The Power of Service, Transparency, and Communication in Logistics

The Power of Service, Transparency, and Communication in Logistics

Logistics Plus Customer ServicesThird-party logistics (3PL) companies play a crucial role in the supply chain in today’s fast-paced and highly competitive market. Their ability to deliver exceptional customer experiences can significantly impact their clients’ success. Here’s how 3PL companies, like Logistics Plus, are elevating customer satisfaction through better service, transparency, and communication.

Superior Service

  • Reliability and Efficiency. Customers expect their shipments to be delivered on time and intact. 3PL companies can enhance reliability by investing in advanced tracking systems, optimizing routes, and maintaining a robust network of carriers. Logistics Plus has world-class technology platforms with multiple tracking options built-in, and our technology is supported by real logistics specialists who proactively keep shipments moving.
  • Customization and Flexibility. Offering tailored solutions to meet specific client needs can set a 3PL company apart. Whether it’s handling special packaging requirements, managing seasonal inventory fluctuations, or providing expedited shipping options, flexibility in the Logistics Plus network greatly enhances customer satisfaction.
  • Proactive Problem-Solving. Issues are inevitable in logistics, but how they are handled makes all the difference. Logistics Plus proactively addresses potential problems and provides quick, practical solutions that can turn a negative experience into a positive one. This proactive approach builds trust and loyalty with our customers (including our very first customer from 27+ years ago, who remains our customer today).

Transparency

  • Real-Time Tracking. Providing clients with real-time tracking information allows them to monitor their shipments and anticipate delivery times. This transparency reduces anxiety and builds confidence in the 3PL provider’s capabilities. Logistics Plus provides real-time tracking through APIs, ELDs, mobile apps, or global tracking sensors, supporting efficient operations, reducing delays, and ensuring that customers receive their products as promised.
  • Clear Pricing Structures. Transparent pricing models help clients understand what they are paying for and avoid unexpected costs. Logistics Plus provides transparent pricing models with detailed invoices and clear explanations of charges, which fosters trust and long-term partnerships.
  • Open Communication Channels. Maintaining open lines of communication ensures that clients are always informed about the status of their shipments. Logistics Plus provides direct access to its 24/7/365 logistics specialists, who provide regular updates to prevent misunderstandings and enhance the overall experience.

Effective Communication

  • Personalized Interactions. Personalizing communication makes clients feel valued and understood. Logistics Plus tailors its solutions to each client’s unique needs, ensuring communication adheres to what the client wants or needs to receive.
  • Feedback Mechanisms. Encouraging and acting on customer feedback demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement. Logistics Plus uses open surveys and direct client input to help identify areas for enhancement and show clients that their opinions matter.
  • Educational Content. Providing clients with educational resources about logistics processes, industry trends, and best practices can empower them to make informed decisions. Logistics Plus monitors critical industry news and shares meaningful insights with its clients through newsletters, bulletins, and alerts. It also has an entire department available and devoted to training customers on important global trade compliance topics.

Conclusion

Logistics Plus delivers a customer experience that puts the ‘plus’ in logistics by focusing on superior service, transparency, and effective communication. Focusing on the strategies discussed above enhances satisfaction and builds long-term partnerships that drive business growth. Many 3PLs are moving more towards self-service and technology-only support models. However, in a world where customer expectations are continually rising, Logistics Plus is leveraging both technology and human capital to deliver award-winning solutions.

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Nice article about some of LP’s efforts in support of Ukraine.

Nice article about some of LP’s efforts in support of Ukraine.

Thanks to the Manufacturers & Business Association for this nice article. – JB

Global Logistics Leader Rallies Support in Rebuilding Ukraine
Logistics Plus Blends Business Investment with Humanitarian Support
By: Karen Torres

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Click to view and read the full PDF with photographs.

Logistics Plus, Inc. (LP) is one of the fastest-growing, privately owned logistics providers in the world.

It is also a top 100 3PL company, a top freight brokerage and warehousing firm, a top technology developer, a unique solutions provider for key verticals, such as solar, data centers, and many others, and a certified Great Place to Work®.

But what truly distinguishes LP as a company to watch is its innovative solutions and extensive global network that are impacting both business investment and humanitarian support.

