Wasting Money When Shipping Freight

They are wasting Money When Shipping Freight. Small businesses are no strangers to the fact that every dollar counts. Supply chains everywhere need to know how to save money while running smoothly. But logistics is a tricky industry, and there are easy ways to waste money when shipping freight. Follow along to see what mistakes to avoid the next time you ship freight.

Getting Blindsided by Billing Adjustments

 

One of the most common ways to waste money is through billing adjustments. Costly adjustments post-shipment can wreak havoc on your freight budget. Knowing the basics of billing adjustments and how to avoid them will help you avoid wasting money. Accessorials (a fancy word for add-ons) are often the culprit behind these post-shipment adjustments. But rest assured; you can prevent these types of billing adjustments. Even the most minor additional shipping service not added when obtaining a quote can result in a costly billing adjustment. Some commonly overlooked accessorials include but are not limited to the following:

People often assume carriers function as movers or that the friendly driver will pick up or deliver your cargo inside your business’s front door. However, this is an inside pickup/delivery service that is an extra fee if performed, even if you don’t formally request it.

Locations can be classified as limited access locations depending on certain conditions or require liftgate services if there’s no loading dock at pickup or delivery.

Visit our Guide to Freight Packaging for the best practices for packaging your cargo and the basics about the different types of freight packaging. A large portion of every supply chain should be dedicated to ensuring packaging procedures are in tip-top shape.

Visit our Guide to Spec Sheets to learn how to be prepared if a billing adjustment for weight or dimensions occurs.

 

Not Using a 3PL

 

Third-party logistics companies (3PLs) specialize in finding affordable, custom shipping solutions for their clients. They have the expertise, technology and the connections with carriers to meet every shipper’s needs both logistically and financially. Because of the volume of business that’s passed on to carriers, 3PLs are given discounted rates straight from shipping companies they can pass on to their own customers. It’s more affordable to partner with a 3PL than to ship directly with a carrier.

When you partner with a 3PL like FreightCenter, you have your very own centralized shipping department who can quickly find the right lanes and carriers to fulfill your shipping needs using our transportation management system (TMS).

The easiest way to avoid wasting money when shipping freight is by partnering with FreightCenter. We are a 3PL located in Palm Harbor, Florida, and for 20 years we’ve offered the best rates in the industry. We’ve made it our mission to empower supply chains to be effective and efficient.

Get a free quote today or call 800.716.7608 and experience the smarter way to ship with FreightCenter.