Start With Your Story — The Last Peak That Broke Things

• In one short paragraph, tell me what went wrong during your last peak season and how it made you feel as a leader.
• When did the disruption start and how long did elevated issues persist? Options: A few days, A week, 2–4 weeks, Entire peak season (1+ month), Ongoing intermittently
• Which of these measurable outcomes fell below target during that period? Options: OTIF / On-time in full, Inventory accuracy, Labor cost per order, Order cycle time, Return processing time, Customer NPS/CSAT
• Approximately how large was the impact on those metrics? (give percentages, $ impact, or order counts)
• What immediate business reactions did you see (e.g., chargebacks, expedited freight spend, customer churn, negative PR)? Options: Chargebacks/penalties, Expedited freight costs, Customer cancellations/lost buyers, Retailer fines, Operational overtime and agency labor, Other

If Peak Season Happens Again — What Gets Ruined?

• Imagine last peak repeated exactly — which single business outcome would keep you up at night? Options: Revenue loss, Major customer churn, Brand reputation damage, Board escalation / leadership churn, Sustained margin erosion
• Beyond the headline, what downstream problems would that outcome trigger for your team or company?
• Which customer types (retail, wholesale, marketplace) are most at risk if service slips again? Options: Retail chains, E-commerce marketplaces, Direct-to-consumer, Wholesale/distributors, B2B customers
• How quickly would your executive team expect a plan or vendor change after a repeat failure? Options: Immediately (days), Within 2 weeks, Within 30–60 days, At next quarterly review
• What emotional impact did the last peak have on your operations team and on your confidence in current controls?

Who Holds the Keys — Decision, Influence, and Day-to-Day

• If you stripped away politeness and process, who actually makes the final go/no-go decision to outsource warehousing and why?
• Which of these stakeholders must be convinced for a deal to move forward? Options: CEO/COO, CFO, VP Supply Chain, Director Logistics/Operations, IT/Systems, Procurement/Legal
• For each key stakeholder you named, what is their single biggest fear about outsourcing operations?
• Who will be the day-to-day liaison to the 3PL after go-live, and who will own escalation for service failures? Options: VP Supply Chain, Operations Manager, Site Lead/Warehouse Manager, Third-party program manager, Other
• What internal KPIs or board-level targets would cause stakeholders to change their mind mid-process?

What Would ‘No Surprises’ Look Like — Costs, Clauses, and Guardrails

• Name the single contract clause or hidden cost that would make you feel betrayed after signing.
• Which of these potential charges do you want explicitly modeled and capped in any proposal? Options: Accessorials (short-ships, reweighs), Storage overages, Minimum volume commitments, Slotting/setup fees, Return handling surcharges, Carrier accessorials
• What do you need the commercial model to prove about cost-to-serve for you to trust it? Options: Net per-order cost including accessorials, Labor cost comparisons, Transportation impact, Scenario modeling for peak volumes, Payback period on transition costs
• What contract term lengths, termination rights, or exit provisions would make you comfortable taking the risk?
• Which real-world outcomes (e.g., reference visits, verified DC tours, client data) are non-negotiable before you sign? Options: On-site tours of comparable accounts, Performance metrics from similar clients, Reference interviews, Access to live dashboards during evaluation, All of the above

Systems & Data — Where Do We Win or Break?

• If a single inventory record went missing between your ERP and a 3PL WMS, what business process would fail first and how would you notice it?
• Which systems must integrate for you to consider an engagement successful? Options: OMS (order management), ERP, WMS, TMS / carrier platforms, E-commerce marketplaces, BI/reporting tools
• How do you prefer integrations to happen for production use—standard APIs, EDI, file drops, or a mix? Options: APIs (REST/JSON), EDI, SFTP/file exchanges, Hybrid (APIs + file), Unsure / need to check
• Do you have canonical product/master data and SKU dimensions ready for mapping, or will we need to co-create that during onboarding? Options: Data ready and documented, Mostly ready with gaps, Needs full normalization with our help
• What is your acceptable window for integration testing and sign-off before cutover? Options: 1–2 weeks, 3–4 weeks, 5–8 weeks, Longer/complex integrations