Over the past two and half years, LP has provided a critical lifeline to Ukraine in its rebuilding efforts as the war with Russia rages on. The company has donated and raised more than $1 million worth of relief but also has provided vital transportation and logistics support to assist with Ukraine’s infrastructure and economic stability.

LP’s support for Ukraine is driving meaningful impact on the global stage — a call to action for other businesses to continue to invest in and support the country as more safe zones are created.

“We’re trying to lead by example,” explains LP Founder and Chief Executive Officer Jim Berlin. “I call it the tip of the shovel. We’re willing to go in before others are willing to go in. If others see, maybe they’ll join in and start digging too.”

At Logistics Plus, doing the right thing goes hand in hand with doing business.

LP was an early responder to 9/11 terrorist attacks, moving 100,000 pounds of cargo from six European countries onto one of the first international charter flights booked into the United States after the attack to keep then-GE’s production lines moving without disruption. During the COVID-19 shutdown, Logistics Plus helped source, warehouse and deliver much-needed personal protection equipment (PPE) to people and businesses worldwide, leading to the creation of its Logistics Plus Medical Division.

“We’re always the Sherpas,” explains Berlin. “We’re the first ones in, helping people find a way.”

An unorthodox business leader, Berlin knows how to get things done. In 1996, the veteran truck driver founded Logistics Plus in Erie, Pennsylvania, a small port city on the Great Lakes. A then-modest startup, LP mainly provided logistics and supply chain services for GE Transportation Systems. But as Berlin found new opportunities, LP added more services — everything from logistics and transportation to warehousing, fulfillment, global logistics, business intelligence and technology.

Nearly 30 years later, Logistics Plus is still headquartered at the historic Union Station train depot in Erie, with a growing network of resources that includes over 1,000 employees at offices and warehouses in more than 50 countries and annual global sales over half a billion dollars.

“With our trademark Passion for Excellence™,” according to the company, “we put the plus in logistics by doing the big things properly plus the countless little things that ensure complete customer satisfaction and success.”

Support for Ukraine

For Logistics Plus, the Russian war in Ukraine is not just business; it’s personal. The company employs 85 people in three offices in Ukraine and approximately 30 Ukranian-born professionals at LP operations in the United States.

LP’s Chief Operations Officer Yuriy Ostapyak is proud of the company’s ongoing response to support Ukraine since the Russian invasion in February 2022. Ostapyak was born and raised in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine before coming to America nearly 25 years ago as a Rotary exchange student and has worked at Logistics Plus for the past 20 years.

“We have many years of expertise and experience and knowledge of Ukrainian markets, and we started using it basically on Day One,” he says. “We’ve donated a lot of money on our own and made sure that the money that we donated or raised went exactly where it was intended.”

For example, Logistics Plus facilitated more than $1 million in donations and relief in the transportation of medical supplies, food and clothing, as well as power generators to support communities affected by conflict and displacement. LP also purchased and outfitted two custom-equipped vans as mobile trauma units for Ukrainian field medics in Bakmut, a southern border town with Russia.

LP has made significant investments in its Ukranian-based operations as well. In July 2022, LP acquired Concor-Trans, a Ukrainian-based freight forwarding and logistics company in the capital city of Kyiv and second office in Odesa. Before that, Logistics Plus already had a significant presence in Ukraine, with an office of nearly 50 people located in Ivano-Frankivsk, in the western portion of Ukraine.

“In typical LP fashion, we purchased the company basically strictly on a handshake,” explains Ostapyak. “The company didn’t have much business, but what it had was amazing people with great skill sets in terms of customs and in terms of true logistics.”

LP’s services in Ukraine have been particularly crucial in maintaining the flow of essential goods, which are vital for Ukraine’s economy and people.

Emily Grein, LP’s director of Airfreight and Ukraine Development, is intimately involved in the trade lane from the United States to Ukraine and the growth of LP’s operations there. With air space shut down for safety, her airfreight team has been responsible for maneuvering and developing a corridor with Poland and LP’s Warsaw office to expedite goods over to Ukraine. When Polish truckers put strikes on the border, it was LP’s team that navigated other options through Hungary and Romania.

“We know that the Ukrainian economy must keep moving. It can’t stop with this war,” says Grein. “They need money to go in; they need goods to go out. We’ve been helping the agricultural sector, transportation sector, and we’ve been a big advocate for the rebuilding of Ukraine.”

