B2B E-Commerce: The 3PL Solution

In the logistics industry, speed is everything. Orders need to move quickly, customers expect accuracy, and warehouses often operate around the clock to keep supply chains moving. With that pace, employee training can sometimes become an afterthought—focused on getting new hires on the floor as quickly as possible rather than preparing them for long-term success. At Barrett Distribution, the philosophy is different. Training isn't simply part of onboarding—it's the foundation of the company's culture. From the moment a new employee joins Barrett, they're introduced to a clear vision for growth, continuous improvement, and career development. Rather than preparing employees for just today's job, Barrett invests in helping them build a future within the organization. "We're a strong advocate of promotion from within, and the only way to achieve that is through a dedicated training and development environment," says Judith Cantino , Barrett's Vice President of Human Resources. "Promotion-from-within is core to our culture and who we are, and it's introduced and reinforced from Day One of every colleague's New Employee Orientation." Why Training Matters More Than Ever The warehousing and logistics industry continues to face one of its biggest workforce challenges: employee retention. For many warehouse workers, the first week on the job follows a familiar pattern—a safety video, a quick tour of the facility, and then straight to the warehouse floor. While the goal is to get employees productive quickly, compressed onboarding often leaves new hires feeling underprepared. Industry turnover rates regularly range between 36% and 49% annually , significantly higher than many other industries. Much of that turnover happens during an employee's first few weeks, when inadequate training can lead to frustration, mistakes, and ultimately, resignation. Companies that invest in learning and development consistently see stronger employee engagement and retention. Barrett's turnover rate is significantly lower than the industry average, a result the company attributes in part to its long-term commitment to employee development. Training Begins on Day One Every Barrett employee starts with more than just operational instruction. New hires are introduced to the company's mission, values, and the principles that guide every department. Regardless of whether someone joins Operations, Customer Experience, IT, or another team, their development is built around shared concepts that shape Barrett's culture. "From Day One, employees are introduced to Barrett's vision and values," Cantino explains. "Every training program that follows is built around the same core concepts: Lean and Continuous Improvement, and One Call Resolution." By creating a consistent foundation across the organization, employees develop a shared understanding of how Barrett approaches customer service, operational excellence, and problem-solving. Turning Jobs Into Careers For Barrett, employee development isn't about checking a box during onboarding. It's about creating opportunities for long-term growth. The company believes that promoting from within strengthens both the workforce and the business. Employees already understand Barrett's culture, systems, and customer expectations, making transitions into new roles smoother while reducing the learning curve. "Promoting from within builds trust across teams, reduces training time, and saves money," says Cantino. "It shows people that they have a future here, which keeps good employees from leaving—and when people see a coworker move up, it motivates the whole team to work harder." She adds, "Promotion-from-within takes a job and turns it into a career." That philosophy is supported through specialized training programs, a dedicated learning management system, and development opportunities designed specifically for Barrett employees. Learning Doesn't Stop After Orientation Employee development continues well beyond a new hire's first weeks. Barrett offers compliance training, department-specific education, and specialized programs that help employees build both technical and leadership skills throughout their careers. Among those opportunities are the Always Better Champions Program , designed for supervisors and above at remote locations, and the Emerging Leader Program , which prepares high-potential employees for future leadership roles. Operations employees and Barrett's Centers of Excellence also have access to an English as a Second Language (ESL) program, while the company's Safety team provides OSHA training for leaders, equipment operators, and remote employees to help maintain a safe working environment. Operational excellence remains another major focus. Barrett's Operations Excellence (OPEX) team supports training across more than 120 operational skills, processes, and standard operating procedures. Meanwhile, the company's learning management system gives employees access to more than 60,000 courses from over 120 publishers , covering topics that range from leadership and project management to artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, communication, and professional development. The goal is simple: provide employees with the tools they need not only for their current role, but also for the next step in their careers. Preparing Employees for Every Customer No two Barrett customers operate exactly the same way. From consumer packaged goods and apparel to health and beauty, food and beverage, and ecommerce brands, every client has unique operational requirements. Rather than relying solely on general warehouse training, Barrett prepares employees using customer-specific procedures. "Employees learn Customer-Specific Standard Operating Procedures," Cantino says. "They're prepared for the exact requirements of the account they support—not just warehouse work in general." This customer-focused