Evaluate operational KPIs and capabilities against your order profile. Key checks include:

Prioritize multimodal connectivity: proximity to the M4/M25 for road haulage, access to Heathrow for air freight, and established relationships with national pallet networks and express carriers to enable reliable next-day and timed deliveries.

Require clear details on available infrastructure: racked pallet storage, pick-face density, mezzanine or bulk areas, conveyor and sortation options, pick-to-light or voice picking, and the ability to scale temporary labour and slotting strategies during peaks.

Compare total landed cost and service levels: Slough often gives lower real estate and operating costs than Central London while preserving short transit times. Factor in transport miles to your customer base, delivery SLAs, inventory carrying costs, and access to carrier networks to determine optimal inventory placement and node count.