Prioritize SLA clarity (order accuracy, OTIF), cold‑chain capability, throughput and dock capacity, IT integration and EDI/API support, customs and cross‑border handling experience, capacity flexibility for seasonality, and contingency planning for winter operations.

Multimodal links reduce handling and dwell time: direct port access and feeder services lower ocean-to-warehouse transit, rail/road options optimize overland legs, and consolidated carrier networks support predictable routing — collectively reducing total landed cost and transit variability.

Key specs include clear ceiling height for pallet racking and automation, number of dock doors and cross-dock capacity, ISO-class cold and frozen rooms for temperature control, secure inventory staging, and integrated WMS for real‑time inventory and order orchestration.

Negotiate clear KPIs (OTIF, order accuracy, inventory accuracy), SLA remedies and chargeback regimes, transparent tariff schedules, minimum volume flexibility, inventory loss/shrinkage liability, periodic performance reviews, and data access rights for reporting and audits.