Freight Shipping FAQ
Table of Contents
- 1. General Parcel Freight Bill Audit Questions (See below)
- 2. UPS Audit and FedEx Audit Questions
- 3. General Truck (FTL & LTL), Ocean, Rail, and Air Freight Audit Questions
- 4. General Parcel Freight Contract Negotiation Questions
- 5. UPS and FedEx Contract Negotiation Questions
1. General Parcel Freight Bill Audit Questions
- 1.1 Which small parcel carriers does Source Consulting audit?
- 1.2 What is your parcel audit service looking for on each carrier invoice?
- 1.3 How much time and what information is necessary to implement Source Consulting's parcel auditing service?
- 1.4 After implementation, how much of my time will be required to facilitate Source Consulting's ongoing carrier audit?
- 1.5 Does your auditing service guarantee to reduce parcel freight costs?
- 1.6 My company has a general service refund (GSR) waiver. Can Source Consulting still audit our parcel invoices?
- 1.7 How is Source Consulting different from other parcel freight audit companies?
- 1.8 Will implementing a parcel audit negatively affect my company's carrier relationship and service level?
- 1.9 My company currently performs certain parcel invoice audit procedures internally. Can Source Consulting conduct a limited audit including only points that our internal audit is not covering?
- 1.10 How can I track the savings produced by your parcel audit?
- 1.11 What kind of carrier reporting solutions do you offer?
- 1.12 How much does your parcel freight auditing service cost?
- 1.13 Can Source Consulting audit both domestic and international shipments?
1. General Parcel Freight Bill Audit Questions
- 1.1 Which small parcel carriers does Source Consulting audit?
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Source Consulting is a parcel freight auditing company that audits both UPS invoices and FedEx invoices. There are billing errors and services failures on each weekly carrier invoice. Our parcel auditing solution will ensure each shipping bill is accurate.
- 1.2 What is your parcel audit service looking for on each carrier invoice?
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Our software and team of professional parcel freight auditors conduct a 42-point audit of each individual shipment that appears on your carrier invoice. Each audit point is a potential source of carrier billing errors and thus a potential source of carrier refunds. Several of the most common carrier billing errors are related to late deliveries, erroneous address correction charges, erroneous residential delivery charges, packages manifested but not shipped, erroneous dimensional weight charges, duplicate charges, erroneous delivery area surcharges, and packages with no proof of delivery. There are numerous carrier service failures and billing mistakes that occur on virtually every invoice. It is an essential part of risk management to monitor each package and every charge that appears on your carrier invoices.
- 1.3 How much time and what information is necessary to implement Source Consulting's parcel auditing service?
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It is very simple, quick, and easy to implement a trial of our parcel audit. We like to compare the implementation of our parcel auditing service to that of turning on a light switch. The process is not invasive to current operations and is very easy for your accounting team to incorporate into their current processes. Once you have authorized us to begin auditing your company's small parcel invoices, an emailed electronic copy of each invoice is all we need to begin generating immediate cost savings. The team at Source Consulting provides the technology and resources to enable your company to stop overpaying your small parcel carriers.
- 1.4 After implementation, how much of my time will be required to facilitate Source Consulting's ongoing carrier audit?
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Once our team has begun to audit your weekly small parcel invoices there is literally no time required on your part to facilitate our ongoing work. Each week we will provide several reports. One of those reports will detail credits applied to your account that week, which occurred as a direct result of our parcel freight auditing service. Your company can continue to pay your carriers with the assurance that Source Consulting is eliminating all invalid charges.
- 1.5 Does your auditing service guarantee to reduce parcel freight costs?
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Source Consulting is 100% confident of the fact that your company is experiencing erroneous charges on every UPS and FedEx invoice. We will also guarantee to reduce shipping costs. Our parcel auditing services will produce freight cost savings that are being overlooked by your current internal audit or existing third party audit. Our parcel freight auditing team will prove our superior value with quantifiable results.
- 1.6 My company has a general service refund (GSR) waiver. Can Source Consulting still audit our parcel invoices?
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All small parcel carrier service levels, including both air services and ground services, are guaranteed to be delivered by a certain date and time. Some companies agree to waive their right to late delivery refunds. Often times a general service refund waiver or money back guarantee waiver is sold into a shipping contract by the small parcel carrier in "exchange" for an additional incentive or discount somewhere else in the contract. Source Consulting highly discourages waiving your right to late delivery refunds, and contends that virtually any incentive or discount offered by UPS or FedEx with a waiver can also be offered without a waiver. In the event there is a service refund waiver in your contract, we are still able to audit your parcel freight invoices. Late deliveries and service failures are merely one of forty-two things that our freight auditors look for on each carrier invoice.
- 1.7 How is Source Consulting different from other parcel freight audit companies?
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Source Consulting is extremely thorough and effective when auditing each carrier invoice. All parcel audits are not the same! We contend that of all freight audit companies we produce superior parcel freight cost reduction, the most advanced logistics reporting solutions, and unmatched customer service. Speak to several of our customers and you will clearly understand why they have decided to utilize our parcel audit services.
- 1.8 Will implementing a parcel audit negatively affect my company's carrier relationship and service level?
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This is the most common and frequently asked question. One of the most effective ways to get your small parcel carrier to improve their level of service is to remind them they are not the only carrier. UPS and FedEx need to work to retain your business. A critical part of superior parcel and freight carrier service is accurately billing for services rendered. Our parcel and freight payment audit services ensure that every charge on your bill is accurate. Your carrier relationship will not be adversely affected. As a result of our services, many of our parcel auditing customers actually receive a higher level of service from their carrier.
- 1.9 My company currently performs certain parcel invoice audit procedures internally. Can Source Consulting conduct a limited audit including only points that our internal audit is not covering?
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Source Consulting's team of parcel freight auditors is highly effective and efficient at identifying carrier billing errors. Our goal is to identify UPS and FedEx inaccuracies that would not have been recovered otherwise. Though we strongly believe our parcel freight audit is most effective in reducing freight costs, we are able to customize our parcel freight auditing solution to meet your company's needs.
- 1.10 How can I track the savings produced by your parcel audit?
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UPS and FedEx refunds generated by our freight auditors are applied directly to your shipping account. We provide a weekly report detailing all carrier credits that have resulted from our transportation audit. Our results are extremely transparent.
- 1.11 What kind of carrier reporting solutions do you offer?
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Source Consulting offers dozens of logistics reports as a standard part of our freight audit services. Our suite of carrier reports allows customers to monitor detailed shipping information and helps reduce shipping costs. The online SourceREPORTS tool provides comprehensive real-time reporting of all small parcel shipments. High level shipping cost summary reports and detailed granular reports will help specific company departments better manage logistics operations and reduce freight costs. SourceREPORTS will house shipping data enabling your team to generate any number of historical freight bill audit reports when needed. A better understanding of your small parcel characteristics will facilitate improved internal efficiencies, minimize costly operational mistakes, and help guide toward a better carrier relationship.
- 1.12 How much does your parcel freight auditing service cost?
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Source Consulting's parcel freight audit services will produce measurable cost savings. Your company is currently overpaying your small parcel carrier. Our compensation is limited to a contingent share of the actual savings generated by our services. In that way, our motivation is parallel to maximizing freight cost reduction for your company.
- 1.13 Can Source Consulting audit both domestic and international shipments?
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Yes. Source Consulting's parcel auditing services are applicable to all UPS and FedEx shipments billed to a United States shipping account number. If your company is doing domestic shipping, international shipping, or receiving inbound shipments from overseas, Source Consulting will ensure that all carrier charges appearing on your parcel freight invoices are accurate.