Shipping is what trips up companies the most, and what puts a wrench in their productivity. But, there is indeed a better way. That way is automated shipping. Automated shipping means turning over the shipping processes to a computer software or other application to make things easier on the business owner. It's the way of the future, and it can really make things easier for you as a business owner.
Automating your shipping process can really let you, as a business owner, breathe a sigh of relief and get back to worrying about other important business tasks. By automating your shipping processes, you are actually automating your entire business. Automating your shipping leads to better customer satisfaction, better communication with both shippers and customers, a better handle on inventory, and less all around worry, which is nice for any business owner. Imagine having all of the relevant shipping information at your fingertips anytime you needed it, and not having to simply wonder what was going on. For more information on why it can be helpful to automate your shipping processes, here is a great article.
It's no secret that shipping is a big expense in any company, and it's important for business owners to do what they can to try to reduce those costs. "Effectively managing shipping costs directly affects a small business's bottom line," says Don Anderson, vice president of transportation services at Tompkins Associates, a Raleigh, N.C.-based supply chain and distribution operations consulting firm that works with large and small businesses. "Every dollar saved in transportation translates to an equal improvement in financial performance." The fact that automating your shipping is a great way to save your company money goes without mentioning. With less time spent on shipping, that is less money you are going to have to be shelling out! The savings that you can get from automating your shipping processes can really add up over time.
Another great tip for automating your shipping costs and saving money is to know when it is better to ship by air and when it is better to ship by ground. "How much can be saved by using ground services versus air services can depend on distance shipped, the weight and size of the package and its value," says Anthony Pagano, director of the Center for Supply Chain Management and Logistics at the University of Illinois at Chicago. "Look at the carrier's tariff schedule and compare prices." You might actually be surprised about when it is better to do one or the other, so this is one area that it is especially good to pay close attention to.
Even better, automating your shipping process puts you in control. You can make the important decisions, rather than leave them up to some third party that might not be as informed as you are. You will have all of the information at your fingertips, and you will be able to make the right decisions for your company. For more really great shipping related tips, read this great article. It can really give you a head start on changing the way your business thinks about shipping.
When you consider all of the advantages to automating the shipping process,it is hard to believe that there are still companies that are doing it the old fashioned way. Saving time, saving money, being more efficient, having more control over shipping processes, and avoiding mistakes are just a few of the benefits of switching over to automated shipping. If you haven't already done so, look into making the switch soon! To get started you can visit one of the "big three" shippers and take a look at what they offer in terms of automated shipping: http://www.fedex.com/, http://www.ups.com/ and https://www.usps.com/.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 25 seconds
Automating Your Shipping Process
No matter what your industry is, the entire shipping process is, without a doubt, one of the most stressful and hard to manage processes of any business. For most businesses, the shipping process is one of the most common sources of both financial loss and productivity problems. Most Read
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