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Receive refunds quickly with Small Parcel Audit Services

by BlogSpend Management

The US e-commerce parcel delivery market reportedly will grow to USD 160.07 billion by 2032. There is increasing demand for speedy delivery services from small parcel delivery companies. For example, the United States Postal Service (USPS) small parcel delivery is economical, especially for last-mile deliveries. However, it has recently faced international shipping disruptions in many countries due to conflicts, winter weather, and local delivery issues. 

So, what if the small parcels arrive late? What do you do if there are shipping invoice errors? Who do you turn to when faced with late deliveries of packages? We hope it is your small parcel audit service provider. If not, you face the uphill task of asking for refunds from small parcel delivery companies.

This article deals with the small parcel audit services and audit points provided by Audintel. Further, we also mention how the small parcel audits recover refunds for clients.

Small parcel audit services

Small parcel auditing services help businesses overcome manual, time-consuming refund claims. The monitoring and tracking of a parcel shipment by each shipper is possible with automatic parcel auditing software. Shippers receive refunds from small parcel delivery companies for inaccurate fees, late deliveries, etc. In addition, small parcel audit services help recover money for their clients by identifying shipping mistakes.

Small parcel auditors provide options for switching small parcel carriers to shippers. Businesses can benefit by choosing a fast, cost-effective small parcel delivery company. Shippers can choose small parcel carriers that are affordable and don’t have hidden charges. The small parcel delivery companies include major players like UPS, FedEx, and USPS. DHL Express, Sendle, OnTrac, etc., are the other small parcel delivery companies.

Small parcel audits review billing inaccuracies, overcharges, and service failures by small parcel carriers. Further, they help to keep shipping costs under control and optimize shipping spend.

Types of Small Parcel Audits

The types of small parcel audits include manual audits, parcel audit software, and parcel audit services.

Manual audits are time-consuming and laborious, requiring employees to examine each invoice by hand.

Parcel audit software automates the manual auditing process. However,  training and optimum use of the software are essential to get positive results.

Parcel audit services are outsourcing of small parcel audits. It avoids the hassle of learning parcel audit software by companies. It provides shipping strategies and ways to obtain refunds from small parcel carriers.

Small Parcel Audit services: audit points identified by Audintel

In this section, we explore the different audit points that impact businesses. In addition, these audits help in getting refunds from small parcel carriers. Audintel identifies various audit points that need periodic checks. These audit points are categorized further into three types of audits.

1. Service Audits

These audits are for deficiencies in services provided by the shipping carriers. The below audit points target the service deficiencies of small parcel carriers:

  • Late Delivery Ground
  • Late Delivery Air
  • Late Delivery International

Shippers receive refunds for late deliveries by small parcel carriers by ground or air. It can be for domestic or international shipments. Small parcel auditing services inform shippers about the delays in package deliveries.

  • Voids

Small parcel carriers generate labels for all packages. Sometimes, these packages may not be shipped. However, the shippers eventually pay for the non-deliveries. Audintel tracks such non-delivery shipments for refunds.

  • Duplicate Invoices

Small parcel delivery companies generate invoices twice for the same shipment. Audintel identifies the duplicate invoices and requests refunds from them.

  • Duplicate Tracking Number

Parcel carriers give duplicate tracking numbers by mistake. Audintel monitors duplicate tracking numbers.

  • Lost Claims

Audintel makes claims for refunds to the small parcel carriers for lost packages.

  • Damage Claims

Packages damaged during transit are subject to claims. On behalf of the client, Audintel claims declared value or insurance for the damaged packages.

  • Saturday Pick-Up and Delivery Validation

Small parcel carriers pick up packages on Saturday. They charge extra for Saturday pick-ups and deliveries. Audintel validates such shipments. If there are mistakes made, we claim refunds for clients.

2. Invoice Audits

Invoice errors are a part of small parcel audit services. Here are some audit points that monitor inaccurate invoices:

  • Incorrect Rate

Small parcel carriers publish shipping rates every year. During carrier contract negotiations, both parties decide the charges for each package shipped. However, the small parcel carriers may bill excess to the negotiated rate. It leads to billing with inaccurate rates. Audintel audits the shipping rates levied by the shipping carriers and requests refunds where necessary.

