Breaking into the shipping world frequently means learning on the fly. Freight demands are constantly evolving, and those starting in the field often have to dive headfirst into sourcing, packaging, fulfillment, distribution, and transportation.
That is exactly what happened to Adam Bartell when he joined Intelligent Blends as the operations manager six years ago. He has been learning ever since, so we asked him to tell us more about his experience.
Q: What do you wish you’d known before you started shipping?
I wish I’d had a better handle on all the industry-specific vocabulary. Transportation and warehousing are packed with acronyms, and it takes time to learn them. Working with a transportation management system (TMS) helps because you see common acronyms daily and start understanding what they mean.
There is also a surprising amount of inconsistency in how people refer to products, such as units, cartons, or pieces. Internally we’ve standardized our language, but, when working with partners, we always double-check to avoid miscommunications.
Another practical lesson I’ve learned is to take care of reconciliations as soon as freight arrives or is invoiced. Anything you put on a truck has the potential for issues, such as damage or a shortage. You want to get those dollars back as quickly as possible.
Q: How do you balance out when to use full truckload (FTL) and less-than-truckload (LTL)?
When I first started out, LTL was the obvious choice. As our volumes increased, we started to run into issues with reliability and speed. I realized that our shipping strategy wasn’t keeping up with demand, and we needed to rethink how we were moving freight. I started researching FTL and felt like the control and predictability it provides would be important as we scaled.
The steepest learning curve for me was understanding the cost structure. At first, FTL looks a lot more expensive, but I realized that consolidating loads actually can be more cost-effective. And operationally, it’s easier for my team to prep one big shipment than to juggle 15 smaller LTL ones.
Q: What have you discovered about cross-collaboration?
At first, I had very little knowledge about how operations teams work on a day-to-day basis. Being hands on and spending time on the floor has given me a much better understanding of the warehouse team’s day-to-day challenges and needs.
So, my advice to others would be to be willing to get involved and ask questions. Having deeper knowledge of what is happening in other departments can help prioritize investments and find new ways to increase efficiency.
Q: Is there a lesson that you learned the hard way?
One of the toughest lessons we learned was the true cost of out-of-stocks. They can add up to millions of dollars, especially during peak season. Our business is highly seasonal, with demand surging between August and the end of the year.
We’ve gotten better at forecasting seasonal peaks, but we’ve also learned that it’s safer to carry extra inventory rather than risk running out, particularly with seasonal items. For example, our holiday variety pack goes from about a few hundred units a month to many thousands in November and December. That kind of year-over-year growth can be unpredictable, so we’ve built in buffers and set up pallet-level replenishment to stay ahead.
Q: Any closing advice for new entrants into the industry?
If you’re just getting started in logistics, the best thing you can do is learn as much as possible and immerse yourself in the world. There are many different news sources out there. FreightWaves keeps me in tune with industry trends and helps build a foundational knowledge so I’d start there!
Tap into the Amazon Freight network
If you’d like to access Amazon Freight’s advanced technology and a network of 70,000+ Amazon trailers, create an account and begin quoting loads immediately.
