How to Develop Trust with a 3PL Provider

If you’ve ever dealt with a missed delivery window or a partner who went silent during a disruption, you know how important trust is in a logistics relationship. For shippers, manufacturers, and distributors, trust isn’t a bonus, it’s the foundation of reliable service.

But when evaluating a new 3PL—or reconsidering your current one—how can you tell who’s worth trusting?

According to WSI President Paul Simmons, trust isn’t built in a moment. “Even in the best 3PL relationships, there are moments of discontent,” he said in a recent episode of the Real Leadership podcast. “But with trust, you can have healthy disagreements and have a strong partnership.”

Trust happens in two stages:

1. Gaining it
2. Maintaining it

So, how do you know if a 3PL is capable of both? Below, Simmons shares five traits that define trustworthy logistics partners, especially when things don’t go as planned.

1. Active Listening

How many times have you communicated a thought or detailed a story to someone who acted as though they were listening, but it was obvious they were not?

According to Simmons, it’s important to listen to understand, instead of merely listening to respond. Active listening, being fully present in the conversation, helps leaders and employees genuinely support one another and their customers. “If you consider trust as the foundation of any relationship, active listening and honest communication create positive change. And when you continue to grow that trust, customers can get a more holistic view of performance.”

2. Straight Talk

Business interactions can be unpredictable, and the outcomes can be managed when trust is present between both parties. Simmons has worked with many people, each with different communication styles, and found that exercising straight talk is the most caring and efficient way to converse, even in challenging moments.

“Nothing’s worse than someone talking around things for a half hour because they’re avoiding a difficult discussion. Providing healthy feedback and giving suggestions for improvement, through kindness and professionalism, helps people accept the information easier,” he added.

Because communication is not one-sided, it’s important to consider how the message could be received, no matter how much caring was involved. And for leaders responsible for internal and external communications with their teams and customers, timing and tactfulness can deepen trust or dismantle it when disrespected.

“Sometimes in the moment, we say something we regret or send that email before rereading it 24 hours later. When that happens, there’s nothing wrong with being vulnerable and owning the mistake,” says Simmons. Truth is trust.

3. People, Process, and Technology in Perfect Sync

When customers begin their search for a trusted 3PL, they often use technology to weigh the strength of one logistics company compared to another, as if the innovation is a basis of trust. It can be if the innovation provides greater operational visibility and transparency within the organization itself and between the 3PL and its customer. For Simmons, technology is only “one leg of the stool.”

WSI’s core values rest on their people, process, and technology working in perfect sync—evident in every department, company site, and strategic relationship. The benefits of this system cannot be realized if any of the elements are missing.

Simmons views people, process, and technology as inter-looping, overlapping, concentric circles. “If you don’t have people who are capable, competent, and invested in using that tool, you might as well have no technology. If there are people following one process in one building, and a different process in another building, that doesn’t align either. You lose productivity and don’t serve customers well. When the three fail to work in harmony, something will break,” compromising the trust built.

4. A Proven Track Record 

Consistent communication and integrating the latest tools and technologies assists a 3PL provider in managing the day-to-day and planning for tomorrow, but company strength is also measured by getting past the unanticipated hurdles.  

Simmons recalls his time at WSI during the global pandemic. “We treated our people well and served our customers well; it’s been WSI’s mark of value for 60 years. And during that time, we had very little turnover, and it reinforced why the customer experience and employee experience are important to us.”

He says their 60 years of stability have set WSI up for longevity and growth in the industry, plus their best-in-class tech stack keeps businesses compliant, well above their competitors. But it’s the national storage, distribution, and transit network that sets them apart.

“We have over 13 million square feet of space and about 40 facilities across the country. WSI also has the largest rail-served facility network in the logistics industry, so we move product via truck and rail car while partnering with all the Class 1 railroads.” With customers’ supply and demand requirements in flux, having flexibility within the network is an advantage—Simmons has witnessed it time and time again.

5. Calm Under Pressure

Cooler heads prevail, a phrase not fully understood until a mishap on the warehouse floor compromises product integrity, worker safety, production, and route schedules. With so much at stake, tempers can flare, offsetting internal teams and putting customer relations in jeopardy.

Simmons has seen how quickly tense situations can be diffused when people instill a sense of calm. Being that logistics roles are customer-facing, and we collaborate often with external partners, having patience helps us take a breath before we deal with conflict, make decisions, and resolve problems.

“We’re all working harder and moving faster than we ever thought possible.” For him, patience also means “taking time to understand the wins in our work life and be proud of what we’ve accomplished.”

With Trust, Relationships Last

Every logistics provider talks about reliability. But at the end of the day, it’s trust that keeps customers coming back.

At WSI, trust is built through action: consistent communication, honest feedback, and a shared commitment to doing things right. That’s what drives long-term partnerships—and long-term results.