approach helps ensure employees understand the unique expectations of each operation, supporting both service quality and operational consistency. Investing in People to Better Serve Customers Training isn't just an internal initiative—it directly impacts the customer experience. Employees who understand warehouse processes, customer requirements, and Barrett's operational standards are better equipped to work accurately, solve problems, and respond to changing business needs. Continuous learning also supports Barrett's culture of Lean thinking and continuous improvement, helping teams identify opportunities to improve efficiency over time. While many organizations view training as a short-term expense, Barrett sees it as a long-term investment. As Cantino puts it, the company believes in preparing employees not just for the job they have today, but for the career they can build tomorrow.  That investment benefits everyone—from employees looking to grow professionally to customers who rely on Barrett for consistent, high-quality logistics services.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing the way warehouses operate, helping logistics providers improve efficiency, increase visibility, and make better business decisions. While robots often receive the most attention, AI's greatest impact is happening behind the scenes—analyzing data, improving inventory management, forecasting demand, and helping warehouse teams respond to challenges more quickly.  As customer expectations for faster shipping and greater accuracy continue to rise, AI is becoming an increasingly valuable tool for modern fulfillment operations. AI Is Enhancing Decision-Making Every day, warehouses generate thousands of data points through inbound shipments, inventory movements, customer orders, and outbound deliveries. AI can process this information in seconds, identifying trends and recommending actions that would otherwise take hours of manual analysis. Rather than simply reporting what has already happened, AI helps warehouse managers anticipate future challenges. It can recognize demand patterns, forecast labor requirements, identify potential bottlenecks, and improve operational planning before problems impact customers. According to McKinsey & Company, generative AI is helping supply chains improve forecasting, logistics planning, and real-time decision-making while increasing operational agility. Smarter Inventory Management Inventory accuracy remains one of the most important factors in successful fulfillment. AI allows warehouses to move beyond simply tracking inventory levels by analyzing historical sales trends, seasonality, and purchasing behavior to better predict future demand. These insights help businesses reduce stockouts, minimize excess inventory, and position products more efficiently throughout the warehouse. Better inventory planning not only improves customer satisfaction but also reduces unnecessary storage and transportation costs. As AI continues to evolve, predictive inventory management is becoming an important competitive advantage for brands looking to build more resilient supply chains. Automation Is Becoming More Intelligent Warehouse automation has existed for years, but AI is making these technologies significantly smarter. Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), automated picking systems, and intelligent sortation equipment can now adapt to changing warehouse conditions in real time. Instead of following static instructions, AI allows these systems to continuously optimize routes, prioritize work, and respond to fluctuations in order volume. Industry experts note that this combination of automation and AI creates warehouses that are more flexible, efficient, and scalable while allowing employees to focus on higher-value work. AI Isn't Replacing Warehouse Employees One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding AI is that it replaces warehouse workers. In reality, most organizations are using AI to support employees rather than eliminate them. Experienced associates still play a critical role in quality control, problem-solving, customer service, and operational decision-making. AI simply gives teams better information to make those decisions faster and with greater confidence. McKinsey emphasizes that organizations achieve the greatest value from AI when they combine advanced technology with skilled employees and well-designed operational processes. AI Adoption Is Accelerating The logistics industry is investing heavily in AI, automation, and digital transformation. DHL's 2025 Insight 2030 survey found that 73% of supply chain leaders expect their supply chains to become more reliant on AI within the next five years . The survey also found that companies are increasing investments in robotics, automation, and data-driven technologies as they prepare for future growth and ongoing supply chain disruption. These findings suggest that AI is quickly becoming a standard component of modern warehouse operations rather than an emerging trend. What This Means for Brands Choosing a 3PL For companies evaluating a fulfillment partner, AI should be viewed as one piece of a much larger picture. The most successful 3PLs combine experienced people, proven operational processes, and modern technology to deliver reliable results. Technology can improve forecasting, inventory visibility, and operational efficiency, but it works best when supported by knowledgeable warehouse teams that understand their clients' products, customers, and business goals. At Barrett Distribution Centers, we continue to evaluate technologies that improve operational visibility, increase efficiency, and support long-term client success. As AI continues to shape the future of warehousing, our focus remains on combining innovative technology with experienced people to deliver flexible, scalable fulfillment solutions that grow alongside our clients.