Proof Before the Leap — Pilot, Scale, and Risk Reduction

• Would you prefer a live pilot to validate outcomes rather than relying only on proposals and references, and what would make that pilot convincing? Options: Yes — pilot required, Maybe — depends on terms, No — prefer direct cutover
• Which pilot success metrics would make you move to full deployment? Options: OTIF target met, Inventory accuracy threshold met, Labor cost per order improvement, Fulfillment speed improvement, No critical integration defects
• Describe the minimum pilot scope you'd accept (SKU count, daily order volume, or number of channels).
• What resources (people, systems access, data extracts) will you commit to a pilot so it has a fair chance to succeed? Options: Dedicated IT point of contact, Operations lead time for SOPs/training, Sample data feeds, Access to a test environment, All of the above
• What would be a deal-breaker result from a pilot that would cause you to stop the engagement?

Money, Risk, and the CFO’s Checklist

• If you saw a model that lowered unit cost but exposed higher variability in accessorials and minimums, would your finance team accept that trade-off? Options: Yes, with caps/guardrails, Only if net cost decrease is significant, No — prefer predictable fixed costs, Unsure — need to model scenarios
• Which cost components must be included for finance to consider the comparison apples-to-apples? Options: Labor & benefits, Facility lease/overhead, WMS/license costs, Freight & accessorials, Inventory carrying costs, Transition and ramp costs
• What ROI, margin improvement, or payback period threshold does your CFO typically require for outsourcing capital/infrastructure? Options: Immediate (within 3 months), 3–6 months, 6–12 months, 12+ months, No fixed rule
• Are there existing vendor agreements, minimums, or legacy obligations that would constrain your ability to switch operations? Options: Yes — list exists, Some constraints but negotiable, No material constraints, Unsure
• How important are audited, line-item cost breakdowns (vs. summary pricing) for your procurement evaluation? Options: Essential, Nice to have, Optional

What Success Actually Feels Like — The Human Side of Good Supply Chains

• Six months after a smooth transition, what would be different in your daily work that would prove we delivered value?
• Which operational KPIs would you celebrate publicly inside the company? Options: OTIF above target, Inventory accuracy > 99%, Labor cost per order improvement, Predictable lead times, Reduced expedited spend
• Beyond metrics, what soft outcomes matter most—reduced stress on your team, improved cross-functional trust, or something else? Options: Reduced team stress, Stronger customer relationships, Faster internal decision cycles, Ability to scale into new channels, Other
• Who should sign final acceptance when success criteria are met, and what format of evidence will they need (dashboards, audit, third-party verification)?
• If we deliver on the outcomes you described, would you be willing to be a reference or host a site visit for peers? Options: Yes — gladly, Maybe — depends on results, No

• Current-State Alignment & Data Validation
• Verified Cost-to-Serve Modeling Workshop
• Service Improvement Modeling & SLA Forecast
• Reference Performance Review & Facility Validation Plan
• Executive Validation & Go/No-Go Alignment

