The first step in lowering your shipping expenses is aligning carrier contracts to your business needs. Due to the complexities associated with carrier terms, rates, and accessorial charges, it can be a challenge to establish a contract that’s favorable to your shipping characteristics. In addition, price structures differ significantly between carriers and shipping methods, which makes it difficult to compare contract proposals side by side.

Contract Optimization » Details

Out of your entire freight portfolio, optimized parcel and LTL contracts can put the most money back into your shipping budget. That’s why we take a holistic view to balancing your contracts, so the shipping methods you choose effectively match your business’s overall needs and long-term goals. We’re here to help...

Parcel Audit

Common Questions Asked:

  1. I think I’m getting a good deal, but I only see 2 or 3 contracts per year. How do I know my rates are competitive, given my shipping patterns?
  2. How do I compare carrier contracts, given their different base rates and service offerings?
  3. Where do I find the time to go through all the details?
  4. Are my contracts scalable to my changing business needs?
  5. What’s changed since the last time I negotiated my contract?
  6. What’s the real impact of rate increases?

How BirdDog Helps:

  • We’ve negotiated thousands of carrier contracts for shippers of all sizes, enabling us to effectively align your contract to your shipping characteristics.
  • We have sophisticated modeling tools that allow us to compare the effect of different carrier contracts on your total parcel cost, given your current shipping patterns. Over 130 factors are considered in our analysis.
  • We have a dedicated consultant team of industry experts who focus solely on project management of new contracts. They will handle the project from start to finish.
LTL

Common Questions Asked:

  1. Is the negotiation of LTL contracts much different than negotiating parcel contracts?
  2. Am I switching from small parcel to LTL at the most cost-effective weight breaks for my business?
  3. Once my contracts are in line, how can I be assured that my shipping department is taking advantage of the new rates?

How BirdDog Helps:

  • LTL contracts are even more complex than parcel contracts, due to the use of multiple carriers, assorted freight classes, tariffs, discounts, and service levels. Our consultants have the domain knowledge to effectively manage both parcel and LTL contracts and to significantly reduce your shipping costs.
  • Using state-of-the-art technology, we can compare your rates for both parcel and LTL and identify changes that will provide efficiency improvements and additional savings.
  • After your contracts have been optimized, we provide you with an automated routing guide to ensure that you are choosing the right carrier for the right shipping method. This tool, along with additional system recommendations, will help improve visibility while eliminating guesswork and human error.

BirdDog’s Contract Optimization service is provided on a contingency basis - we are fully vested in identifying bottom line savings while mitigating financial and carrier risk.