It’s every logistics pro’s responsibility to look for ways to get things done more efficiently. Luckily, most of us find this type of challenge to be the most rewarding part of our jobs. We are logistics professionals; this is what we do.

Often the most visible and impactful way to improve a logistics operation is by finding new ways to save money. But shopping rates simply because it’s easy or relying too heavily on spot rates can be disruptive to your logistics operations, doing more harm than good.

Any type of procurement event is a serious exercise because the performance of your carrier or 3PL has a direct impact on your business in ways that extend far beyond a simple cost per mile rate. Here are five questions to ask when choosing to add a new transportation provider to make sure the changes you make have a net-positive impact on your logistics operation and company overall.

Is it only about finding the lowest rates?

For better or worse, rates get all the attention when it comes to managing logistics. Of course, negotiating great rates is important—and frankly it can be a fun challenge. Logistics pros are usually on the defensive, dealing with problems and having to answer to everyone. Negotiating rates is the one time it feels like you have control.

But you have to be careful. If you push partners too hard on rates, or always go with the lowest-cost provider, you end up getting exactly what you pay for. Always choosing based on cost comes with an unspoken acknowledgment that service is not the most important thing to your operations.

Before engaging in a RFQ, ask WHY your company is looking at logistics for savings. Is it because you think you’re overpaying, leaving money on the table, or because you’re trying to meet a specific target or KPI and your partner isn’t getting you there?

How will a new logistics partner help us operate better?

Adding new carriers or a 3PL partner should bring a range of new benefits to your operations, like technology, a vast carrier network, and other value-added services. For example, having a capable 3PL or core group of service providers helps to ensure better continuity of your logistics data and access to logistics technology you may not have otherwise.

Do they have a skill-set or knowledge-base that complements your specific industry? The power of working with a specialist can transform your operations. Their networks, tools, and insights can be transferred directly back to you. Make sure any new partner has a proven track record of onboarding and servicing businesses like yours to help ensure success.

How does the logistics service provider view our relationship?

Carriers and 3PLs, especially ones who feel beaten down on price, are never the best partners. A low per mile rate can look good on paper, but chances are it will be rare that the carrier has capacity when you need it. Worse yet, when they do, they’ll be quick to drop your load even after accepting it if a better paying load in the area comes up.

A low rate is meaningless without capacity. A good and loyal carrier relationship means you’ll get preferential treatment when capacity is tight and problems come up.

Strong relationships may even help you cut costs organically. Rather than chasing savings, a true partner will be willing to step up or take a hit when you need their help. Invested in the long-term benefits, they are stable and understanding. And in an ideal situation, they are also always on the lookout for opportunities that bring added efficiencies and savings.

Do they know our business and consignees?

Delivering products can be a very specialized process, especially for items like food. Working with carriers who do not know your products will create extra work for you and your consignees. Not calling for appointments or understanding the potential for chargebacks with certain deliveries are necessities commonly overlooked by low cost generalists.

Using a 3PL who has good, established relationships with your consignees is an undervalued advantage. For better or worse, few shippers will ever know the problems a 3PL partner has made go away on their behalf at the point of delivery.

It’s understandable when logistics professionals feel pressure to constantly be shopping rates to save a few cents per mile. These types of cost savings are important, but they need to be done as part of a larger plan. Chasing pennies at the expense of dollars is a mistake.

Companies that take a strategic approach to carrier procurement have a smarter and more efficient logistics operations. Asking the right questions of yourself before your next procurement event, no matter how small, will ensure you are making the right decisions for your company.

Andrew Lynch is co-founder and president of Zipline Logistics, an Ohio-based 3PL that specializes in providing multimodal transportation services and business intelligence for CPG, retail, food, and beverage customers.

For all the unique challenges food and beverage manufacturers deal with when moving goods through their supply chain, one of the most difficult to control are the problems altitude creates for food packaging and the product inside.

Adding to the challenge is that the food safety risks created by altitude are not as obvious as those posed by other factors like poor temperature control.

The issue of altitude usually manifests itself by affecting package integrity. Most such breakdowns are the result of extreme changes in altitude, which creates an imbalance with internal and external pressure that the packaging can’t withstand.

Most any type of rupture to a food product’s packaging will eventually lead to spoilage or damage. It’s no surprise that exposure to outside air makes products like cookies go stale and any type of fresh food go bad much faster. The extra air inside packaging is actually an inert gas added for important reasons. For one, it acts as padding for products like snack foods by providing protection from damage during handling. It also works to maintain freshness by preventing spoilage and oxidation.

To illustrate how altitude affects packaging, take an ordinary bag of pretzels. It will leave the plant filled to the max with both product and gas for protection and preservation. As altitude increases however, so does the outward pressure of the gases inside the packaging and the likelihood the bag will pop open.

If you have manufacturing locations in lower altitudes this may be more of a common problem. Damages can be a particular concern if you are shipping to the West Coast or the Great Plains from lower altitude locations around the country like the East Coast or Southeast.

The cost of products becoming unsaleable during transportation for any food and beverage company is self-evident. This reinforces the importance of correct packaging, designed to help protect against the potential damages occurring from altitude. But this is only part of the solution, the rest lies in better logistics decision making, with attention paid to the impact that altitude has on the products being delivered.

Of course, relocating manufacturing operations to avoid any high altitude shipping entirely is rarely a realistic solution to overcoming this supply chain challenge, so here are some other ideas to help. A qualified 3PL partner can help you determine and enact the solutions that are best for your unique supply chain and product.

Change Up Your Routing: In some cases, fixing the problem of altitude affecting package integrity can be solved by simply changing the travel route. Requiring carriers to serve problem lanes by following lower altitude routes may come at the expense of more out of route miles, but this may be cheaper compared to the alternative. Working with logistics partners who can offer GPS tracking to ensure the proper route is being followed is a good way to audit carriers as well.

Experiment with Packaging: Changing a route is not always feasible depending on the shipment origin and delivery destination. Making small adjustments to packaging based on where product is going can also help. Injecting less extra gas into packaging to leave it slightly deflated, or using a larger master pack carton allows for more expansion and can lower the incidence of packages bursting at altitude.

Give Intermodal a Try: An advantage of using intermodal, in addition to rates that are often lower than truckload, is that most rail routes tend to avoid high altitudes and stay at a more consistent level. Rail transport is constrained by gradient and track alignment so freight trains must have a slow ascent when changing altitude. Keep in mind, similar to trucks taking a longer route to avoid altitude, intermodal will often require longer transit times so make sure to factor this into your planning.

Use Temperature-Controlled Vehicles: Vehicles that are temperature-controlled can also offer a solution for high-altitude transport. Refrigerated trailers have air-flow systems and tightly sealed doors which help to keep the compartment stable. Semi-pressurized for the same reasons, these vehicles are less susceptible to imbalance issues and protect against altitude changes during transit. The one potential drawback is slightly higher costs for use of the equipment.

Product safety is the first priority for every food and beverage company. Taking steps to always ensure food is protected from damage and spoilage that may result from shipping at high altitudes must also be a consideration. With proper logistics planning, companies can remove the risk of food safety issues that result from high altitude shipping.

Andrew Lynch is co-founder and president of Zipline Logistics, an Ohio-based 3PL that specializes in providing multimodal transportation services and business intelligence for CPG, retail, and food and beverage customers.