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Slide 1: Getting Better Small Parcel Rates Through Rate Adjustors Parcel shipping rates are dominated by a group of parcel shippers; they have a standard rate card, and a set of pricing algorithms that determine how these rates get applied. Most businesses work with one small parcel service, usually UPS or Federal Express...and once they get into the mind set of "This is the service we use.", they stop comparison shopping for rates. This is a mistake - parcel shipping rates are volatile, and there are a lot of instances where businesses are paying for services they don't actually need. For example, there's a saying that if you needed to send something overnight, someone, somewhere along the line, messed up. Small Parcel Audit Having a parcel rate advisor doing some investigation into your current parcel shipping operations can pay large dividends in reduced freight costs, and improved services. First, most parcel rate advisors have extensive databases of prior art when it comes to what is and is not normal for a parcel rate service. They regularly audit shipping bills, looking for service failures, and looking for cases where you're charged for services that were never delivered, or delivered late. They'll also look for places where you're being charged at more than the going rate for accessorial services, like hazmat shipping or residential delivery. They'll look into the fuel surcharges being assessed and compare them between carriers, and they'll compare different rate structures. Many parcel rate advisors can also serve as freight consolidators for suitable shipments, and their business can extend beyond the baseline work for small parcel shipping issues. Smaller Parcel Audit A good parcel rate advisor will also ask probing questions about what you ship, and why. They may be able to offer you ways to streamline your operations, including suggestions like asking your customers when they really need a parcel delivered by. For example, while it's de regeur for law firms to ship parcels by overnight delivery, not all the places they're shipping those parcels to actually need it that soon. One law firm in Philadelphia, using a parcel rate advisor, was able to shave almost $15,000 per year in shipping costs just by shifting from "Everything must be overnighted" to "Ask the customer if they need it next day or can it go three day rates?"