  • Incorrect Discount

During contract negotiations, shippers and small parcel shipping carriers decide on discounts based on the shipping needs. Audintel identifies errors in providing the correct discounts by small parcel carriers, leading to refunds.

  • Incorrect Accessorial

Audintel requests refunds for shippers if accessorial fees, like fuel surcharges, are incorrect.

  • Commercial/Residential Adjustments

Small parcel carriers may charge small parcel delivery to commercial establishments at residential location prices. So, small parcel audit services by Audintel recognize the mistakes made by shipping carriers and request refunds.

  • Address Corrections Air or Ground

Packages requiring air or ground shipping do not necessarily need address corrections. However, Audintel requests refunds when shippers face wrong charges for address corrections.

  • Delivery Area Surcharge (DAS)

Shipping carriers charge businesses a surcharge if the delivery area of the small parcel is in a remote location. Audintel requests refunds when the DAS is inaccurate.

  • Hundredweight Shipments

Small parcel carriers provide discounts for multiple shipments going to one location. Audintel advises opting for alternative suggestions by small parcel carriers to save money.

  • DAS Extended

Small parcel carriers may charge extra for shipments with delivery areas beyond the remote locations. Audintel verifies whether the small parcel shipment is in the delivery area beyond the distant location. It requests refunds for discrepancies.

  • DAS Rural

This surcharge is for rural areas. Small parcel auditors verify the surcharge for accuracy.

  • Contract Negotiations

During carrier contract negotiations with the small parcel carriers, there are discussions on shipping rates and other surcharges. Audintel has an expert team to help shippers in carrier contract negotiations.

  • International Import and Export

Small parcel delivery internationally attracts duties and taxes. Audintel audits the shipments to ensure shippers do not pay extra taxes.

  • Incorrectly Billed Collect Shipments

Audintel checks if the shipments paid by third parties are correct.

  • Weight Accuracy

Small parcel audit services help shippers pay the exact amount for parcel weights. For example, a package that weighs 10 pounds may be charged incorrectly as a 15-pound package.

  • Additional Handling Charges

The Audintel team audits the shipments to verify if the shippers pay extra for handling packages.

  • Fuel Surcharge

Audintel verifies the validity of the fuel surcharge.

  • Hazmat Materials

Packages with hazardous materials have higher prices. Audintel audits the shipping invoices for the correct calculation of the shipment.

3. Compliance Audits

Audits conducted by third parties are compliance audits. It is to check if the shippers and small parcel carriers are following the negotiated terms of the contract agreement. The following audit points are integral to the compliance audits:

  • Contract Rate and Tier Audits

Audintel helps shippers with their contract agreements with small parcel carriers to get the best deal. We have expert negotiators who have in-depth knowledge of carrier contracts.

  • Contract Negotiations

Our negotiating team ensures that the shippers’ contract agreements with parcel carriers are correct and there are no discrepancies.

  • Invalid Account Number Usage

Small parcel auditors identify packages having invalid account numbers.

  • Incorrect billed 3rd Party Shipments using the client account number.

Audintel identifies incorrect third-party account numbers that do not exist. It notifies shipping carriers of incorrect billing of third-party shipments.

  • Special Contract Consideration

Audintel notifies shippers of any mistakes made in the contract negotiations.

Small parcel audit services by Audintel: refunds and savings.

Audintel requests refunds from small parcel carriers for mistakes made by them. We ensure our clients receive money in the accounts from  FedEx, UPS, and other small parcel carriers. As a small parcel auditor, Audintel ensures that its services do not end with just providing software solutions. We also ensure refunds for our customers. We help our clients save money by negotiating discounts with shipping carriers.

Final Remarks

Small parcel audit services help businesses request refunds for mistakes of small parcel carriers. Several eligible refunds are unclaimed by shippers. With the help of small parcel audit services, companies can claim refunds and save money. Audintel experts help shippers cut shipping costs with data insights. We help shippers choose the small parcel delivery company that serves their business needs.  Reach out to us for a demo and benefit from our state-of-the-art services. Contact us at +1 (619) 354 8539 or visit our Audintel website to know more about us.

