ColdTrack’s Chief Revenue Office, Warner Siebert, joined a panel discussion at this year’s Home Delivery World event in Nashville, TN in May: From Vendor to Partner – Rethinking the Role of Your Last Mile Carrier. Below is an edited recap in case you wanted to further review the session or weren’t able to make it.
Warner joined Matt Greenspan, Director of Logistics and Transportation with Nespresso, and host Adam Bryant, CEO of Jitsu.
Adam Bryant, CEO, Jitsu:
Today we’ll talk about the future of parcel transport and rethinking the role of your last‑mile carrier. My first question is for Matt: How do you approach building a multi‑carrier strategy, and where do regionals fit into this?
Matt Greenspan, Director of Logistics and Transportation, Nespresso:
Historically at Nespresso, we ran a traditional single‑carrier network where success was defined by cost and on‑time delivery. Over the last five years, our mindset has shifted. We now start from the customer and work backwards.
We’re not just asking how to move packages efficiently — we’re asking what kind of delivery experience reinforces our brand and values.
Carrier strategy is no longer just a transportation decision; it’s part of the end‑to‑end customer experience. When evaluating partners, we ask: Can they enhance the experience? Can they give us more flexibility? Do they support our long‑term brand ambitions?
Cost and on‑time delivery still matter, but they’re part of a larger equation.
Regionals become strategic partners because they don’t just move packages — they improve how customers feel about the delivery. As expectations evolve, our carrier strategy must evolve with them, which has driven our expansion into a more diverse network.
Adam Bryant: Warner, same question for you — especially given perishables and the cold chain.
Warner Siebert, Chief Revenue Office, ColdTrack:
A multi‑carrier strategy is critical for our customers. Every box we ship has a 24–48 hour time limit — everything is time‑sensitive. Regional carriers help us increase our one‑ and two‑day footprint while maintaining on‑time performance and cost efficiency.
A single day late means the entire box arrives thawed, which is unacceptable in our industry.
Adam Bryant:
It seems carrier selection is becoming less of an operational decision and more of a brand decision. Matt, how do Nespresso’s brand values influence carrier selection?
Matt Greenspan:
Carriers represent your brand whether you like it or not. For many customers, delivery is the only physical interaction after checkout, and it directly impacts whether they return [an order].
When something goes wrong, customers don’t blame the carrier, they blame Nespresso. Brand values can’t just live in marketing; they must show up in the delivery experience. The journey must feel consistent from checkout to doorstep.
We look for partners whose ways of working align with our brand, who show urgency and ownership, and who share a roadmap for the future.
Warner Siebert:
We want carriers who mimic our brand values: ownership, accountability, urgency, and our CEO’s favorite — “believe and make it possible.” Partners need entrepreneurial DNA.
We can do everything right operationally, but if the carrier doesn’t deliver on time, it reflects on our brand, and especially that of our clients.
Adam Bryant:
If the carrier is an extension of your brand, then the cost equation must be different. Matt, how do you think about the true cost of a carrier, and why do shippers get this wrong?
Matt Greenspan:
Five years ago, we evaluated carriers on cost and service alone. But when you look at the business end‑to‑end, you realize you’re missing a whole set of costs tied to customer experience. You might save a dollar per package, but then you see missed promises, lost or damaged packages, more exceptions, more customer service calls, more replacements, and worst case: customers not coming back. These costs don’t show up on the rate card.
Delivery performance drives customer behavior. Once you see that, you stop treating delivery as a procurement exercise and start treating it as a lever for customer experience.
Adam Bryant:
Warner, how do you think about true cost at ColdTrack?
Warner Siebert:
Everyone focuses on the rate card, but that’s only half the equation. If you save 30% on shipping but 1 in 10 packages arrives late or thawed, you get what you pay for and it will probably even cost you money.
We’ve seen that a single thawed package can increase churn risk by 30%, and two thawed packages by up to 90%.
Adam Bryant:
This is why the distinction between vendor and strategic partner matters. Matt, what separates a true strategic partner from a vendor?
Matt Greenspan:
A vendor moves packages. A strategic partner helps deliver your brand. You want partners aligned with your values, willing to build with you, not just execute a contract. A great example is our circularity work with Jitsu.
Traditionally, customers had to drop off recycling bags at collection points. We asked: How do we bring this service to customers?
Now customers can request a recycling pickup when placing an order. The driver delivers the order and picks up the recycling bag in one step. It removes friction, makes sustainability part of the experience, and increases loyalty and engagement.
What stood out was the speed — from concept to pilot in months. We’re now live in nine markets and expanding monthly. That’s the difference between a vendor and a strategic partner.
Warner Siebert:
One key differentiator is human‑led relationships. In a world of chatbots and forms, being able to collaborate directly with your team matters. Regional carriers like Jitsu help us build custom solutions, plan for peak, and respond quickly when issues arise. That collaboration is what makes a strategic partnership.
Adam Bryant:
Warner, can you give an example of a regional carrier doing something a national carrier wouldn’t?
Warner Siebert:
Your sales team works closely with ours to ensure we’re not stepping on each other’s toes. We go to market together instead of competing, which is rare with national carriers.
Adam Bryant:
Matt, as regionals scale, how do they avoid losing what made them special?
Matt Greenspan:
For me, partnering with a regional isn’t about how many markets they serve. What matters is maintaining collaboration. Scale isn’t the problem — becoming transactional is.
As long as the partnership remains strong, growth actually creates more opportunities.
Adam Bryant:
Warner, same question — how do regionals avoid losing what makes them special?
Warner Siebert:
By avoiding the behaviors of nationals: long accessorial lists, chatbots, slow claims processes. Regionals must maintain entrepreneurial DNA and human‑led relationships even as they grow.
Adam Bryant:
Matt, what advice would you give a shipper who has never used a regional?
Matt Greenspan:
If you’re still running a single‑carrier network, you’re taking on a lot of risk. When something goes wrong — an outage, labor issue, capacity constraint, system problem — you’re not just dealing with an ops issue; you’re breaking a promise to your customer.
A multi‑carrier strategy reduces risk and improves resilience. Start small: one region or one customer segment. Measure not just cost, but experience, loyalty, and brand impact. Look for partners who are curious, tech‑forward, and focused on the customer.
Long‑term, it will be less about regional vs. national and more about partner vs. vendor.
Adam Bryant:
Warner, what do you tell shippers who’ve never heard of a regional?
Warner Siebert:
It’s a no‑brainer. Many shippers think UPS and FedEx are the only options. But top ecommerce brands use regionals to expand their one‑ and two‑day footprint by 10–20%, improve reliability, and reduce cost.
Some shippers worry about losing tiered pricing, but providers like ColdTrack already have trucks leaving daily — you can leverage our relationships without losing your tiers.
Adam Bryant:
To summarize: the true cost of a carrier isn’t just the rate card. The last mile is the last impression you leave on your customer. As you grow, you need a strategic partner who can grow with you.
Regional carriers, as part of your carrier mix, offer alternatives to sometimes rigid national carrier processes. If you’d like to discuss incorporating more regional carriers into your carrier mix without jeopardizing your rate cards, then let’s chat!
