary to make recommendations. They come back with great options.

We need partners with the necessary infrastructure and product knowledge to enable us to react quickly to business demands.

The only thing we knew was the company would change drastically, and we had to be flexible.