Logistics companies are valuable in business for many reasons. These companies are third parties that fulfill orders and offer warehousing services, along with picking, packing, processing, and shipping. They are the link between merchants and end users.
When an order comes into the warehouse, the logistics company will generate a pick list, pick the appropriate items, and then pack them properly. They will compare the costs of national shipping carriers to determine which is the most affordable, and then they arrange to ship the items to where they need to go. These are the standard functions of a logistics company, but it’s what is beneath the surface that counts. Furniture, fixtures, and equipment, or FF&E, the logistics company is the same, but different. They move larger, big-ticket items for hospitality businesses specifically.
Let’s take a look at how FF&E logistics companies keep projects time-efficient and low-cost:
How FF&E Logistics Work
Restaurants, hotels, offices, and retail stores are the most common end customers of FF&E logistics companies. The assets that are made to add value to such spaces are stored in these facilities. It is the logistics companies’ job to ensure that any items these hospitality businesses purchase from various merchants get safely into the end users’ hands. Remember, personal property items like furniture, fixtures, and equipment are never permanently attached to buildings, so business owners and decision makers can switch these items out as trends change and technology develops.
FF&E Examples
Let’s say a merchant sells items to a restaurant. The FF&E items the latter may order could include anything from table and chair sets to the paintings on the walls. Conversely, the FF&E in a hotel includes pillows, desks, sofas, and beds. Retail stores employ FF&E in the form of display items, like kiosks and mannequins, both used to present merchandise. These items provide businesses with long-term tax benefits, as well as provide comfort to employees and customers alike, increasing their satisfaction as patrons.
Benefits of Third-Party Logistics
FF&E affects the bottom line of all hospitality businesses. Not only do these items add aesthetic value to restaurants, hotels, and stores, but these items are also necessities. However, getting these items delivered or shipped takes merchants extra time, energy, and money that they do not have to spare. Hiring a logistics company to delegate these worries takes matters off of their hands. And, in addition to freeing up time for merchants to focus on managing their businesses, hospitality logistics companies also mitigate any risk to items, including damage and theft.
In conclusion, for those in the hospitality business, regardless of the sector, chances are that they have worked indirectly with a third-party logistics, or 3PL, company. When merchants decide which 3PL company to work with, their decision can make or break these small businesses. After all, it is impossible to run efficiently without the proper equipment.
So, if you are a merchant that sells furniture, fixtures, and equipment to hospitality businesses, and you are looking for a 3PL company that is a proven leader in the space and well-respected in the industry, you can always count on Hughes Custom Logistics. When they need FF&E logistics Philadelphia residents to know we are the most trusted name in 3PL, as well as the hospitality logistics Ocala, FL can trust. We will deliver you what you need, each time, every time, so give us a call to learn more about our services.
