Surcharges in Contract negotiations

Surcharges: an integral part of carrier contract negotiations

by BlogCost Optimization

Are surcharges having a direct impact on your shipping costs? Is your company’s bottom line affected by additional fees? Then, it’s time to negotiate shipping surcharges as a part of the carrier contract negotiations. This blog will focus on the different kinds of shipping surcharges and their need to be a part of the carrier contract negotiations. Further, we will discuss the importance of third-party auditors in understanding shipping characteristics.

Surcharges

Surcharges are the additional fees applied by shipping carriers to each package. They appear on the shipping invoices along with the base shipping fee. Parcel carriers announce shipping rates and surcharges increase annually. If a business ships several packages, these surcharges will affect its profits. Moreover, as e-commerce is booming, businesses need to understand the surcharges in detail.

Surcharges are of different categories and depend on a company’s shipping characteristics. For example, a Ground package may cost 10 dollars, but an additional handling charge will cost 80 dollars extra. Shippers can opt for some services as extra charges. But, some surcharges are imposed by the shipping carriers, like fuel surcharges, due to volatile market fluctuations.

Shipping surcharges are many and may confuse many shippers. However, with the help of shipping analytics, common shipping surcharges can be predicted accurately. Shippers can use the predicting tools to manage shipments and reduce costs.

Here are some common surcharges imposed by parcel carriers

  • Demand surcharges

Demand or Peak surcharges will apply to packages shipped during the peak season. In addition, the service levels, shipping zones, and package weights are a part of the shipping invoice. Shippers can negotiate for these surcharges so they do not pay extra during the peak holiday season.

  • Additional handling surcharge

Shipping carriers such as UPS, FedEx, and USPS have additional handling charges as a part of the surcharges. They force the shipping surcharge on shippers depending on the parcel weight, dimensions, and packaging. While FedEx imposes shipping rates based on shipping zones, UPS does it based on the parcel weights. High-volume shippers can avoid this surcharge by negotiating in advance with fee reductions.

  • Address correction surcharge

This fee is applied when parcel carriers have to update the customer address for package delivery. Further, extra efforts and resources are required to amend the address and re-route the package. Shippers can avoid this surcharge by using different parcel carriers like USPS. Or, they can bargain for a surcharge discount during carrier contract negotiations.

  • Fuel surcharges

This surcharge is a variable fee that changes weekly depending on the market fuel prices. Fuel surcharges vary from carrier to carrier. Companies can negotiate for a fixed or variable fuel surcharge. In addition, shippers can choose the shipping carriers that offer discounts on fuel surcharges.

  • Residential surcharges

This fee is for Package delivery to a home or private residence. Shipping carriers charge additional fees as there are few package deliveries to residential areas. If there are several residential deliveries for some businesses, they can negotiate for a surcharge discount.

  • Delivery Area Surcharge

This surcharge is applied to packages when the package delivery is for remote locations or distant ZIP codes. Shippers have to evaluate their strategies for the delivery of packages. Negotiating with parcel carriers on discounts for this surcharge is possible with the relevant shipping data in real time.

  • Saturday or Sunday Delivery surcharge

Weekend deliveries are costly for shippers and are passed onto the customer frequently as part of the shipping costs. It may lead to customer dissatisfaction and loss of business. Shippers can opt for USPS, which does not charge for weekend shipments, and gain benefits.

The above are a few of the common surcharges. Different shipping carriers have several names for shipping surcharges. So, to understand the shipping surcharges, businesses have to ask for discounts at the negotiating table. Shippers keep their shipping data handy when asking for a surcharge discount from the parcel carriers. For reliable assistance in negotiating shipping surcharges, opt for services from Audintel.

Carrier contract negotiations made easy with Audintel.

It’s common knowledge that surcharges increase annually for all parcel carriers like FedEx and UPS. Some parcel carriers allow discounts for some shipping zones and services. But do businesses know which parcel carriers provide the best surcharge discount for their shipping characteristics? Experts like Audintel guide shippers to negotiate for the best surcharge discounts with shipping carriers. We get statistics for clients like shipping zones, Dimensional weights, and more to help them in carrier contract negotiations. Audintel keeps track of the surcharges of the parcel carriers and aids shippers in negotiating for a lower rate.

To sum it up

Shipping surcharges are part of additional fees imposed on some shipments by parcel carriers. Businesses shipping packages require to pay additional fees to shipping carriers. However, with data-driven information, shippers can negotiate surcharge discounts at the negotiating table. Audintel empowers its clients with innovative solutions to reduce shipping surcharges and boost profits. To know more about shipping surcharges and ways to minimize shipping costs, contact us at +1 (619) 354 8539 or visit our Audintel website.

