In today’s competitive marketplace, it is more important than ever to focus on optimising your shipping management strategies and increasing visibility into the movement of your goods. Whether you’re looking to reduce costs, improve customer satisfaction, or streamline operations, the 5 tips below will provide a roadmap to success and help you unlock your profit potential.
Before we get started — we recently put together a detailed Freight Profitability Handbook outlining our top tips for improving your businesses bottom line with simple-to-implement shipping efficiencies and cost savings. In this handbook, you will also discover examples of how MachShip can support your business to achieve more with less. Be sure to access this free resource below!
1. Use technology to improve visibility and drive shipping efficiency
One of the most powerful ways to streamline your movement of goods is through the use of real-time tracking and automation tools. With a centralised platform, businesses can:
- Automate manual tasks
- Increase productivity and accuracy
- Monitor the entire shipping process
- Make better business decisions
- And improve the customer experience
2. Achieve cost-effective shipping with access to better data
Reducing shipping costs is one of the biggest challenges companies face right now. It can also be one of the easiest (and fastest) ways to improve the bottom-line profitability of your business. Using the right tools, you are able to reclaim lost profit margins and free up more capital for other areas of your business. This can be achieved through:
- Optimising shipping routes
- Automating manual tasks
- And negotiating better rates with carriers
The first step in the process is having access to the data you need to identify trends, uncover opportunities and make informed decisions. With MachShip, you are able to access this data in one place and significantly reduce your shipping costs with:
- Visibility on whether your team are selecting the best carriers
- The ability to instantly view carrier performance
- Supporting data to negotiate better carrier rates
Ready to start reclaiming your profit margins?
Download our handbook “Unlock Your Profit Potential: The Power of Visibility in Freight Management” to discover our roadmap for reducing shipping costs and improving the bottom-line profitability of your business.
3. Select the right shipping carrier every time with better selection tools
Effective decision-making on transport options (for every shipment) is crucial to the success of any freight management operation. The right carrier can help to reduce shipping costs, speed up delivery times, improve customer experience, and ensure the safe delivery of your goods. While the wrong carrier can leave you with deflated margins and dissatisfied customers.
The challenge is that there are a lot of variables to consider and it generally requires significant time (labour costs) jumping between different systems to access and compare the most up-to-date rates.
That’s where the MachShip platform comes in. Considering all the key factors and using technology to gather data and insights, you can make informed decisions about carrier selection in a matter of seconds (not minutes or hours).
With MachShip you are able to consolidate your rate cards in one place and easily put your transport options against each other (including hidden costs like fuel surcharges) and make the best decision. This lets you have complete confidence in your choice and ensure you select the right carrier for the job every time.
4. Reduce labour costs by automating manual tasks
Labour costs can be a significant expense for companies that ship goods — but it doesn’t have to be that way. The most effective way to reduce these costs is to minimise the amount of manual labour required. This can be achieved through the use of technology and automation, as well as by adopting better processes for increased efficiency.
Did you know the average time MachShip user saves 10 hours per week fielding tracking-related calls from their customers?
MachShip can play a key role in reducing labour costs associated with the customer service department of your business. It can also help you reduce time spent on things like invoice reconciliation and credit requests from carriers (due to overcharges)
By using MachShip to automate manual tasks, you can reduce the time and resources required to respond to customer inquiries, resolve issues, and provide updates on shipment status. This can help to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs.
5. Drive up profits by elevating the customer experience and lifetime value
The experience a customer has after placing an order can have a significant impact on their overall satisfaction and the likelihood of repeat business. In today’s competitive marketplace, you must deliver a positive post-order experience in order to stand out from your competition and build strong, long-lasting relationships with your customers.
It’s essential to provide timely updates on shipment status — as well as quickly (and accurately) respond to customer inquiries. Using MachShip, you can achieve this and even take it a step further — by making it easy for customers to track their own shipments (further reducing customer service labour costs). You can also send automated email and SMS tracking notifications that keep them informed at every step of the post-purchase journey. The MachShip platform allows users to deliver:
- Up-to-the-minute tracking for orders
- Proof of delivery confirmation
When sending your order updates, you can include sales messaging and offers to engage further with your brand. This can be in the form of:
- An introduction to your referral program
- A link to complete a satisfaction survey
- A coupon for their next purchase
This allows you to increase your customer lifetime value and turn one-time purchasers into loyal brand advocates. If you’re ready to discover more ways that MachShip can help you improve your customer touchpoints and drive more revenue, be sure to get a copy of our detailed roadmap below.