Small Parcel Audit Services.

Advanced and cost-effective small parcel audit services

by BlogTSM Services

Omnichannel retailers and e-commerce are seeing booming growth. Further, businesses can expect a rise in the small parcel shipping volumes. According to some reports, the US Courier, Express, And Parcel (CEP) Market will have increased growth. Thus, there is substantial pressure on shippers to deliver better. Businesses have to give competitive, cost-effective shopping experiences to customers. The need to evaluate and audit different business aspects is necessary.  

Parcel auditing involves examining shipping invoices, analyzing carrier services, and identifying mistakes. Companies can audit their small parcel shipments by manual audits, use audit software, or outsource it. Manual audits require companies to invest resources. In addition, manual audits are prone to human errors. Parcel audit software is expensive and requires a technical understanding of using the software. Parcel audit services manage the entire audit process. They allow companies to focus on their core competencies and increase profits.

Our earlier blogs focused on the challenges of small parcel shipping and the importance of KPI dashboards and Business Intelligence in parcel auditing. Here, we discuss small parcel audit services and some essential audit points. In addition, we highlight Audintel’s small parcel audit services.

Small parcel audit services

During the peak season, shippers worry whether their parcels are reaching customers on time. If shippers send thousands of parcels daily, keeping track of each shipment is tedious and time-consuming. It is easier to outsource auditing small parcel shipments to companies specializing in this field.

An in-depth review of shipping invoices is integral to parcel audit services. Moreover, parcel auditing services validate carrier contracts. The analysis of shipping data provides valuable insights into shipping operations. With the help of advanced technology tools, small parcel audits identify shipping errors. These errors could be wrong weights of parcels, incorrect entry of addresses, etc. Several shipping mistakes can occur during small parcel shipping.

Parcel audit services have identified more than 50 audit points. Some of the noteworthy audit points include:

Late deliveries

Delays in delivery of small parcels or late deliveries affect businesses. Shippers either offer refunds or discounts to customers to retain them. Late deliveries can impact customer satisfaction and loss of business growth. Negative online reviews from the affected customers can cause more damage to businesses.

Companies can prevent late deliveries by using parcel audit services. Parcel auditors provide real-time tracking of shipments. It allows shippers to claim refunds from parcel carriers for late deliveries. Real-time delivery updates sent to customers and package locations make the customers invested in the shipping process. Further, shippers can also partner with third-party logistics providers (3PL) to prevent late deliveries.

Items manifested but not shipped.

Shipping manifests are documents detailing the goods to be shipped. Complete shipping information for multiple shipments is part of the manifest. The manifest contains a package quantity, weight, and reference number. Shipping manifest allows seamless handover between shipper and parcel carriers.

On placing orders, the generation of manifests and billing occurs. However, orders may change after the billing of the manifest. For example, a company has to ship eighty packages. A manifest is created and billed. But, if the company wants to add ten more packages to the order, there is a new manifest generation, and the shipment occurs. But, the company has to pay fees for the original manifest, which was not shipped. In addition, it has to pay for the ninety packages shipped. The double billing leads to a rise in shipping costs for the company.

Parcel audit services have software platforms that identify packages manifested but not shipped. It alerts the shippers about the mistakes in billing and saves money.

Residential surcharges

Additional fees applied by parcel carriers to packages shipped to a home or a home business are residential surcharges. These fees are in addition to a parcel carrier’s base rate. UPS and FedEx apply residential surcharges to small parcels shipped to a residential location. So, residential surcharges can increase the shipping costs for businesses. Alternatively, using USPS and hybrid services helps prevent residential surcharges.

Parcel auditors provide details on the residential surcharges to shippers. Further, auditors suggest methods to reduce residential surcharge costs. They help in identifying whether the address is eligible for a residential surcharge. Small parcel audit services help shippers by getting discounted rates from shipping carriers. Moreover, parcel auditors advise shippers to negotiate residential surcharges in the carrier contracts.

