As a natural extension of its third-party logistics market research work, Armstrong & Associates Inc. (A&A) has launched 3PLAdvisor.com to provide 3PL customers with a platform for sharing customer relationship experiences about their third-party logistics providers. In-turn, 3PLs can receive valuable feedback from customers at no cost. Customers can anonymously rate their current 3PLs and send request for information forms to 3PLs they may be interested in working with.

"We've developed a straightforward website where 3PL customers can easily provide feedback on their 3PL relationships and where 3PLs can see how well they are meeting customer needs," says A&A President Evan Armstrong. "This type of no-cost information sharing forum is one of the greatest benefits from internet business social networking, and customers' shared experiences have considerable value as firms evaluate 3PL providers as part of their strategic outsourcing decisions. Unlike customer satisfaction surveys, 3PL Advisor takes an ongoing approach versus a one-time snapshot." Armstrong added, "To ensure a high level of quality, A&A reviews each 3PL customer review and 3PL profile submission prior to it being displayed on 3PLAdvisor.com. While customers can anonymously post reviews of their 3PLs, we strictly prohibit 3PLs from evaluating other 3PLs and strive to ensure that the site contains the most accurate 3PL profile information possible."

As customer reviews are submitted, 3PLAdvisor.com automatically generates over 100 top ranked 3PL lists including:

• Top Rated Global 3PLs
• Top Rated North America 3PLs
• Top Rated China 3PLs
• Top Rated Europe Ground/Road 3PLs
• Top Rated Brazil Warehousing/Contract Logistics 3PLs
• Top Rated India Air/Ocean 3PLs

As of its launch, 3PLAdvisor.com contains the following profile information on more than 280 3PLs:

• Company Name
• Basic Services Provided
• Headquarters Location
• Company Website
• Contact Email Address
• Overall Capability
• Year Started in Logistics
• Founding Business / Business Roots
• Base of Operations
• Market Area
• Parent Corporation, Subsidiary / Related Companies
• CEO
• Total Logistics Revenue ($US)
• Total Number of Logistics Employees
• Total Annual International Ocean Freight Forwarding / NVOCC TEUs
• Total Annual International Airfreight Forwarding Metric Tons
• Total Number of Warehouses
• Total Square Feet of Warehouses

3PL customers can register at: http://www.3pladvisor.com/login-company-profile/user-sign-up.aspx. Once a user account is created, a customer can rate its 3PLs.

3PLs that are not listed on 3PL Advisor are encouraged to sign up and submit a profile at: http://www.3pladvisor.com/login-company-profile/sign-up.aspx.

Source: Armstrong & Associates