When you are in the business of shipping and receiving freight and cargo, one would assume that you are well versed in the current rates and regulations for shipping.
However, if you are independently managing your company's logistics needs, it is a real possibility that you could be overpaying for your freight and cargo.
The reason is that you are only aware of the rates of the companies that you currently use.
Without substantial time investment, it is not possible to know the rates of other carriers who could potentially save you money.
Third-party logistics specialists are able to save your company time and money when they are employed to manage or enhance your shipping and receiving department.
If you could know the rates of your competitors, their customer satisfaction ratings, their on-time percentages, and their ease of doing business, wouldn't it be worth the time investment to check them out? Third party logistics companies are work diligently to make sure that they optimize their freight with their standard carriers and thereby saving your company money.
They are experts at less-than-truckload shipping and can quickly and efficiently manage all of your shipping needs.
They have a large pool of carriers from which they can coordinate the best movement of your cargo at the best shipment time and rate.
If a company is not using third party logistics management tools then the company is losing money.
One vital aspect to using third party companies is that they are skilled in the negotiations of shipping rates and contracts for out-bound, in-bound, and less than truckload shipping.
This is one area that they are especially valuable and knowledgeable and the one area where they can save your company the most money and resources.
Perhaps you do not want to pay for a third party company to handle all of your shipping and freight needs.
If this is the case, then you may want to consider purchasing specialized software that can help your company be more competitive and cost effective.
Your shipping department can be more effective when they employ the use of logistics resource-management software that can help administer, organize, and manage even the smallest company's logistics needs.
They help keep inbound and outbound shipments within the shipping guidelines and helps to eliminate human errors which can be very costly to a business, especially if that error is made time after time.
Most software contains rating information, routes and maps, detailed notes and instruction sections, and both internal and external compliance guidelines.
This technology can not only save time with these features, but it can also save your company money by turning an "average" shipping and receiving department into a streamlined, highly effective one.
Third party logistics companies and logistics resource-management software can help make sure that your business is getting the best-matched carrier to your needs.
They can also make sure that you are also getting the best available rate, every time! If your business hasn't taken advantage of these great tools, then it is very probable that you are losing valuable time and money on your shipping solutions.