Delivery Area surcharges

One of the common surcharges applied by shipping carriers is the delivery area surcharge (DAS). It is an additional fee when a package is delivered or picked up in an area outside the parcel carriers’ shipping area. Rural areas and remote locations fall under the DAS category. Depending on the ZIP codes and addresses, parcel carriers decide the delivery area surcharge. Shipping carriers are planning to add more number of ZIP codes in 2024. And so, preventing DAS becomes essential for businesses to avoid escalating costs.

Shippers can reduce their shipping costs by using the services of carriers that don’t charge DAS. Experts in logistics can help identify such services. Small parcel auditors have the knowledge to advise businesses on preventing DAS charges. Further, shippers can opt for regional carriers for last-mile deliveries. Companies can reduce shipping costs by partnering with third-party logistics.

Address corrections

Companies lose thousands of dollars on address correction surcharges. Parcel carriers levy additional fees if there is a mismatch between the addresses. Shipment addresses are the addresses where the order has to be delivered. Businesses incur huge losses if they enter the wrong shipment address on the package. Or they do not validate their addresses before shipping.

Parcel auditing keeps a close eye on the invoices and detects address anomalies. Parcel audit services have cutting-edge technology that can automatically identify mismatched addresses. In addition, shippers can use software that eliminates the potential risk of entering incorrect shipment addresses. 

Signature requirements

Some businesses need delivery confirmation and require signatures from their customer. Most valuable goods like jewelry and electronic items need signatures for delivery confirmation. UPS and FedEx provide Signature Required delivery services to companies. These are additional fees levied by shipping carriers for the signature-required services. The recipient has to sign for the parcel before its release. Shipping costs vary depending on the type of services opted by the shippers.

Small parcel auditors negotiate discounts for shippers. In addition, the auditing team has experts who can suggest services that will suit business needs. Parcel audit services like Audintel save money for shippers with discounted rates..

Save on your next shipment with Audintel.

Many eligible refunds remain unclaimed by businesses due to a lack of time or resources. Companies don’t take advantage of the service guarantees offered by small parcel carriers. Audintel’s small parcel audit services ensure timely refunds from shipping carriers. In addition, we address billing errors and ensure shipping carriers meet their service guarantees.

Our business intelligence tools help shippers monitor their shipping rates and surcharges. Audintel’s experts closely examine shipping invoices and advise our clients about discrepancies. With valuable insights into the shipping data from Audintel, shippers can negotiate great deals with parcel carriers. Audintel optimizes small parcel shipments seamlessly.

To wrap it up.

Companies find it complex to identify inaccuracies in shipping invoices on their own. Parcel audit software has its drawbacks. Small parcel audit services help companies streamline their shipping processes with minimal effort. Parcel audit services are vital for the efficient and cost-effective management of your transportation spend. Choosing Audintel is beneficial for businesses to make informed, data-driven decisions. Are you ready to optimize your shipping operations with small parcel audit services? Contact us at +1 (619) 354 8539. to learn about our parcel audit services. In addition, you can visit our Audintel website.

Shipping Refunds

Efficient parcel auditing services save more with refunds

by BlogSpend Management

Shipping services will be at their peak in the upcoming holiday season. Businesses need to track whether their packages reach on time to their customers. Due to the heavy rush, there will be a delay in shipments.

Many shippers are unaware of recovering refunds from carriers for late deliveries. With the help of parcel audit services, shippers realize the errors made by carriers during shipment. This blog explores parcel audit services recovering refunds from shipping carriers. In addition, learn more about billing overcharges.

Parcel audit services and shipping refunds

Parcel audit services check and verify invoices from different shipping carriers worldwide. They conduct a comprehensive audit to ensure an accurate assessment of each shipment. Shippers face service failures from their chosen parcel carriers. For example, shipping carriers give duplicate invoices to shippers for a single package. Sometimes errors are made by shippers that directly impact shipments. For instance, the wrong address shipping label on the parcel is the cause for a delay in shipments. Mistakes made by carriers or shippers harm customer service. Parcel auditing is essential for shippers to recover refunds to avoid negative customer feedback.

