Prioritize transit-time improvements and carrier lanes, WMS integration and reporting, SLA and penalty terms, scalable labor and automation options, and transparent cost-to-serve. Also assess safety stock requirements, inbound cross-dock capability, and value-added services such as kitting and returns management.

Better carrier density and multimodal links reduce linehaul and last-mile spend by enabling competitive tendering and shorter routing. They also shrink transit times, improve day-definite options, and lower buffer inventory needs—affecting both cost and service metrics for omnichannel fulfillment.

Require real-time inventory visibility, API-driven order orchestration, configurable SLA and routing rules, automated pick/pack workflows, and exception reporting. Ensure the provider can scale labor or automation modules for peaks and deliver KPI dashboards for OTIF, accuracy, and cycle times.

Model cost-to-serve by SKU and lane: balance lower facility rents against higher parcel and linehaul costs from distance to demand centers. Factor in service-level commitments, transportation network density, and potential inventory recapture through multi-node distribution to optimize total delivered cost.