Are you looking for ways to ship small packages at low prices? Also, which parcel carrier is the cheapest? These questions plague businesses shipping small packages, either locally or internationally. USPS is usually the preferred choice for shipping small parcels economically in the US. But, with the approaching holiday season, USPS is planning a price hike. It has increased temporary price rates on some services from October 6, 2024, to January 19, 2025. Shippers must consider price rises before shipping small packages during the holiday peak season.
Small parcel audits help shippers choose the cheapest carriers and bring in savings. In addition, companies bring in profits with small parcel audits. Our earlier blogs were on various aspects of small parcel audits. This article will give valuable insights into small parcel auditing for saving money. Moreover, businesses will get an overview of how to benefit from these audits.
Small parcel auditing
An audit involves verifying, examining, and evaluating processes or systems within established parameters. A small parcel auditing process evaluates shipping invoices and carrier transactions in detail. The audits help in reducing parcel shipping costs. They aid in understanding the factors affecting shipping expenses.
Small parcel auditing can identify parcel billing mistakes and monitor the performance of shipping carriers. In-house manual parcel auditing is not error-free and requires valuable resources. It is not feasible for companies, big or small. Businesses looking to gain profits invest in parcel audit software or parcel auditing services.
Small parcel auditing solutions
Many parcel audit software are available that give auditing solutions. The software offered by organizations automates the audit process on the digital platform. Some audit software tracks the shipment, analyzes shipping invoices, and has automated claim filing. However, not all parcel audit software covers carrier invoicing, automatic refund recovery, or exception handling. Further, managing the parcel audit software requires resource training and skills. It requires constant updation so that it does not get outdated technology.
On the other hand, small parcel audit services provide unparalleled help to shippers. Along with automated services, experts help companies streamline their processes. For example, shippers can negotiate carrier contracts with data from small parcel auditing. Small parcel auditing services help simplify complex shipping data to user-friendly shipping reports.
Parcel auditing for savings
Shippers save money with parcel invoice auditing. During audits, the software identifies parcel billing errors like duplicate charges. Parcel auditing prevents companies from overpaying for invoice errors. Shipping expenses rise due to incorrect surcharges levied by shipping carriers. Parcel auditing involves identifying the wrong surcharges and receiving refunds from the shipping carriers. For instance, with data from parcel auditing, companies can challenge an improper address correction surcharge to the invoice.
Based on audit data, companies can request refunds for service failures by shipping carriers. The refunds for every delayed invoice can run into thousands of dollars. Shippers can claim refunds from parcel carriers for delayed or incorrect invoices. Shipping carriers like UPS and FedEx give guaranteed refunds in case of service failures like late shipment delivery. Automated tracking of shipments and claiming automatic refunds for late deliveries is a part of the small parcel auditing solutions.
Small parcel auditing streamlines shipping operations. It identifies service failures of parcel carriers and improves the bottom line of many companies. Shippers are eligible for refunds from shipping carriers for service failures. Some of the service failures are
- Lost packages
- Late parcel delivery
- Damaged packages
- Late pickups
- Packaged manifested but not shipped and more.
Companies can recover money from the parcel carriers for wrong surcharges levied on them. Further, parcel auditing ascertains the application of the correct discounts to the shipments. Choosing the correct parcel carrier cuts down shipping expenses.
Which parcel carrier saves money for shippers?
Shippers can choose the parcel carrier depending on their business needs and customer expectations. For instance, USPS is the cheapest shipping carrier for the delivery of lightweight packages. Their ground delivery options are affordable, but they are bound to have delays. Alternatively, if delivery speed is paramount, FedEx and UPS offer express services at premium shipping rates. Regional parcel carriers give the cheapest rates with faster delivery for short-distance deliveries. FedEx and DHL are the popular choices among shippers for shipping packages internationally.
How do businesses profit from small parcel auditing?
Small parcel auditing can bring in profits for businesses by following shipping strategies. Reducing shipping costs also includes carrier contract negotiations. Shipping carriers have valuable shipping information about their clients, which has the upper hand during negotiations. Parcel auditing services with actionable data help shippers navigate complex carrier contract negotiations.
With the help of parcel auditing, shippers learn about their shipping patterns and shipping zones. Shipping data provides real-time visibility to companies on the areas where they can benefit. They can bargain for better contracts with shipping carriers based on their shipping needs. There is no unnecessary loss of resources and revenue by negotiating for better deals. Further, it allows shippers and carriers to forge a strong relationship. It translates into securing discounts and waivers on surcharges.
Companies can decrease shipping costs using the correct dimensional packaging for small package shipments. Shipping cost optimization involves using lightweight, compact, and economical packaging for small parcels. Companies can lower shipping expenses by consolidating shipments. It helps companies save money and time by reducing the number of shipments to a single location.
The calculation of shipping rates of various shipping carriers is complex and confusing. Small parcel audit services track the annual shipping rates of the parcel carriers. Businesses can adjust their shipping prices if they know about the shipping rates in advance. Therefore, shippers can profit from their business by offering competitive prices to customers with free shipping options. It brings in repeated business from customers and profits for companies.
Benefits of partnering with Audintel for intelligent small parcel auditing
Small parcel auditing solutions offered by Audintel reduce shipping expenses. Our BI-powered auditing platform optimizes shipping spend. Audintel’s intuitive, customizable dashboard provides an overview of shipping expenses and billing errors. We help companies review their shipping strategy so that they save more money.
Our team has experts adept at contract negotiations due to their vast parcel carrier knowledge and experience. These experts help businesses negotiate carrier agreements with parcel carriers. We also advise companies on the upcoming shipping rates and surcharges of parcel carriers. It helps them negotiate discounts and surcharge waivers from shipping carriers.
Audintel’s cloud-based solutions can assess thousands of shipments and calculate shipping costs for companies. Our Transportation Spend Management (TSM) solutions increase operational efficiencies and lower shipping expenses. We have a team of well-trained staff that can process claims and refunds. Audintel makes the parcel auditing process simple for shippers.
The bottom line
Parcel invoice mistakes can cost companies thousands of dollars. Small parcel auditing services are necessary for minimizing shipping expenses. It ensures that companies don’t overpay when shipping small packages. Advanced technology can automatically detect errors in shipping invoices. Further, by partnering with small parcel auditing services, companies can transform their auditing process.
With Audintel, shippers will save money and reduce shipping expenses. Our automated software audits small parcel shipments and identifies any mistakes. Shippers get updated real-time information on parcel billing errors, service failures, unwarranted charges, etc. Businesses can see significant savings and profits by partnering with Audintel.
For further details and information on Audintel small parcel auditing solutions, contact us at +1 (619) 354 8539. Learn more about our small parcel auditing solutions by visiting the Audintel website. We provide customized parcel auditing solutions for our clients. Join us at the Parcel Forum in Dallas from September 16-18 for further parcel auditing discussions.