Finding a Reliable Packaging Partner
The packaging industry is an incredibly fascinating and diverse world; thousands of companies whose sole purpose is to provide the packaging needs of other companies across a wide spectrum of different industries. As a business owner, finding the best packaging partner for your products or business needs can be a challenging task, especially with so much competition in the packaging industry. How can you be sure your packaging partner is right for you?
Before You Start Looking For A Packaging Partner
Your work for finding a reliable packaging partner starts before you even begin to look up packaging suppliers. The best way to find the right partner is to first identify some key points about your business:
- What are your packaging needs? Do you only need stock packaging products? Custom packaging solutions? A bit of both?
- What are your brand’s core values? How do you want to be perceived in the marketplace?
- Who is your target audience? What are your key demographics?
- What are your competitors doing? How can you differentiate yourself from them?
- What are your Unique Selling Propositions?
Figuring these things out will give you a clearer perspective of what you are truly looking for in a packaging partner and what products and services you need from them. It also gives you a better idea of what packaging solutions you need to best promote your brand and stand out from your competitors.
How to Identify The Best Packaging Partner for Your Business
1. Experience In Your Field or Industry
A solid baseline for a reliable packaging partner is one who has experience in your field or industry. Certain industries may have safety regulations, compliance standards, or unique challenges within the industry. A packaging provider that knows the ins and outs of your field will be better equipped to fulfill any special requirements without trouble.
2. Variety of Products and Services
Having to source packaging products and services from different providers can be both time consuming and expensive. A good packaging partner should have a range of products and services to meet any needs you have. A one-stop-shop provider will help to streamline your supply chain and improve your packaging and shipping efficiency. Some packaging partners may even be able to provide packaging equipment or warehousing, logistics, or fulfillment services.
3. Full-Service Custom Packaging Solutions
Researching and developing the best packaging solutions for your products is a huge investment. Package design, testing, limited-production trial runs, and full-scale production are all critical steps of the packaging development process. If you need custom packaging solutions for your products, a packaging provider that can handle the entire process in-house can save a lot of time and money while making sure your products receive the protection they deserve.
4. Excellent Customer Support
One of the most tried-and-true methods of finding a good packaging partner – or any business, for that matter – is how good (or bad) their customer support is. There are so many things that can go wrong in regards to packaging – supply chain issues, product or material shortages, shipping delays, etc. When things go wrong, it’s important that your packaging partner can:
- Quickly respond to your calls, emails, or other methods of contact
- Clearly communicate how they are attempting to fix the issue
- React quickly when situations come up and provide updates throughout the process
If you have purchased packaging equipment or other machinery from your partner, quick, competent tech support and warranty/preventative maintenance programs are also good indications of a great packaging partner.
5. The Intangibles
Choosing a packaging partner is a serious business consideration. A packaging partner needs to be knowledgeable in the products and services they provide, they need to be honest about what they can and can’t do for your business, and they should want to see you succeed just as badly as you do. A company that takes the time to go over every little detail and ensure they’re providing you with the best products and services possible, that is willing to go the extra mile for their customers, will be infinitely more beneficial to your business than a company that just wants your business.
Are You Looking For A Reliable Packaging Partner for Your Business?
Preferred Packaging Is Here for You
Since our founding in 1985, we have been the preferred packaging solution for hundreds of businesses along the Front Range. We specialize in developing custom packaging that will both ensure that your products are protected during shipping and help your brand stand out. We also offer a wide selection of generic packaging products and materials to suit all your packaging and shipping needs.
Our warehouse, distribution, and logistics services can help you to streamline your packaging process and better utilize your warehouse space and better support your order fulfillment process. Our kitting and assembly services can take a load off your employees and help your business focus on other tasks, while our packaging equipment automation and installation services can further increase your packaging efficiency and aid in the transition to a more hands-off packaging process.
To see what Preferred Packaging Products can do for your business, give us a call at (303) 444-4774 or get in touch with us online to get started.