• Define how reference and tour outcomes will influence the commercial & risk commit stage.
• Customer to review the workbook and provide written feedback on any contested assumptions within 5 business days.
• Both parties to agree on a finalized baseline used for commercial comparison before the SLA workshop.
• Baseline KPI Recap
• Agree on specific, measurable SLA targets (OTIF %, inventory accuracy %, order lead time) for pilot and full cutover.
• Document the measurement method and reporting cadence the customer will use to judge provider performance.
• Define clear acceptance criteria and contingency triggers that govern moving from pilot to full-volume cutover.
• Provider to produce an SLA draft with definitions, measurement windows, and proposed credits/penalties within 3 business days.
• Customer to confirm which stakeholders must approve SLA thresholds and provide feedback within 5 business days.
• Both parties to agree on a monitoring dashboard and sample reports to be used during the pilot.
• Select Comparable Accounts
• Obtain customer agreement on 2–3 valid comparables to contact and a mutually acceptable reference call agenda.
• Finalize a facility tour checklist that aligns with the customer's acceptance criteria and risk concerns.
• Introductions & Objective
• Provider to schedule reference calls and share anonymized performance packets for each comparable account.
• Customer to provide preferred dates and attendee list for site tours and any required NDAs or visitor requirements.
• Provider to prepare a facility audit pack and a checklist mapping each item to decision criteria.
• One-Sentence Current State & Consequence
• Secure an executive go/no-go decision to proceed to commercial & risk commit or to enter a pilot phase.
• Confirm executive-level acceptance of model outcomes, SLA targets, and the reference/visit validation plan.
• Identify and assign owners and dates for the immediate next milestones (commercial kickoff or pilot planning).
• Customer executive to confirm decision and any gating conditions in writing within agreed timeline.
• Provider to produce a 1-page executive summary that maps current-state, cost delta, SLA forecast, risks, and recommended next step.
• Both parties to schedule the commercial & risk commit session or pilot kickoff depending on the decision.
• Produce and agree on a single-sentence current-state description signed by customer attendees.
• Quantify the primary consequences in dollar and service-impact terms that justify change.
• Agree a definitive list of data files, formats, owners, and delivery dates for the cost-to-serve model.
• Confirm decision-makers and evaluation criteria to guide model assumptions.
• Customer to deliver the agreed data extracts (orders, SKU master, labor logs, freight invoices, accessorials) by the committed date.
• Assign a single data owner from the customer to field data clarifications during modeling.
• Provider to send a data schema checklist and sample mapping template within 24 hours.
• Model Inputs Recap
• Agree on a validated baseline cost-to-serve model (file + assumptions) that both parties accept for commercial comparison.
• Identify and document the top 3 cost levers and key sensitivities that change economics during peak seasons.
• Obtain customer sign-off on how hidden fees and accessorials are represented in the model.
• Provider to deliver the full cost-to-serve workbook with line-item assumptions and scenario tabs within 3 business days.
• One-Sentence Current-State
• Cost-to-Serve Executive Summary
• Anonymized Performance Dashboards
• Simulated Future-State Scenarios
• Assumptions & Cost Categorization
• SLA Drafting: Targets & Measurement
• Reference Call Coordination
• Service Improvement Forecast & SLA Snapshot
• Run Baseline Cost-to-Serve
• Consequence Quantification
• References & Facility Validation Plan
• Data Inventory & Quality Check
• Transition Risk Controls
• Hidden Fees & Sensitivity Scenarios
• Facility Tour & Audit Checklist
• Decision & Next Steps
• Tie Results to Consequence
• Roles, Constraints & Decision Criteria
• Validation Criteria & Decision Impact
• Validation & Acceptance
• Validation Checkpoint
• Validation & Next Steps
• Next Steps & Deliverables

• Receive and Inspect Incoming Inventory
• Putaway and Slotting Execution by SKU
• Cycle Counting and Inventory Reconciliation
• Pick-Pack-Ship Order Fulfillment
• Batch and Zone Picking Operations
• Kitting and Value-Added Assembly
• Custom Packaging and Labeling
• Return Processing and RMA Fulfillment
• Cross-Docking and Flow-Through Fulfillment
• Temperature-Controlled Storage and Monitoring
• Freight Consolidation and Pool Distribution
• LTL and Parcel Carrier Tendering
• WMS-OMS API Integration and Go-Live

Receive and Inspect Incoming Inventory

• What is your average inbound volume (lines or pallets) per week? Options: Less than 100 lines, 100-500 lines, 500-2,000 lines, 2,000+ lines
• What types of inbound units are typical (select all that apply)? Options: Pallets, Cartons, Loose pieces, Mixed-SKU pallets, Other
• Do you require advanced shipment notices or EDI/ASN transmissions prior to receiving? Options: Yes - ASN/EDI 856, Yes - Custom file/CSV, No
• Which inspection steps must be performed on receipt (visual, count, QC sample, lot/serial verification)? Options: Visual Damage Check, Quantity Count, QC Sample Testing, Lot/Serial Verification, Temperature Check, Other
• What are your acceptance criteria for inbound shipments (damage tolerance %, short/over tolerances)?
• Should inbound inventory be quarantined until inspection is complete or allowed immediate putaway? Options: Quarantine until inspected, Immediate putaway with post-receipt audit, Hybrid - high-risk quarantined