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Why is periodic up-gradation of carrier contracts essential?

by BlogCost Optimization

How recent is your contract with your parcel carrier? Is it a few days or years old? Does your contract offer discounts for some services? These are some questions that businesses need to address in 2022. With this in mind, contracts with shipping carriers play a crucial role for companies.

A periodic contract review is essential to minimize financial and legal risks. This article explores the importance of carrier contracts. And the ways to navigate the challenges shippers face during parcel carriers negotiations.

Importance of carrier contracts

With the rise in fuel prices, businesses have to be careful they do not pay for “peak”  surcharges. Recently, parcel carriers such as UPS and FedEx have raised General Rate Increase (GRI), among surcharges. The impact of these surcharges will affect shippers’ budgets and resources. A robust contract with shipping carriers ensures that businesses pay the amount mutually agreed by the two parties. But, shippers have to be aware of when their contracts end, or it may cost them dearly.

Challenges faced while negotiating with parcel carriers

In the first place, shippers need to know the challenges they face during contract negotiations. Incidentally, parcel carriers have in-depth knowledge about a business’ shipping characteristics. And so, shipping businesses have to know about their shipping history before negotiating with the parcel carriers. Here’s a list of challenges that shippers need to address:

  • Identify the areas to save money

Shipping history and past shipping data help shippers understand the areas to reduce shipping costs. Shipping businesses should know their shipping services with the carriers of their choice. They have to review factors influencing the shipping spend, such as shipping zones of parcels, the weight of packages, package dimensions, and more. Knowledge of one’s shipping characteristics helps businesses close better deals with parcel carriers.

  • Examine the often used accessorial charges

Additional expenses may reduce to a large extent by examining shipping data. For instance, residential deliveries are more costly than commercial deliveries. Further, surcharges like additional handling, address correction, large packages, remote areas, etc., add to the shipping costs. During negotiations, shippers need to find ways to eliminate the extra charges.

  • Keep parcel carriers’ competitor’s data ready

Shippers should have the competitor’s data handy during negotiations with parcel carriers. This data gives an upper hand to shippers to secure better rates in the carrier contracts. In addition, businesses know what to bargain for when negotiating with shipping carriers.

  • Work towards a mutually beneficial contract

Shipping businesses need to work towards a mutually benefitting carrier contract. The contract has to be drafted so that shippers can ask for renegotiations at no particular time. The contract should not be time-bound or favor the parcel carriers. A mutually beneficial carrier contract makes life easy for both shippers and shipping carriers.

  • Do not waive money-back guarantee services

It is a vital part of carrier contract negotiations. Parcel carriers like UPS and FedEx offer a money-back guarantee for late deliveries of packages. However, during contract negotiations, they ask businesses to waive the money-back guarantee clause by offering discounts. Shippers need to be careful not to waive the money-back guarantee clause as they will lose money in the long run.

  • Ask for discount incentives

Each shipment is eligible for discount incentives from the parcel carriers. Carrier contract negotiations involve discounts based on the weight of packages, type of services, and shipping zones. In addition, based on shipping volumes and their shipping data, shippers ask for a discount.

  • Avoid risks by partnering with experts

Shippers can avoid financial risks by partnering with audit experts. Detail analysis of shipping data gives an idea of the overall cost of each shipment. Companies need to hire extra resources to understand the intricacies of shipping rates of various parcel carriers. It is where audit firms such as Audintel can provide the leverage to save money for companies.

The significance of periodic renegotiation of shipping carrier contracts

In addition to the challenges mentioned above, shipping companies need to renegotiate their carrier contracts. Parcel carriers may dissuade shippers from renegotiations, citing no change in shipping costs or disruption in carriers’ discounts. However, shipping companies need to renegotiate their carrier contracts periodically to benefit from discount incentives. Shippers have to balance budgets along with providing best-in-class customer services. If the current carrier contract does not help shippers, it is best to renegotiate or consider using other shipping carriers.

How does Audintel help in carrier contract negotiations?

Audintel’s team analyzes the data of the client and the parcel carriers to give the best deal. Our experts have a deep understanding of the working of parcel carriers’ pricing models. We root out anomalies in carrier contracts so that our clients get the best service rates. Audintel considers the current market conditions that will influence negotiations. We negotiate for our clients fairly and transparently and save money.

Conclusion

The parcel industry has faced several challenges in the past two years. The challenges include shipping delays from parcel carriers, capacity constraints, etc. In addition, UPS and FedEx have surcharges increasing every year. The frequent increase in expenses is hurting the bottom line of many shippers. Audintel assists shipping companies in carrier contract negotiations by auditing their shipping spend. We inform shippers about new carrier practices and encourage them to upgrade their carrier contracts periodically. Finally, for queries on shipping carrier contracts and negotiating tips, get in touch with us or you can call us at +1 (619) 354 8539. However, you can also learn about our services on the Audintel website.