When Ukraine’s Black Sea ports were cut off, Logistics Plus was instrumental in helping get critical infrastructure shipments delivered. The company worked with an American oil and gas supplier Vorex, also in Erie, to manage the complex delivery of 22 thousand tons of gas pipes — the equivalent of 47 million pounds.

LP rerouted the shipment through Romania’s Constanta Port via ship, then onto dozens of barges, and lastly to end destinations across Ukraine utilizing more than 1,000 truck shipments. LP’s teams in China, Poland, Ukraine, Turkey and United States were involved.

In 2024, Logistics Plus delivered the final shipment of these materials directly to Ukraine’s Black Sea Port of Chornomorsk, southwest of Odesa. It marked the first time a non-grain, U.S.-managed ship successfully delivered and unloaded at the port since the onset of the war.

“Shortly before that and during it, Odesa was being bombed and they had bomb alerts and sirens going off, so that to me is really one of the craziest things we’ve been able to pull off there, just knowing the circumstances around it,” says Grein.

Representing the U.S. on the World Stage

The tenets of Logistics Plus are rooted in Berlin’s entrepreneurial spirit and a “do whatever it takes” to make the impossible possible.

This “can do” approach may be one of the many reasons Berlin was appointed to serve alongside two fellow U.S. representatives from Northrop Grumman and McDonald’s to help support Ukraine’s economic stability and pave the way for future reconstruction from the private sector. The Business Advisory Council consists of 18 business leaders across the G-7 nations, Ukraine and key donor states, and is led by Dr. Christian Bruch, chief executive officer of the multinational energy giant Siemens.

“McDonald’s probably does more business in one day than we do in a year, and Northrop Grumman is a world-class defense contractor. Logistics Plus almost doesn’t fit in that group, so it was a little bit humbling, but I think we’re there for a reason,” Berlin says. “They wanted some folks who were more willing to kind of push the envelope a little bit, and again, try to lead the way.”

“As my son, Derek, puts it, ‘You get the Special Forces to go in quietly to start, and then the Marines come in and then all the Armed Forces come behind them,’” adds Berlin. “I think we are kind of the ones willing to take a little more risk.”

Derek Berlin, who joined his father at the G-7 meeting in Berlin, Germany, is LP’s senior vice president of Global Government Solutions. He has been active in the LP’s Ukrainian initiative and brings more than 20 years of government relations-related experience to the company. Derek has worked for the U.S. State Department and the Department of Defense, followed by a career focused on international policy and finance while working for the Council on Foreign Relations. For nearly a decade, he was with JP Morgan, helping clients understand how to best compete and navigate challenges in foreign markets.

Recently, Derek Berlin moderated a panel discussion on Risk Management at the 2024 U.S.-Ukraine Partnership Forum Discussion. The forum was hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the U.S. government on activating U.S. private sector support for Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction.

The goal is “identifying partners that Logistics Plus can work with primarily from the private sector who are like-minded and trying to operate in these difficult-to-operate environments, such as Ukraine, and figuring out ways that we can work together to achieve business outcomes while taking into account the realities of the policy and security landscape,” he says.

Derek Berlin also recently joined his father on a trip to Ukraine. They were both impressed by the Ukrainian people and their team members who continue to persevere amid air sirens, power outages and devastating attacks, such as the bombing of the Kyiv Children’s Hospital.

“Seeing the spirit, diligence and resilience of those men and women representing Logistics Plus out there in these very challenging times is just mind blowing,” says Derek.

As Jim Berlin sees it, the Ukrainians fight against Russia is a fight for the West and future of democracy. “Ukrainians are fighting and dying and all they’re asking for is support from the rest of the world,” he says. “That’s a hell of a deal for us, I think.”

Support on the Homefront

Back in the United States, Logistics Plus is also rallying support and investment in Ukrainian rebuilding efforts with local fundraising and donations, and other initiatives. One notable program is the Ukrainian Hockey Camp and Cultural Exchange, which aims to provide youth with opportunities to engage in sports, develop teamwork skills and build a sense of community. Started in 2023, the program provides rigorous training aimed at skill enhancement and team camaraderie. In 2024, the camp hosted 20 Ukrainians, five Romanian and 15 local kids from Erie and Buffalo.

