Prioritize WMS integration and real-time inventory visibility, dock-door and racking capacity, available temperature-controlled and bonded space, labor flexibility for peak cycles, and carrier connectivity. Also assess SLA definitions for lead times, accuracy, and shrinkage, plus the 3PL’s reporting cadence and exception management.

A Centro Sur location often reduces inland transit times and last-mile costs to regional consumer centers while offering lower facility costs. Expect improvements in replenishment frequency and potential multimodal savings via road-rail linkages, though port-adjacent delivery times may be longer compared with coastal warehouses.

Look for flexible pick-and-pack configurations, kitting and assembly, returns processing, bonded and cold-storage options, dynamic slotting, scalable labor pools, and robust EDI/API integrations for multi-carrier rate shopping and real-time order orchestration.

Request a detailed cost-to-serve model including throughput, storage, pick, pack, and special handling fees. Define KPIs and penalties in SLAs, run a pilot to validate labor and throughput assumptions, model peak-season scenarios, and conduct on-site audits of safety, security, and technology stack before committing to long-term terms.