With more than one billion people using social networks today, social media is forging a new era in business opportunity and engagement, creating two-way communication that enables customer feedback and response in real-time.
Although the use of social media is fairly new to the third-party logistics (3PL) arena, companies are starting to take notice and incorporate a variety of platforms into their processes. This creates a great opportunity for 3PL firms to establish, foster and enhance relationships on every level. When considering a partnership with a 3PL for your business, just as you would with a job interview, checking on their social media presence and practices can tell you a lot.
Why Social Media?
Social media has now become a significant part of the industry, with companies using social networks to market products, recruit new talent, advance sales and improve customer service. It is simply another form of marketing — a tool that should be used as an extension of your plan to support your goals and objectives. Logistics has always been a driver of new technology for operational excellence, and with social engagement, there is an opportunity to drive technology for marketing and communication excellence.
Nebraska Warehouse
Social media has become an integral part of our marketing and communications strategy and key to expanding our brand awareness and thought leadership in the logistics and transportation space. Central to that strategy is creating original content for the company’s Logistically Speaking blog and sharing via Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. By distributing this content across our social channels to foster sharing, conversation and engagement, we’ve continued to gain influence with our targeted audiences.
While there are many factors to consider when selecting a valuable 3PL partner, social media can answer many of those questions. It is becoming a more important element as technology continues to grow and impact every aspect of the supply chain.