Choosing a third-party logistics partner is one of those decisions that looks easy until it goes wrong. Everyone’s website says “reliable,” “trusted,” and “on-time.” The trick is figuring out who can actually back it up.
Here are the seven questions we’d ask if we were on your side of the table.
1. Do you own capacity, or broker it? A partner who owns trucks, vans, and warehouse space controls your service. A broker sub-contracts it — which means your reliability depends on carriers they don’t manage. Ask directly.
2. Can I see my deliveries live? Modern logistics should not be a black box. If you can’t log in and watch your own shipments move — with proof-of-delivery photos — ask why not.
3. What’s your proof-of-delivery process? “It was delivered” isn’t evidence. Timestamped, photographed POD is. Ask what they capture, where it’s stored, and whether a human reviews questionable deliveries.
4. How do you handle chargebacks and claims? Things go wrong. What matters is whether your partner tracks failures to the dollar, tells you honestly, and has a root-cause process — or quietly absorbs and hides them until the relationship sours.
5. What SLA reporting do I get? Ask for a sample scorecard. On-time percentage per client, first-attempt success, POD capture rate. If they can only quote a company-wide number, that number is marketing.
6. Are you insured and compliant? Cargo insurance, CVOR, and the right operating authority aren’t optional. Ask for proof, not assurances.
7. Can I talk to a current client? A confident partner will connect you with someone who’s been through peak season with them. Hesitation here tells you plenty.
The right 3PL will welcome every one of these questions — because the honest answers are their sales pitch. The wrong one will get uncomfortable around question three.
3PL vs freight broker: what’s the difference?
They sound similar and are often confused, but the difference decides your reliability. A freight broker arranges capacity — they find a carrier to move your freight and take a margin, but they don’t own the trucks or control the service. A 3PL like Intact owns the operation: our own vehicles, warehouse space, drivers, and technology. When something goes wrong, a broker has to chase a third party for answers; a 3PL fixes it directly.
For a one-off shipment, a broker can be fine. For ongoing fulfillment where consistency, proof of delivery and accountability matter, an asset-owning 3PL almost always delivers a more reliable result — because the people who answer your call are the same people who run the route.
Red flags to watch for when comparing 3PLs
Some warning signs show up before you ever sign: pricing that can’t be broken down line by line, no named account contact, vague answers about inventory accuracy, and contracts that lock you in for years while letting the 3PL adjust rates quarterly. Another subtle one — a provider that won’t walk you through their warehouse or show their systems live. If the demo is a slide deck instead of a screen, keep looking.
References matter more in logistics than in almost any other service category. Ask for two clients of similar size and order profile to yours, and ask those clients one question: what happened the last time something went wrong?
How 3PL pricing models actually work
Most Canadian 3PL quotes combine four components: receiving (per pallet or per hour), storage (per pallet or bin per month), pick-and-pack (per order plus per item), and shipping (carrier rates, ideally passed through with a disclosed margin). Some providers blend these into a flat per-order fee, which is simpler to budget but usually carries a premium. Neither model is wrong — what matters is that you can model your real monthly cost at your current volume and at 2x, and compare providers on identical assumptions.
What a clean 3PL migration looks like
A well-run switch takes four to six weeks: systems integration and SKU mapping first, then a partial inventory transfer to run live orders in parallel, then the cutover. The old and new warehouse overlap for at least a week so nothing ships late during the move. If a prospective 3PL promises a 48-hour migration or, at the other extreme, needs a quarter to onboard you, both answers tell you something about their operations.
Frequently asked questions
What is a 3PL?
A third-party logistics (3PL) provider handles warehousing, fulfillment and delivery on behalf of another business, so the business can scale without running its own fleet and warehouse.
How do I know if a 3PL owns its capacity?
Ask directly whether they own their trucks, vans and warehouse space or broker it out. Owned capacity means they control your service; brokered capacity means they depend on carriers they don’t manage.
What should a 3PL’s SLA reporting include?
On-time percentage per client, first-attempt success rate, proof-of-delivery capture rate, and a clear chargeback and root-cause process — not just a company-wide average.
How long does it take to onboard with a new 3PL?
A typical onboarding takes four to six weeks: integration and SKU setup in week one to two, inventory receipt and test orders in week three to four, then full cutover. Complex catalogues, kitting or regulated products extend the timeline.
Do I need a minimum order volume to work with a 3PL?
Many 3PLs set minimums between 200 and 500 orders per month, but integrated courier-3PLs can often start smaller because fulfillment rides on existing delivery routes. If you’re below a provider’s minimum, ask about a shared-storage starter tier.
Intact Courier & Logistics runs same-day, freight, medical and 3PL delivery across Calgary, Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto and Montreal. Talk to our team or explore our fulfillment services.