IT Operations Blueprint for Distributed Work

1. Pick the Right PartnersWhen outfitting a workforce in new (and even familiar)geographies, you need to follow a strict evaluationprocess to make sure the partners you choose arethe most cost-effective and can follow through withtheir promises. There are a lot who say they can shipeverywhere, so why not take their word on it andthoroughly vet them?Here at Firstbase, all our partners go through a rigorousprocess that evaluates them based on our internallydeveloped SOPs (standard operating procedures) & SLOs(service-level objectives) built from industry-leadingexpertise. We then test each with a pattern of shipmentsprior to processing our first customer order to ensureexpectations and scale can be met at all times.What questions are you asking potential providers?We at a minimum ask the below:What is your dock to stock time?When you place an inventory order with your supplier,you need to know how quickly that order is available onyour 3PL’s shelf. 24 to 48 hours is considered a prettycompetitive onboarding service-level agreement (SLA).What are your receiving hours?A good operation should ideally be inbounding Mondaythrough Friday during normal business hours.Where are your warehouses located?If they have a warehouse in each geography you workin, what is the storage cost per device? If not, where doretrievals go?