Evaluate location relative to target markets and carrier hubs; dock door count, yard space, and racking; WMS functionality, integrations (API/EDI), and reporting; labor reliability and seasonal scalability; SLAs for order accuracy and OTIF; transparent billing and inventory controls to avoid hidden costs.

Proximity to demand centers reduces miles, fuel and time, enabling tighter delivery windows and lower last-mile costs. Better carrier density increases pickup frequency and consolidation options; cross-dock and zone-skipping strategies from a Bururi location can reduce delivery tiers and improve overall transit performance.

Negotiate clear SLAs (OTIF, order accuracy, lead times), billing cadence and unit charges, inventory visibility and reconciliation cadence, API/EDI or portal access for real-time data, capacity scalability clauses for seasonality, and defined termination/notice terms to mitigate operational risk.