What can your company gain from outsourcing your parcel audit? Find out why outsourcing is an excellent idea here.
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What Outsourcing Can Do for You

Keeping your audits in-house may seem like a great way to simplify the process and keep your expenses low. However, outsourcing to a trustworthy service provider may be the best decision your company makes. Let’s take a look at the benefits outsourcing can offer you:

1. Save time
2. Monetary returns: 1-8% of spend
3. Keep your current accounting process
4. Reporting

1) Save Time

Outsourcing the work of a parcel audit to a 3rd Party removes some of the responsibility for the workload from you. You won’t have to spend time tracking every shipment, filing claims, disputing declinations, monitoring whether a promised credit actually showed up on your invoice, and more. That’s the auditor’s job now! You can spend your time focusing on more immediately important work for your company.

Pro Tip: Make sure you have not waived your right to file claims for late deliveries. In some cases, the parcel carrier may have “slipped” this language into your last parcel contract!

2) Monetary Returns: 1-8% of Spendings

When you hire Freight Cowboy for your audit, our process will inspect more than 55 points on your parcel invoice where lost funds can be recovered, including:

• Manifested but never shipped
• Late deliveries
• Erroneous residential charges
• And plenty more!

3) Keep Your Current Accounting Process

We understand that your current accounting process works for you, and we have no intention of forcing you to change it. Our audit changes nothing about your accounting system. Your accounting process stays the same and we only get paid from secured refunds that are credited to your account. If no credits are issued from your provider, there are no charges. 

4) Reporting

When the audit is over, the final reporting you’ll receive will give you valuable insights into your parcel distribution, which can also help with your next shipping negotiation with providers like UPS or FedEx. Optimize your supply chain and shipping costs with this information as you continue to serve clients. These reports also provide a good standard for your shipping process going forward.

A Good Business Decision

Outsourcing your parcel audit gives you the chance to continue keeping an eye on the process, while also allowing unbiased experts to do most of the work for you. In the end, you’ll have a fully optimized report, reduced expenses, and little to no significant changes to your company plans. 

What other reasons are there to outsource your periodic audits? Connect with us to find out.

The post 4 Benefits of Outsourcing Your Parcel Audit appeared first on Freight Cowboy - Shipment Management.

Improve your company’s supply chain with these easily implemented tricks!
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Effective Management Procedures

For your supply chain to function properly, everything has to be integrated correctly to create a perfectly synchronized work environment. In order to keep operations streamlined, make sure you follow these essential shipping management procedures. 

1. Order fulfillment and processing management
2. Warehouse safety inspection
3. Vehicle inspection
4. ISO container inspection

1) Order Fulfillment and Processing Management Technology

A crucial component of customer service is that customers receive their packages on time and undamaged. A small company can handle this challenge much easier than a larger group. As your business grows, consider delegating some of the tasks to others and setting up checklists to ensure the proper standards are met. Provide a positive experience to exceed your customers’ expectations. Additionally, don’t forget about inventory management for your shipping center. A well-managed inventory system will prevent you from buying too much or not enough of supplies you need, ensuring you can always perfectly meet demand.

Pro Tip: Before you send out an LTL shipment, use our rateshopper to ensure you get the best deal possible. Saving money on shipments frees your budget to focus on other crucial expenses.

2) Warehouse Safety Inspection

Of course, this step is crucial for legal compliance and the safety of everyone at your facility. Periodically inspect your shipping warehouse for any potential hazards and take notes & corrective action if needed. Make sure your facility provides a safe and comfortable work environment. Hang safety signs in common areas to prevent incidents.

3) Vehicle Inspection

This is particularly important for your warehouse forklifts. Make sure the vehicles run properly, with no warning lights from the engine or tire damage that could make driving unsafe. Additionally, make sure your vehicles meet all required safety standards. Even if safety inspections aren’t required by law, it’s a good idea to perform checks anyway to prevent a deadly accident later.

4) ISO Container Inspection

Considering the sheer volume of purchased goods shipped in ISO containers, you’ll likely be handling shipping containers frequently. They require periodic inspection to make sure your customers’ items will arrive safely. Look for damage, potential defects, weak spots, and other concerns that could make the container unfit for use.

Improving Your Supply Chain

Improving your shipping service’s supply chain will help you satisfy customers and keep a leading role in the industry. Too many unorganized tasks can be overwhelming, but with specific plans, integrated technology, and work delegation, you can ensure that all standards are met and your customers enjoy a satisfactory experience with your services.

Connect with us for more information on planning your supply chain.

The post 4 Shipping Management Processes to Improve Your Supply Chain appeared first on Freight Cowboy - Shipment Management.

When Should You Hire a Parcel Audit Company

FedEx® and UPS® have guaranteed parcel service failure refunds. The problem is that tracking every delivery and filing for late deliveries is quite cumbersome. If your shipping volumes have increased and you feel like you’re auditing process is taking way too much time, then it’s probably time to work with a company that specializes in parcel service failure refunds. 

Here are 3 ways to know that it’s time to outsource your parcel auditing with an experienced company that specializes in shipment refunds.
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1. Time Commitment
2. Accurate Reporting
3. Bigger Refunds

1) Time Commitment

Oftentimes, small business owners are managing their parcel shipping and their small parcel audits- all while running a business. Billing errors are likely to slip between the cracks when only one person is handling everything. Even if you have a dedicated staff member who sorts through the shipping invoices, the process is time extensive. If they are working on other projects, they’re likely to miss cost savings opportunities. On the backend of this process, you also need to spend time reconciling your future invoices to ensure your claim was credited to your account.

2) Accurate Reporting

Another reason to work with a company that specializes in parcel audit services is to get the most up-to-date and accurate shipment data reporting. This includes parcel carrier invoice audits, shipment tracking, and analyzing shipping rates. The data can be collected for service guarantees, carrier accountability and future reference when it time to negotiate your next parcel pricing agreement.

3) Bigger Refunds

Did you know that over $1 billion in available refunds go unclaimed each year? You can save big on shipping costs because refunds can amount to 2-8% of your total small package expense. The long term costly effects are undeniable. A parcel audit company like Freight Cowboy has 50+ point audit service that finds much more than late deliveries (manifest not shipped, erroneous residential charges, etc.), to further improve the size of your refunds.

Pro Tip: If you want to save money on shipping and receive the refunds you deserve, outsource your parcel auditing needs.  

Guaranteed Shipping

Every package that you ship with FedEx® and UPS® is guaranteed no matter the service level. Don’t let your refunds go unclaimed. Work with a professional logistics team that will get you the parcel service failure refunds you deserve.

Would you like to learn more about parcel auditing? Join us on Facebook to talk with our shipping management experts today.

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