With robots, drones and holographic glasses now commercially available, what will the next generation of the logistics workforce look like?

Tecsys Inc. has released its Delivery Management application for smartphones.

3PLs are much more than an outsourced logistics execution channel today: They're assuming larger contracts, more complex projects and increased authority as trusted advisors to companies navigating the omni-channel landscape. But with greater responsibility comes greater expectations all around - and it's up to 3PLs to rise to the occasion.

Retailers are already planning for the busy holiday shopping season, and there could be a complication this year. As the unemployment rate drops, stores are having a hard time finding workers for their warehouses. They've ordered all kinds of new stuff for the holidays, but it's stuck in a bottleneck.

At the heart of everything omnichannel is inventory. The customer needs to be able to get the merchandise they want, when they want it, and through their channel of choice. There has to be inventory visibility across channels, so stores, warehouses and distribution centers can see real-time inventory levels as part of the order fulfillment process. And finally, in order to actually fulfill orders in a timely and efficient manner, inventory needs to be shared across channels.

E-commerce retailers are starting to add smaller, urban warehouses to their supply chains as the pace of online shopping and delivery transforms distribution demands.

Sometimes, a change of partners is required to bring the best out of a company. Turtle Wax's transportation and inventory management got a brand new look when it partnered with LeSaint Logistics.

Oh, sure, go on and do it by yourself. Just try to run the company without any help. Treat suppliers like you don't need them. Go on! If there's a recipe for disaster, that's probably it: acting like you don't need anybody else's cooperation, input or ideas. The reality is quite a bit different though, isn't it? No company, no supply chain, exists in a vacuum. We do rely on each other, because no one of us can do it all, successfully, by ourselves. We need partners. Ah, but which partners – which ones are right for you?