Shipping refunds

An audit team addresses service failures of shipping carriers. Refund requests are sent to the shipping carriers immediately for quick resolution. Further, companies shipping large volumes of shipments have contracts with shipping carriers. The contracts entitle shippers to money-back guarantees from parcel carriers for late deliveries and other service charges. However, requesting refunds from shipping carriers is a complicated process. Each shipment has to be checked and verified to claim a refund from the parcel carrier. Most companies end up paying carriers for promised services that are unfulfilled. Outsourcing parcel audit services help companies receive refunds for late deliveries, overcharges, etc.

What are the kinds of refunds identified by Parcel auditing?

Parcel audits recover shipping refunds for companies and improve their operational efficiencies. Parcel auditing identifies refunds caused due to

  • Duplicate invoicing- More than one invoice with different parameters like invoice date and amount for the same parcel.
  • Billing overcharges- Unforeseen charges are added to the invoice when there is a delay in shipment due to an incorrect shipping label on parcels.
  • Late deliveries- Packages delivered late due to carriers’ network disruptions or other reasons are eligible for a refund.
  • Lost and damaged deliveries- Packages lost or damaged during transit are eligible for a refund.
  • Invalid surcharges- Parcel carriers charge shippers additional fees for the wrong dimensional weight of packages, errors in addresses, incorrect delivery areas, and improper fuel surcharges.

Companies find it an uphill task to dispute the additional fees levied by carriers. Manual auditing is time-consuming and requires resources. Reliable parcel audit services can help companies in challenging charges and getting refunds. In addition, it can help companies simplify the refund process.

Refund process

Shippers are eligible for refunds for service failures and incorrect invoicing by shipping carriers. The refund process for a shipment begins with a request to the concerned shipping carrier. Further, filing a refund claim must be within fifteen days of the quoted delivery date on the invoice. Shipping carriers like FedEx and UPS have dedicated channels for claiming refunds. In addition, UPS and FedEx promise on-time delivery of packages in their contracts with shippers. So,  shippers are eligible for a refund for late deliveries from UPS and FedEx (discussed in detail in our earlier blogs). Getting a refund for late deliveries is time-consuming, but outsourcing parcel audit services makes life simpler for companies.

Role of parcel audit services

Efficient parcel auditing services take care of identifying service failures and incorrect surcharges. Further, automated parcel auditing services recover refunds for carrier inefficiencies. Finally, refunds are directly transferred into the companies’ accounts effortlessly. In addition, audit companies aid companies in parcel contract negotiations, so they do not miss the money-back guarantees for late deliveries from shipping carriers. Parcel auditors maximize revenue for companies with their shipment tracking tools and state-of-the-art software.

Audintel’s parcel auditing services to recover your refunds

Receiving refunds from UPS, FedEx, and DHL is easier said than done. A team of parcel auditors at Audintel recover refunds for late deliveries, incorrect invoices, invalid surcharges, and more. Our intuitive software easily tracks shipments and identifies service failures instantly. Audintel Technology Development and Customer Service Call Center effectively request refunds from shipping carriers for service failures. We don’t just rely on automated software, but our dedicated and experienced team at the Call Center follow-up with the shipping carriers for quick refunds. Our clients can expect the most reliable parcel audit services from Audintel. Choose Audintel for recovering refunds instantly without hassles.

Summary

In the current economic situation companies need to spend less and save more. So, recovering refunds with the help of efficient parcel audit services is the best way forward. Companies need parcel audit services that understand their shipping costs and save undue expenses. Audintel fits the bill for businesses looking to increase their operational efficiencies. Receive refunds directly into your accounts with Audintel’s services. Contact us for more details about our services at +1 (619) 354 8539 or visit our Audintel website.

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How do small parcel audit services benefit businesses?

by BlogSpend Management

Shipping companies lose money when they are unaware of their shipping data. Shipping couriers take undue advantage of this situation. In the past few years, parcel audit companies, are a boon for businesses.

They monitor the mistakes made by couriers. In this blog, we will discuss the affordable services of parcel audit companies. And their impact on shipping businesses.

