Carrier Negotiations for Benchmark Discounts

I can’t say enough great things about working with Paul at Shipware. He really put our minds at ease during the process and did not abandon us after our agreement was signed. Its really nice to have a partnership with a company that takes that sentiment to heart.

We have worked with other vendors in this space in the past and Shipware stands out because of their industry knowledge of the carrier contract process and their hands-on approach in assisting with contract pricing. Every month, we receive customized shipment reporting and dashboards that are used throughout the company.

We work with a team of industry experts that collectively provide outstanding insight into carrier pricing details and tactics. They did an outstanding job helping us focus on what matters the most for our business, which in turn allowed us to reduce our shipping costs while providing the service we need. Very consultative approach, educating us along the way and always taking time to answer questions. I have worked with two other companies providing the same services over the past 20 years and Shipware is by far the best. Truly a professional organization that puts value in a strong working partnership.

Shipware offers exceptional convenience, providing easy access to manage our FedEx bills with the added benefit of rebates, making the billing process both straightforward and cost-effective. The most helpful aspect of Shipware is its ability to streamline the payment process for our FedEx bills, saving us significant time each week. The ease of access means we can manage our payments from anywhere, which is crucial for our busy schedule. Additionally, the rebates provided by Shipware add a financial incentive, making it an even more valuable tool. The platform is user-friendly and integrates seamlessly with our existing systems, which enhances overall efficiency.

We are very pleased with the end result of the negotiations. I had an opportunity to share the initiative results with the Peak Design Leadership Team and it was a smashing success.

What we learned after working with Shipware is that the confidentiality provision in carrier pricing agreements is a well thought-out strategy to prevent shippers from understanding the rates and terms of other shippers since we can’t disclose rates. The Shipware process allowed us to better understand the discounts and concessions we were entitled to without any breach in terms with our delivery partners.

We used to use a broker for our LTL shipments. In theory, it’s a good concept: benefit with deeper discounts by aggregating volume from hundreds of other shippers. However, after working with Shipware, we learned that we could avoid huge broker markups and reduce our LTL costs by forging direct relationships with the carriers. We are saving 18% with the same high-quality LTL providers we had been using previously, and as we grow, WE benefit with even higher discounts – and not the broker. We’re also using Shipware’s TMS to identify the right carriers for the right loads for better time in transit at lower costs. I’ll never use a broker again.

I’m not new to logistics. Been at my job nearly two decades, and I’ve worked with 4-5 parcel invoice audit companies during my career. Shipware’s audit is hands down the best. It delivers significantly greater savings week in and week out, and their spend management reports and portal are tools I actually use to improve my business.

Following Shipware’s complimentary rate assessment, I was anxious to get started. But their proposed gainshare split and term seemed too high. So I spent the better part of the next six months negotiating with UPS on my own, only to get miniscule rate improvements despite a lot of effort. In frustration, I hired Shipware. Within weeks, Shipware’s strategic guidance resulted in significant pricing improvements, and frankly, better responsiveness and relationship from our carrier ever since. If you’re thinking of going it alone, take it from me: you’ll get faster results, deeper savings, save a lot of time and do it right the first time by working with category experts. Shipware earned every nickle!

I put off using Shipware for nearly a year because I thought I didn’t have time. John Paul finally got through to me when he quantified that I had lost nearly a million dollars in savings by waiting a year. Now, we had many other initiatives underway during the year, but all of them combined didn’t net $1 million to the bottom line. What’s more, I only invested a total of about a day’s work over the course of a 10 week process. Only wished I would have come to my senses sooner!