The peak playbook: Laura Ball, PHL Group

Behind every peak season sale, there's a 3PL carefully planning and executing multiple operations. We spoke to Laura Ball, Business Development Director at PHL Group, about what goes into preparing for peak, what brands can do to help their 3PL deliver, and why the best time to plan for next year is right after this one.

Peak capacity needs planning

Brands sometimes assume a 3PL simply has spare capacity sitting ready for peak. Laura explains that it doesn't work like that.

"I think people think that we just have this flexibility built in, but actually it's a lot of planning, it's a lot of forethought on the part of 3PLs." — Laura Ball, Business Development Director, PHL Group 

Before peak, PHL contacts every customer to ask about their forecasts and planned promotions. It combines those numbers across its whole customer base to work out how much extra storage, how much additional staff and how much courier capacity it will need. The team also looks back at several years of its own data to spot trends and check that forecasts look realistic.

Preparing for peak can mean investing in capacity well before orders arrive. This year, PHL added around 11,000 sq ft of pick and pack space and 1,350 new pallet locations.

All of that depends on the information brands provide. The earlier and more accurately you share it, the better your 3PL can plan around you.

Give your 3PL a forecast to work with

If brands do one thing now, Laura's advice is to forecast their peak and share it.

"Give us key promotion dates, products that you're expecting to sell really well, so that we can get in behind our customers and help them get those orders out quickly and on time."

A forecast doesn't need to be perfect. It needs to tell your 3PL when the busy days will be, roughly how many orders to expect and which products will drive them, so stock can be positioned and staff scheduled.

Your next move: send your 3PL a weekly forecast showing expected order volumes, key promotion dates and likely bestsellers. Keep it updated as your plans change, so warehouse capacity and staffing can be adjusted accordingly. Our guide to inventory forecasting and safety stock shows how to build one.

The details make a difference

Alongside the forecast, Laura wants brands to share the detail, even the things that seem too small to mention.

"They say the devil is in the detail, and it's true. Don't overlook even the smallest details when communicating with us. Something that might seem insignificant to you could be really important for us to know."

That includes delivery dates, SKU changes, new products and anything changing on your checkout ahead of peak. A new delivery option or a free gift threshold can change how orders arrive in the warehouse.

A change to a product's packaging, a new bundle or a free gift threshold can affect how orders are picked, packed and processed. Giving your 3PL advance notice means these details can be factored into the plan.

Sharing the details also opens the door to help you might not expect. A 3PL that works with many brands has often seen similar plans before.

"We might have some really useful insight from where we've worked with other customers doing similar things."

Put it into practice: before peak, walk your 3PL through every planned change, however small, and ask whether they've seen anything similar work or go wrong for other brands.

Know who's picking and packing your orders

PHL recruits staff throughout the year, so new team members can be trained properly in how the business works, what its values are and what matters to customers, such as pick accuracy and presentation.

The team is also organised to flex. PHL runs core fulfilment teams alongside movable teams, trained to step in wherever the pressure is.

"We'll have a core team on fulfilment and then other people that are trained to come in. On a busy Monday, they can all come and do the pick and pack, but they can also be trained across the rest of the business to go into other areas wherever demand is highest."

That flexibility matters when a promotion takes off over a single weekend and orders need to go out on Monday.

Ask your 3PL: ask your 3PL how it staffs up for peak, when extra staff are recruited and trained, and how quickly people can move onto your account if orders spike.

Have a backup plan ready

Peak is a hard time for couriers too. PHL submits its expected volumes to its carriers well ahead of peak, so collections are locked in. It also holds accounts with several couriers, so it can move volume between them as things change.

Laura says the need for a backup plan was one of the biggest lessons of the pandemic.

"One of the greatest learnings through COVID is the ability to have a plan B in place, especially with couriers. If one of the couriers is starting to struggle, we can seamlessly switch to another one."

Just as important is telling customers what's happening when plans change, so they can update their own customers.

Agree a backup: ask your 3PL which couriers it uses, whether it has booked peak capacity, and what happens if a courier starts missing collections. Our Black Friday checklist covers the other questions to agree.

Turn peak buyers into regulars

Laura's biggest piece of advice for brands facing their first peak looks beyond December. She says some brands and retailers make up to 40% of their sales in this short period, and plenty of those buyers will be shopping with a brand for the first time.

"How do you take these new customers that you've got over peak, which is like a gift, and actually turn them into loyal customers? Plan that customer journey, and how you'll keep those new clients into the new year."

Getting an order out on time is only part of the experience. Packaging, presentation, delivery and any extras included in the parcel all help shape whether a first-time buyer comes back.

"People will say, these guys were really good, they were really organised, I got my products, I will buy from them again. And so then retarget them with promotions and special offers through the next year."

Think beyond peak: before peak starts, plan how you'll follow up with first-time customers in January and February, whether that's a welcome series, a repeat-purchase offer or a loyalty scheme. Make sure your 3PL knows about any inserts or samples you want in first orders.

Your next peak could come from social

Christmas is still the biggest peak for most brands, and seasonal products have their own, such as summer for swimwear. But Laura says brands now need to plan for social peaks as well.

"Do not forget now about social peaks. I think they're really key, and if you've got a social peak at the same time as Christmas, that's really going to increase your sales even more."

Some social peaks are planned, such as a launch, flash sale or influencer post. Others arrive without warning, when customers discover a product and an influencer picks it up.

"There have been brands that have ridden the wave of an unexpected peak on the socials because people discovered their products. Peak isn't just a Christmas phenomenon anymore. Retail is changing."

Plan ahead: tell your 3PL about every planned launch, flash sale and influencer post, with dates. Agree what happens if a product goes viral unexpectedly: how quickly extra staff can be added, how much stock is in the warehouse and how fast more can arrive.

Next year’s peak starts in January

The best time to plan next year's peak is straight after this one. Laura's advice is to record everything while it's fresh.

"Track everything. When you had the sales, what were the problems, what were the challenges? Then in January and February, instead of just putting that to one side, have a plan for next year. Don't leave it until September, because it's not so fresh in your mind."

Track how customers behaved, which promotions worked, which products sold out, where orders were delayed and what customers complained about. Then share it with your 3PL, so it can build the improvements into next year's plan too.

Get this sorted early: book a peak review with your 3PL in January. Bring your data, ask for theirs, and agree on two or three improvements for next year.

What the best brands do differently

The brands that get peak right don't do it alone. They work closely with their 3PL.

"They really do work with us on a very close basis. They treat us as part of their team, and so they're really good at communicating with us." 

In practice, that means telling the 3PL every detail, checking stock delivery dates and changes before they go live, and being clear about what they're promising their own customers.

"They set clear expectations with us about what they're telling their customers they're going to deliver. We know exactly what is expected of us, and I think that really helps for a smooth peak."

Laura's advice comes back to communication, preparation and treating your 3PL as an extension of your team. That means sharing forecasts early, flagging changes as they happen and agreeing clear expectations on both sides.

Find a 3PL that plans peak with you

A smooth peak comes down to sharing your forecast early, communicating every detail, getting stock and packaging in on time and planning how you'll keep the customers peak brings in. Compare 3PLs on fulfilment.com and get quotes from providers that plan peak alongside you.