Parcel audit services save money

Small parcel auditing identifies the errors made by shipping carriers. Companies save money as audits track surcharges, rates, and discounts offered by carriers. So, for instance, the recent introduction by FedEx of a 6% late payment fee. Companies can avoid this fee by paying their invoices on time. Or by reporting the error in adding this fee. Parcel audit firms like Audintel update their clients about new fees, surcharges, refunds, etc.

Benefits of parcel auditing services

Parcel auditing services reduce the transportation expenses of its customers. Shipping companies receive information on the total spend of each package shipment. Parcel audit firms like Audintel use state-of-the-art software to give information to shippers. Parcel audit services run diagnostics on a customer’s small parcel shipments. There is a check of each shipment for its service performance. In addition, audit experts advise shippers on any inaccuracies in carrier services.

What are the service areas that are a part of an audit?

Shipping carriers make mistakes that need to be kept in check. Different services of the parcel carriers are a part of the audit checklist. The main checkpoints that are a part of audit services include:

Late Delivery

It is the delivery of a small parcel shipment beyond its scheduled delivery time. As a consequence, shipping carriers have to give refunds to businesses. Parcel carriers do not provide automatic refunds. Companies have to request a refund. Parcel auditing services identify the mistake of parcel carriers and request a refund on behalf of companies.

Address Corrections

Parcel carriers charge for address corrections that are not needed for example, shipping carriers declare a change in the apartment number as address correction, even though the location is the same. Parcel audit services identify the invalid address correction charges. The carriers get notifications to rectify their mistakes.

Duplicate Invoices

Billing a package more than twice is one of the problematic areas of shipment. It becomes easy to audit every invoice with parcel audit services. Audit services identify duplicate invoices at a glance. As a result, shipping companies save money with parcel audits.

Voids

Shippers create shipping labels for shipments. However, shippers cannot edit the shipping labels. They have to void the existing shipping labels to create a new shipping label. Shipping carriers such as UPS charge companies for unused shipping labels. Parcel audit services track the unused shipping labels, void the shipments, and receive refunds from the shipping carriers.

Saturday Pickup and Delivery Audits

Parcel carriers charge more for Saturday Pickup and Delivery of packages. If the shipping carriers do not deliver the package on Saturday, they have to refund the amount. Similarly, the absence of services for Saturday PickUp leads to refunds from carriers. Parcel auditing tracks the refunds for deficiencies in carriers’ services.

Dimensional Weight

Shipping carriers incorrectly weigh packages and charge for high dimensional weight. Parcel auditing protects shippers from wrong dimensional weight charges. Parcel audit services ensure that businesses have accurate data to save money.

Incorrect Rate/ Discount

Shippers are given invoices with inaccurate rates. These rates are not the same rates during carrier contract negotiations. Parcel auditing identifies the wrong rates and asks for revised shipping invoices with the actual rates. In addition, shipping companies receive discounts for shipping packages from parcel carriers. However, shipping carriers do not apply discounts to these packages resulting in more money spent by the shippers. Audit services rectify the discount errors and request refunds for shippers.

Residential Address audit

For instance, when companies send parcels from one location to another commercial address- the parcel carriers may consider it as residential. Subsequently, the charges for residential areas vary. Audit services have the data to prove that the delivery was for a commercial location. In this way, audits hold the parcel carriers responsible for billing inaccuracies.

The Audintel Advantage

 Audintel has robust, intuitive auditing software that helps shippers save money. We provide interactive, easy-to-use dashboards and shipping reports to our customers. Audintel‘s clients get better data visibility with our dashboards. We give our clients updates about their shipments and service errors by carriers. Audintel gives accurate information about late deliveries to receive refunds from parcel carriers. We also provide affordable services that are on par with our competitors’ services. Businesses can lower UPS, FedEx shipping expenses by partnering with Audintel.

Wrapping it up

Profitable businesses need to have information at their fingertips. More so in the case of small parcel shipments. Partnering with Audintel, a parcel audit company, is beneficial for businesses. We provide shippers access to their data at no extra cost. Our team of experts guides businesses in receiving refunds from couriers. Shippers can trust us with their data, and we deliver on our promises. Get affordable parcel audit services at [email protected]. To know more about us and our services, visit the Audintel website or call us at +1 (619) 354 8539.