Age isn't the only sign of trustworthiness, but it's always good to know that a logistics provider has a proven infrastructure and established relationships in the industry. The answer to this question helps you to frame the rest of the discussion.

Possibly the most important part of your logistics partnership is having confidence that your provider has a firm grasp on your business requirements. If they're able to make appropriate recommendations about how to best serve your customers via supply chain improvements, it's a good sign that they'll be a valuable partner. This also helps you to understand any limitations to the service a logistics provider might have, as discussions around customization tend to dig into the details of what can and can't be done.

Beyond all the service details and industry experience, you also want a supplier who does business in a way that aligns with your own company's culture. This helps to minimize friction as you build the relationship, as well as giving you a deeper insight into what values the company holds.

You want your service provider to have an efficient order fulfillment system already in operation, preferably with minimal adjustment requirements to accommodate your business. While the ability to provide customized services may be important to you, the majority of the operation should be standardized so that the potential for disruptions is lowered. Also, remember to ask about building in some slack for storage and short-notice fulfillment. Again, you don't want this to be the norm, but it's good to know that some capacity exists to bend to satisfy unexpected bursts of demand.