How to Save Money in Logistics and Still Enjoy that Candy Bar

The Candy Bar Scenario

I know a guy. We’ll call him Merle. Merle is in his 50s, and he’s been working the same job for most of his adult life. He’s pretty comfortable. Nice house, nice family, a new car every couple of years. And Merle’s well-liked to boot. The kind of pal you’d enjoy having a beer with after a long day at work.

He’s aging well too. A little gray streaking through his still-dark hair, some smile lines around his mouth and crinkles at the corners of his eyes because he still tries to read every evening without the reading glasses he needs. He’s a creature of habit, Merle. Every morning he walks his dog, eats two boiled eggs and drinks a cup of coffee before leaving for work.

Every afternoon, he gets up from his desk around 3:00, walks down the stairs (his office is on the second floor) and out the door because he’s heading to the gas station across the street for his daily Snickers. He doesn’t have many vices, but he is addicted to Snickers candy bars, and he doesn’t go a day without one.

Spending Too Much on that Candy Bar

So let’s take a look at this. Merle spends 1.50 a day for a single Snickers candy bar. Sometimes the candy bar is melty and he gets chocolate all over his hands and his papers. Merle is something of a neat freak, and this doesn’t work. Plus–he has to go back and buy another candy bar. Some days they are out of Snickers, and he has to walk further down the street (3 blocks) to find one. Sometimes the Snickers is cracked, the top layer of chocolate flaking off and this is a mess too, but mostly it’s just unsatisfying.

Buy in Bulk

Is there a better solution?

Of course there is. Merle is also a bargain shopper, and once a month he buys bulk products at his local Sam’s Club, and you know how much a box of 48 Snickers costs at Sam’s Club?  $32.28. That’s 67¢ a candy bar.  Right now, Merle is spending $72.00 for those same 48 candy bars, and at least once a week he has to buy two because something was wrong with the first one (not to mention the extra time to track one down if the gas station across the street is out). But Merle doesn’t buy the box of Snickers because the price tag, $32.28, seems too high.

What?

It’s the truth. He could buy the candy bars up front, keep them at home, take one to work with him every day. He could assure their quality and use the time he typically walks across the street and into the dirty gas station to take a stroll in the park. But he doesn’t because he can’t pull the trigger on the upfront cost.

Buying in Bulk: Outsourced Logistics

I’m sure you can see where I’m going with this because this is a logistics blog. The question is: Are you booking loads the same way Merle is buying candy bars? One at a time? Because if you are, you’re missing out on the huge benefits a 3PL offers with their outsourced logistics services. And the savings in time and money are much more substantial than the 39.00 Merle is out every 48 candy bars.

When you outsource your logistics to a 3PL like AM Transport Services, you are essentially buying in bulk. And by buying in bulk, you receive consistent capacity because we’re able to negotiate better rates across the board. You gain the power of our 30 years of experience and our team’s knowledge of regular capacity in your area. 

You’re better able to predict and stay within your budget because here at AMT, we stick to the rates we give you and we don’t give back loads. Think about it–if you have 48 loads a month, you’re in a much better position when you let us do the negotiating. We know the best small carriers in the logistics industry, and those relationships are golden to manufacturers and distributors like you who need reliable transportation for your important cargo.

Merle is a good guy, but in this instance don’t be like Merle with chocolate all over your hands. Outsource your logistics to AM Transport Services. We’ll save you time and money–that’s a promise.