Putaway and Slotting Execution by SKU

• Do you require slotting optimization by velocity, cube, or pick frequency? Options: Yes - Velocity, Yes - Cube/Size, Yes - Pick Frequency, No
• How frequently should slotting be reviewed or rebalanced? Options: Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Seasonal/Bi-annual, Ad hoc
• Are there fixed storage location requirements for certain SKUs (reserve, bulk, hazardous)? Options: Yes - fixed reserve locations, Yes - fixed bulk, No - dynamic
• What handling constraints must be honored per SKU (weight limits, fragile, hazardous, temperature)? Options: Weight limits, Hazardous materials, Fragile, Temperature-controlled, Oversize
• Do SKUs require special bin/barcode labels or RFID tagging on receipt? Options: Barcode labels required, RFID tagging required, No special labeling, Other
• What SLA do you expect for putaway timing from receipt (same day, 24h, 48-72h)? Options: Same day, Within 24 hours, 48-72 hours, Custom

Cycle Counting and Inventory Reconciliation

• Which cycle count methodology do you prefer? Options: ABC/Velocity-based, Location-based, Perpetual by transaction, Full physical counts only, Hybrid
• How often should cycle counts occur by SKU class or location? Options: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, On-demand
• What target inventory accuracy level do you require (e.g., 95%, 98%)? Options: 95%, 96-97%, 98%+, Custom
• What variance threshold should trigger reconciliation and investigation? Options: Quantity variance > 0.5%, Quantity variance > 2 units, Any variance, Custom
• Do you require variance reports with root-cause analysis and corrective action tracking? Options: Yes, No
• Should inventory adjustments be auto-posted to your ERP or require approval workflow? Options: Auto-post adjustments, Require approval workflow, Mix by variance level

Pick-Pack-Ship Order Fulfillment

• Which order profiles must we support? Options: B2B (pallets/loads), E-commerce single-unit, Retail case packs, Subscription/Repeat, Other
• What SLA is required for order processing and cutoff times (same-day, next-day)? Options: Same-day, Next-day, 2-day, Standard business day cutoff
• What packing materials and cartonization rules should be applied (box selection, void-fill)?
• Do orders require packing slips, commercial invoices, or compliance labels? Options: Packing slip, Commercial invoice, Compliance label, GS1/SSCC labels, Other
• Are there special handling instructions for fragile or high-value SKUs? Options: Yes - fragile, Yes - high-value, Yes - hazardous, No
• Do you require multi-carrier selection based on lowest-cost routing or delivery promise? Options: Lowest-cost routing, Pre-configured carrier per lane, Customer-specified carrier, Hybrid

Batch and Zone Picking Operations

• Which picking methods should be used (batch, zone, wave, discrete, hybrid)? Options: Batch picking, Zone picking, Wave picking, Discrete single-order picking, Hybrid
• What pick productivity targets or rates do you expect (lines per hour, picks per hour)?
• Are there pick sequencing constraints for multi-SKU or multi-line orders? Options: Yes - sequence required, No sequence constraints
• Which picking technologies are preferred or required? Options: Pick-to-light, Voice picking, Handheld scanners, RFID, Paper-based
• How should exceptions (shorts, substitutions, OOS) be handled during picking? Options: Auto-substitute with approved SKUs, Backorder, Cancel line, Hold for review
• Should batch/zone picking be scheduled per shift or be dynamic based on order volume? Options: Scheduled per shift, Dynamic based on order volume, Seasonal scheduling