LP logistics analyst Pasha Nayda helped with the efforts. Nayda is a former Mercyhurst University hockey player whose father Anatoliy played for the junior All-Soviet Team, senior Ukraine Team and was a Team Lead of the national Ukraine Team for years. “It’s definitely very inspiring to see the kids come here and give them the opportunity to skate because of everything going on,” he says. “They absolutely enjoy being here.”

Also in 2024, Logistics Plus hosted the Whistlestops for Ukraine tour. The tour was organized by the German Marshall Fund and the Howard G. Buffett Foundation to drum up support for Ukraine across rural American communities that specialize in agriculture and manufacturing.

Several high-profile CEOs and business leaders from across the country and world attended, including American businessman and philanthropist Howard Buffett.

“I’m trying to help bring those people together if they don’t know one another, and seeing what can come from that,” says Jim Berlin. “But there’s a lot of support out there, and I think we’re kind of pulling it all together and maybe amplifying it a little bit.”

LP is also supporting efforts by Diane Chido of DC Analytics for Erie to become a “Seaster” City with Chornomorsk. Erie was pivotal in the U.S. War of Independence in 1812, and Chornomorsk is playing a major role in the fight for Ukraine’s independence.

According to Jim Berlin, sister cities are a good way to connect people through schools, universities, businesses, sports teams, different levels of government, the Port of Erie, of course, cultural institutions and others. Chornomorsk cheers for Odesa’s Seasters women’s soccer team, while Erie has the Seawolves baseball team.

“It’s exciting,” he says. “We’ve talked to everyone behind the scenes, and they’re all on board.”

Looking Ahead

As Ukraine continues its journey toward economic stability and growth, the support of partners like Logistics Plus will be instrumental. The company’s commitment serves as a model for how logistics providers can contribute to global development and foster meaningful change.

Logistics Plus is poised to continue making a positive difference in Ukraine and beyond, embodying the true spirit of a 21st-century solutions provider.

“Our efforts just show that this is the ‘LP way’ and that we are not going to stand by or be the followers,” says Ostapyak. “We always try to be the market leader — jumping in and figuring things out.” 

Notice of Modification: China’s Acts, Policies and Practices Related to Technology Transfer, Intellectual Property and Innovation

Notice of Modification: China’s Acts, Policies and Practices Related to Technology Transfer, Intellectual Property and Innovation

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A Notice by the Trade Representative, Office of United States on 09/18/2024

In connection with the Four-Year Review of actions taken in the section 301 investigation of China’s acts, policies, and practices related to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation, and in accordance with the specific direction of the President, the U.S. Trade Representative has determined to: modify the actions being taken in the investigation by imposing additional section 301 duties or increasing the rate of existing section 301 duties, on certain products of China in strategic sectors; propose increasing tariff rates for certain tungsten products, wafers, and polysilicon, with a public comment process to be set out via separate notice; provide a list of subheadings eligible for consideration of temporary exclusion under an exclusion process for certain machinery used in domestic manufacturing; and modify the actions to temporarily exclude from section 301 duties certain solar manufacturing equipment.

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/09/18/2024-21217/notice-of-modification-chinas-acts-policies-and-practices-related-to-technology-transfer 

Enforcement Against Vague Cargo Descriptions Pushed Back until November 12, 2024

Enforcement Against Vague Cargo Descriptions Pushed Back until November 12, 2024

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Examples of Unacceptable vs Acceptable Cargo Descriptions

A precise cargo description is a description of an item that is clear and concise. The description should be in plain language and detailed enough to allow U.S. Customs and Border Protection to identify the size, shape and characteristics of the commodity. Only the cargo description should be included in this field of the transmission. Superfluous information, not relevant to the commodity description e.g., personally identifiable information (PII), type of packaging, carrier disclaimers, etc., should not be transmitted in the commodity description field.

The following list, provided by CBP, is a guide to acceptable and unacceptable descriptions. This list is not exhaustive and will continue to expand as unacceptable descriptions are identified and acceptable descriptions are further refined. Descriptions in the Acceptable column should be viewed only as examples of the items they actually describe and not as a list of specifically acceptable or restrictive terms.

https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/2024-07/acceptable-cargo-desc-508c-05.16_0.pdf