5 Questions to Ask a Contract Packaging Company Prior to Partnering

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5 Questions to Ask a Contract Packaging Company Prior to Partnering

Posted in ArticlesTagged contract packaging, contract packaging company

If you’re in the market for a new contract packaging company, asking other professionals for advice is a great way to go. However, it’s also important that you take the time to do your own research; otherwise, you may find that the company you’ve chosen is not such a good fit after all. Below are five questions you should ask any contract packaging company before you start working with them.

#1 – How Quickly Will You Answer My Questions?

There’s nothing worse than having a concern about a design or a worry about a shipment that’s due to go out – only to find that your packaging company is not responding to your calls or emails in a timely manner. This is incredibly stressful, and it can seriously damage your trust. You should choose a company that is well-known for its excellent customer service, and if you struggle to get someone on the phone or to answer an email before you’ve even placed an order, it’s a good sign you’ll have a hard time in the future, too.

#2 – How Long Have You Been in Business?

Though newcomers to contract packaging may have access to new, innovative technologies, what they lack is the experience required to help their clients and customers truly grow. Choosing a business that has been open for at least several years helps to ensure that your packaging partner has valuable experience and knowledge in the industry. What’s more, if the company has already been around for a decade, there’s a good chance it will be around for several more to come. This will allow your company’s relationship to truly bloom and serve everyone well in the future.

#3 – What Are Your Production Capabilities?

Every contract packaging company’s facility are different. Some can handle a huge volume of very large orders, but others are better suited for more infrequent smaller orders. Finding out exactly what a company can handle – and perhaps even asking about the largest order with the fastest turnaround time they’ve experienced – can really help you better understand whether a particular packaging company is the perfect choice. After all, if the packaging company struggles to complete your orders, you’ll struggle to put products on shelves.

#4 – What Kind of Packaging Products Do You Use?

Taking the time to learn more about the various materials available to you will serve you well both immediately and in the future. It’s important that your packaging company of choice uses high-quality materials that will not fall apart before the customer can get the product home, and it’s also important that the packaging doesn’t look too “cheap” as this may turn consumers off to your brand. Make sure materials come from quality sources and that equipment is regularly calibrated to ensure the quality of the finished product.

#5 – Can You Ensure On-Time Orders?

This question certainly cuts to the chase and puts the company on the spot. While it’s impossible to say nothing at all will ever go wrong, it’s vital that the company you choose has procedures in place for making up for lost time and plans for resolving as many issues as possible. Your packaging provider should be able to make up for numerous problems – late deliveries, faulty materials, and even inclement weather – quickly and easily. Food packaging companies should be able to answer all five of the above questions favorably before you commit to hiring them. Though there are others, these represent the most important of them all. You will find out how much the company can produce, the quality of that production, and how they will handle their relationship with you now and in the future.