Kitting and Value-Added Assembly

• Do you require kitting or bundling services and what is the typical kit complexity? Options: Simple 2-3 item kits, Complex multi-component kits, Custom configured per order, No kitting
• What is expected kit throughput per day or per shift?
• Are components serialized, lot-tracked, or subject to quality checks prior to assembly? Options: Serialized, Lot-tracked, Require QC, No
• Should kitting be done at receipt (pre-kitting) or at pick/pack time (make-on-demand)? Options: Pre-kitting at receipt, Make-on-demand at pick, Hybrid
• Will kitting require seasonal scaling, temporary staffing, or dedicated workcells? Options: Yes - seasonal scaling, No - steady state, Occasional spikes
• Are there packaging, labeling, or assembly inspection requirements specific to kits? Options: Custom packaging, Single SKU label for kit, Component-level labeling, Other

Custom Packaging and Labeling

• Do you require custom-branded packaging, neutral packaging, or both by channel? Options: Custom-branded, Unbranded/Neutral, Both depending on channel
• Which labeling standards must be met (GS1/SSCC, Amazon FBA, carrier-specific)? Options: GS1/SSCC, Amazon FBA, Carrier-specific, Other
• Are there site-specific packing rules to enforce (tape type, void-fill, seals)? Options: Yes - strict rules, No - provider standard
• Do you need variable data printing (invoices, promotional inserts, serial numbers) at pack time? Options: Yes - variable printing, No
• Is weight and DIM capture required per carton for freight billing and rating? Options: Yes - required, No
• Do custom packaging or labeling runs require advance tooling, pre-production samples, or lead time?

Return Processing and RMA Fulfillment

• What return authorization process do you use (RMA portal, email, phone)? Options: RMA system/portal, Email approval, Phone approval, No formal process
• What disposition rules apply to returns (restock, refurbish, scrap, return to vendor)? Options: Restock, Refurbish, Scrap, Return to vendor, Quarantine for inspection
• Do returns require inspection, testing, or reconditioning before restock? Options: Yes - inspection/testing, Yes - reconditioning, No - direct restock, Case-by-case
• Which return outcomes must be triggered by the workflow (refund, replacement, store credit)? Options: Refunds, Replacements, Store credit, Customer-managed
• What SLA do you require for processing returns and final disposition? Options: Same-day, 24-48 hours, 3-7 days, Custom
• Do you require reverse logistics reporting and cost allocation per return for chargebacks or recovery? Options: Yes - cost per return, No - summary reporting, Custom

Cross-Docking and Flow-Through Fulfillment

• Will you have flow-through shipments that bypass storage for immediate outbound movement? Options: Yes - same-day flow-through, Yes - timed transfers, No
• Approximately what percentage of inbound volume will be cross-docked or flow-through? Options: Less than 10%, 10-30%, 30-60%, 60%+
• Do cross-dock shipments require consolidation by customer, route, or carrier? Options: By customer, By route, By carrier, Mixed
• What staging and transfer SLAs are required between receiving and outbound staging? Options: Immediate (hours), Within same shift, 24 hours, Custom
• Should cross-dock flows include provider-managed consolidation or direct carrier tendering? Options: Direct carrier tendering, Provider-managed consolidation, Hybrid
• What labeling or documentation must accompany flow-through shipments?

Temperature-Controlled Storage and Monitoring

• Which temperature zones are required (select all that apply)? Options: Ambient, Chilled, Frozen, Multiple controlled zones
• Do SKUs require continuous 24/7 temperature monitoring and alerting? Options: Yes - 24/7 monitoring, Periodic logging, No
• What temperature tolerances and reporting frequency do you require?
• Are there regulatory or quarantine procedures to follow in the event of a temperature excursion? Options: Yes - regulatory SOPs, No formal procedures, Custom
• Do products require FIFO, FEFO, or lot-specific rotation? Options: FIFO, FEFO, Lot-specific rotation, Other
• Will temperature-controlled storage require specialized handling equipment or PPE? Options: Yes - specialized equipment, No

