The Hidden Cost of "Just Get It Here"

The hidden cost of "just get it here"

How expedited freight, duplicate inventory, and exceptions multiply at scale

June 1, 2026
By Mike Lizzi and Preston Caughron

Ask anyone involved with data centers and they’ll tell you two truths and a lie. Things are moving faster than ever, the demand is insatiable, and supply chains are keeping up.

The truth is supply chains and procurement complexity are slowing projects down.

Too many are still operating on supply models that were never designed to scale. Capacity is coming online faster than traditional sourcing models can keep up. Teams are changing. Turnover is high. And more often than not, teams are asked to solve problems before they even know which parts, tools, or procedures are needed, but they know they needed that answer yesterday.

To add to the complexity, data centers are in a niche environment. What’s worked in the past or worked for other industries doesn’t fit the world they live in today.

When growth is moving this fast, fragmentation creeps in. The same item gets sourced in five different ways. New sites develop their own workarounds. Teams take on different habits and assumptions. What starts as “just get it here” quietly becomes the most expensive process in the building.

The irony isn’t lost on operators: In an environment built on data, supply decisions are often made with none. These issues rarely show up as prominent failures – but they show up every day as rework, expedited shipping, and operational distraction.

Oddly, standardization is often resisted in moments like this. People often feel like it can be tackled later, once growth slows. In reality, standardization helps new teams ramp up faster, keeps work consistent, and reduces guesswork under pressure, especially in mission-critical environments.

So, how do you standardize when you are moving so rapidly you don't even know what you don't know?

Best practices for data centers

First, let’s identify what standardization should do for you. Namely, it should absorb operational friction that your teams don’t have time to manage while they’re scaling.

The most effective standardization efforts recognize nuance. Not everything needs to be identical everywhere, and rigid standards can create bottlenecks when local needs are ignored. Standardization is consistent access as well as consistent signals, not just “same products everywhere”.

What this looks like in practice is that you’re using data to see what’s being used, where gaps exist, and how to eliminate redundancy before it turns into risk. The ideal result of standardization is that you reduce complexity without creating dependency.

How to choose a data center logistics partner

In our experience, organizations that move away from site-by-site purchasing see three immediate changes: 1) fewer emergency shipments, 2) better inventory visibility, and 3) measurable cost control. These are possible because standardization reduces the need for “just get it here” moments by making the BOM/spares strategy proactive.

An off-the-shelf inventory management program cannot offer you operational efficiency. To achieve results you can actually measure (not to mention be proud of), a strategic supply chain partner should work with you to understand how to improve productivity and profitability for your unique situation.

This process typically starts with an assessment. Suppliers should focus on the results you want to achieve. Three common goals are:

Gain a better understanding of your business needs.
Quantify your total cost of ownership and identify potential savings.
Collect information to provide custom solutions based on industry best practices.

Many strategic suppliers offer an assessment or consultation. To evaluate them, ask yourself these questions.

What do they charge for this assessment and how much disruption can it cause?
Who from your side needs to be involved and who from their side will be there?
What will they need access to in order to conduct the assessment?
What data will they ask for and will you be able to provide it?
What will they provide after the assessment?

Standardization without communication won’t work. This isn’t a one-time project. As your operations evolve, your standards have to evolve with them. In an environment moving this fast, you can’t set standards and walk away. It requires ongoing conversation and understanding of what’s working, what’s changing, and what needs to be adjusted.

The takeaway

The right strategic partner will play a different role. You’ll know they’re the right choice because they’ll help remove decisions. They’ll build managed inventory, approved catalogs, and point-of-use access around how your teams actually work.

The result is fewer overnight shipments, more predictable availability, and standards that hold up when something goes wrong. This is how a strategic supplier improves supply chain efficiency AND removes operational complexity. That pairing is what enables organizations to scale capacity faster without adding headcount or letting inconsistency grow faster than the business itself.

Three more truths: Data center growth will continue. Scaling is inevitable. Complexity doesn’t have to be.

You have several strong options when it comes to finding a strategic partner to support this work. The most important thing is choosing one that can help you create consistency without adding complexity.

This is where we have to mention Fastenal. We’ve worked with operations teams across thousands of sites. At each one we listen, learn, and help build structure around what often begins as fragmented systems.

Our focus is to make your operations simpler, safer, and more scalable. Whether your journey includes us or not, the opportunity to standardize is worth taking.

For an example of this in practice, see our anonymized case study.