3PLLINE [ INSIGHT ]
by Elijah Ray Chief Customer Officer, Sunland Logistics Solutions Elijah@sunlandls.com | 864-295-0081
7 Principles That Make Strategic Relationships Work Over my years of being part of the third-party logistics discipline, I have often seen and heard shipper/3PL relationships characterized as a marriage. This is a fitting characterization, given the covenant nature and commitment of these strategic business agreements.
for ensuring this desire to know more never dies. The 3PL especially holds the responsibility to create systems and practices to ensure knowledge of their strategic customer’s organization and their end customers. Principle #2: Nurturing Your Fondness and Admiration. Gottman’s work unearthed the fact that couples who intentionally and genuinely pay attention and nurture areas of fondness and admiration for each other, stay together and their marriages do well.
intentionality around new learnings and staying in touch with each other over time. Appealing to the likes and preferences of the partner strengthened the marriage. This principle is highly relevant in 3PL/shipper relationships starting in
I recently benchmarked relationship experts and came across a book entitled The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work by John M. Gottman. As I read the principles described in this book, I began to see undeniable parallels between the principles that make marital relationships and strategic partnerships work. I will share those parallels in hopes that it might serve a two-fold purpose: 1. To potentially enhance your personal relationships. 2. To give you insights into how to strengthen your strategic business relationships. Principle #1: Enhance Your Love Maps. Gottman’s in-depth research on successful marriages found that knowledge of each other is a strength and a primary indicator of a strong marriage. In his research, the more a couple knew about each other’s likes and dislikes, the more successful their marriage was. This includes
When shippers and 3PLs know each other and why there is mutual value, it helps them get through the stormy phases of the relationship.
I might call this principle Nurture the Positive Relationship Attributes. In other words, they had to remember why they liked each other and consider those traits worthy of honor and respect. If shippers and 3PLs have done a good job with the first principle and they know each other and why there is mutual value, it helps them get through the stormy phases of the relationship.
the courting phase. It might be more appropriate to call it Enhance Your Relationship Practices. When both parties conduct adequate diligence in getting to know each other with an eye for attributes that matter to them, the more they set the relationship up for success. Given the nature of these relationships, both sides are responsible
84 Inbound Logistics • January 2026
Powered by FlippingBook