• Statement of Work (SOW)
• Master Services Agreement (MSA)
• Service Level Agreement (SLA)
• Pricing & Cost-to-Serve Assumptions
• Accessorials, Minimums & Billing Rules
• Transition & Exit Provisions
• Insurance, Indemnity & Liability Schedule
• Data Access, Security & Integration Appendix
• Reference Checks & Site Visit Confirmation
• Acceptance Criteria Signoff & Pilot Certificate
• Change Order & Scope Amendment Process
• Payment Schedule & Performance Security
• Subcontracting & Third-Party Carrier Approval
• Compliance & Regulatory Responsibilities
• Termination, Renewal & Transition Timing

• Executive Success Review
• Operational Performance Deep Dive
• Lessons Learned & Continuous Improvement Workshop
• Customer Governance & Escalation Handoff
• Technology & Data Reconciliation Session

• Formalize governance roles, meeting cadences, and owners for ongoing operations.
• Pre-work summary & workshop objectives
• Capture a formal lessons-learned record that links root causes to evidence.
• Create a prioritized set of improvement experiments with owners and measurable acceptance criteria.
• Establish a handoff plan to operations for implementing and measuring improvements.
• Publish the lessons-learned report and prioritized improvement backlog.
• Update SOPs/runbooks for changes approved in the workshop.
• Create experiment plans with hypotheses, success metrics, timelines, and owners.
• Schedule implementation checkpoints and result reviews (30/60/90 days).
• Agree escalation SLAs and contacts to minimize time-to-resolution for incidents.
• Create and enable the shared collaboration channel and add primary contacts.
• Governance Charter & Roles
• Welcome & Objectives
• Establish and enable a shared communication channel and ticketing protocol.
• Publish the governance charter, meeting cadence, and escalation matrix to the shared repository.
• Configure ticketing workflows and SLAs in the helpdesk system.
• Deliver a short training session on governance and escalation process to ops teams.
• Reconciliation Summary & Outstanding Gaps
• Resolve or create tickets for all outstanding reconciliation discrepancies.
• Agree on a definitive set of reporting metrics and their authoritative sources.
• Implement alerts and automated checks to prevent recurrence of parity issues.
• Open prioritized engineering tickets for integration fixes with SLAs and owners.
• Deliver an updated KPI dashboard with verified data sources and definitions.
• Configure automated reconciliation jobs and alert thresholds in the monitoring system.
• Obtain formal acceptance sign-off on data parity from customer data owner.
• Confirm whether the engagement met the agreed success signals and financial expectations.
• Obtain executive decision to close the deployment, approve remediation plan, or extend pilot scope.
• Assign executive sponsor and approve governance cadence for ongoing monitoring.
• Publish the executive scorecard with source data and distribute to stakeholders.
• Document the executive decision (close / remediate / extend) and assigned sponsor with dates.
• If remediation required, create a 30/60/90-day remediation plan with owners.
• Enable the agreed shared channel and invite executive and ops leads.
• Pre-read review & confirmation of data sources
• Validate KPI calculations and confirm data integrity for decision-making.
• Identify root causes for the largest deviations and agree targeted corrective actions.
• Assign operational owners and short-term verification checkpoints.
• Produce RCA documents for top 3 variance drivers and circulate to stakeholders.
• Implement agreed short-term corrective actions and schedule follow-up check in 2 weeks.
• Update KPI dashboards to reflect agreed definitions and data sources.
• Schedule recurring operational cadence (daily stand, weekly ops review) with owners.
• Timeline exercise
• One-sentence Current State
• KPI Trend Analysis (OTIF, SLA breaches, throughput)
• Recurring Cadence (Ops, Tactical, Strategic)
• Integration Error Triage
• Facilitated RCA (Top 3 issues)
• Reporting & Dashboard Finalization
• Inventory Accuracy & Reconciliation
• Scorecard Review (OTIF, Inventory Accuracy, Labor Cost, Cost-to-Serve)
• Escalation Matrix & SLA for Responses
• Shared Channel Setup & Ticketing Flow
• Financial & Customer Consequence
• Alerts, Automated Reconciliation & Guards
• Brainstorm countermeasures & experiments
• Labor Productivity & Cost Variance
• Prioritization & Roadmap
• Future-state Confirmation
• Incident & Exceptions Review
• Acceptance & Sign-off Criteria for Data Parity
• Training & Handoff Materials