Here’s Why Your Small Business Needs a Shipping Solution
Managing a small business is not a walk in the park—but with the right shipping solution by your side, it can be a whole lot easier. And before this comes off as a sales pitch, hear us out.
As a small business owner, you juggle a lot of moving parts. You've got to keep up with production, sales, marketing, and technology just to stay afloat—and that's not even including all of the regulatory and compliance red tape.
With this much happening in the background, how can you hope to scale your business without losing your mind? The answer is simple: You delegate and outsource where you can.
You might have heard from your peers and mentors that if you're looking for ways to take your business to the next level, don't underestimate the power of partnerships and collaboration. A good shipping solution can be a valuable partner to you that helps your business grow and scale in many different ways.
Now, does that sound a little less pushy?
We have many other reasons to expand on why any small business like yours needs a shipping solution. Keep reading to find out.
3 Reasons You Need a Custom Shipping Solution
When you think of shipping solutions, you might think of them as nothing more than a means to an end. But in reality, shipping services can be a valuable asset for small businesses, particularly when it comes to growth and scalability.
A shipping solution allows your business to automate many of the tasks related to outbound shipping, including printing labels, calculating rates, and tracking shipments.
Not only does this save you time and money, but it also allows you to focus on more important things—like growing your business.
1. To Reduce Shipping Costs
When you're first starting out, every penny counts, and if you can find ways to save money on operational costs, it frees up more money that you can reinvest in your business.
Shipping services can help you save money in two ways:
- Giving you access to bulk discounts on shipping.
- Helping you optimize your routes so that your shipments reach your customers faster and without wasting time or fuel.
Both of these factors can have a significant impact on your bottom line.
2. To Build a Customer Base
To scale your small business, you need to build a strong customer base. And one of the best ways to do that is by offering fast and seamless delivery services.
Today’s customers are looking for convenience, and if you can offer them a service that saves them time and effort, they're more likely to do business with you.
Shipping companies can help you reach a wider audience and build a more substantial customer base, driving revenue, scalability, and repeat orders.
3. To Stay Organized & Save Time
When you're trying to run a business and juggle all the moving parts, it's easy to let things fall through the cracks. That's where small business shipping solutions can help. By keeping track of your inventory and managing your logistics, they can take some of the burdens off your shoulders.
When everything runs like clockwork, it frees up your time to focus on other aspects of your business. Dive into R&D, pitch to new investors, or enjoy well-earned time with your team - the choice is yours!
What The Right Shipping Solution Can Offer You
As a small business, you likely need more ad-hoc support instead of an overnight big-volume shipment. Keeping your requirements in mind as you start looking for a shipping service is important.
Here are some insights into what type of offerings and features can streamline your business operations:
Label Printing
A good shipping solution takes away the headache of printing labels manually one by one. A great shipping solution takes care of printing labels and even provides discounts on postage.
Shipping Rates
Tired of manually calculating shipping rates? A shipping service will do it for you based on the weight and dimensions of your shipment. You can even compare rates across different carriers to ensure you're getting the best deal.
Shipment Tracking
A shipping company also keeps tabs on your shipments from start to finish with real-time tracking information. This way, you'll always know where your products are and when they're expected to arrive.
Reverse Logistics
A small business shipping solution also takes care of reverse logistics, which includes processes such as returns and refunds.
Features of the Best Shipping Services
In addition to the offerings that we highlighted above, here's a closer look at what type of partners can be a good fit for your small business:
Pricing Catered to Your Business
As a small business, your priority should be to work with a shipping company that has a flexible or tiered pricing structure instead of volume-based pricing. The volume-based structure is only suited for large companies that process thousands of orders in a day. Small businesses need partners that can start small and help each other grow as they scale.
Works as a Partner, Not a Vendor
Businesses that work well with small businesses keep a human-first approach and their business models rely on building long-term partnerships with small companies. Through initial conversations, always gauge if the company wants to work as a partner or vendor. Consider how they cater to your needs or whether you’re expected to fit into their business model.
Timely Customer Support
Small businesses need more ad-hoc and more personalized support than big companies. Customers who shop from small businesses expect that level of hands-on love and support. When looking for a partner, keep hands-on and humanized customer support a priority. Do they respond quickly when you have an inquiry or are you left in a queue for hours?
Sustainable Operations
Profit with purpose is what the world needs and what every business should strive for. When looking for a partner to work with, carefully seek out shipping services that put sustainability at the core of all they do.
Agility & a Desire to Help You Succeed
As a small business, you may need to adapt your business strategy to respond to changing demands - from changing customer needs to new technology and shifts in the competitive landscape.
Look for shipping companies that understand the importance of agility for small businesses. Any partner you work with has to understand and be ready to shift the shipping strategy to respond to changes promptly.
Supercharge Your Small Business with Ziing
At Ziing, we understand small businesses like no other. We echo the mission of customer delivery solutions based on what 'your' business needs instead of what 'we' offer.
We work with your needs and build custom solutions tailored to the way you do business. Our non-traditional logistics services give you new options, capabilities, and insights that help you manage costs and access new markets.
You’ll notice the difference in how we approach the scalability of your business with our custom and sustainable solutions.
Reach out to us, and let's explore how we can supercharge your small business and put it on the path to success.
