Top Shipping Strategies to Set Your Business Apart

For Manufactures, e-commerce, retail and distribution businesses, smooth shipping processes are critical to success. Your goal is to keep costs low and shipments fast with a dynamic supply chain, robust policies and best practices to ensure the most efficient and streamlined operations.

If your business is struggling to outshine the competition, focusing your efforts on effective shipping can prove highly beneficial. From pleasing your customers to managing lower costs, an effective shipping process can significantly impact your company’s ability to thrive and increase topline revenue.

Why Shipping Matters in the Modern Marketplace

Your company’s shipping process should never be an afterthought. It has a profound impact on your overall business model and your ability to compete in crowded markets.

Explore the importance of optimizing your business’s shipping practices below.

Customer Satisfaction

Efficient shipping and delivery processes are paramount. In fact, 77% of consumers say they are less willing to purchase from brands after having a negative delivery experience.

Today’s consumers want and demand quick, accurate deliveries. Your company can maintain a competitive edge by prioritizing visibility, speed and convenience. Meeting — and exceeding — customer expectations will ensure greater satisfaction with your company.

Taking measures to supercharge shipping and reduce costs will also please your customers, helping them receive their orders sooner with a lower delivered cost of goods.

Cost Efficiency

Running a business is expensive, and shipping cost optimization directly influences profitability, pricing strategies and competitiveness. Your company must consider economies of scale and choose strategic shipping methods to reduce overall transportation costs.

The right shipping tools are crucial for cost efficiency and stability. Businesses need to balance reduced delivery times without increasing expenses, which can lead to higher rates for customers and reduce profitability. Cost management is key to achieving competitive prices, attracting new consumers, maintaining customer loyalty and ultimately increasing your company’s market share.

Business Reputation

Competitive shipping practices are important to your business’s reputation. You want consumers to see your brand as reliable, dependable and fast. In fierce markets, effective shipping can be a differentiator among your closest competitors.

Businesses with exceptional shipping practices and customer-first processes have better reputations. A positive reputation is crucial for fostering loyalty and sustaining growth over time.

Inconsistent or unreliable shipping practices can harm your company’s reputation, resulting in lost customers, reduced trust, fewer sales and more disputes. Improving your shipping and supply chain operations is essential to driving success.

7 Shipping Strategies for a Competitive Advantage

A few best practices can help your business improve its shipping processes and gain the competitive edge needed to maintain longevity and growth.

1. Utilize Shipping Software

One of the most impactful ways to improve shipping is using robust transportation management software (TMS). These solutions can help your business improve supply chain workflows by providing access to enhanced insights, improving cost management and maximizing profitability.

TMS can help your team streamline & automate internal processes using data and key metrics. Your business can use these tools for advanced tracking and more informed decision-making. These platforms also enable better internal department communications and coordination.

2. Leverage Parcel Shipment Audits

Investing in parcel shipment audit services is another strategy for improving shipping to gain a competitive advantage in your market. These services include a systematic review and analysis of your business’s shipment costs and processes.

An audit’s objective is to identify opportunities for cost savings, inefficiencies and inaccuracies within shipping practices as well as validating the rates you are charged by the carrier as compared to their contractual obligation. They are advantageous for ensuring compliance and optimization. The parcel shipment audit process consists of:

• Collecting shipping data weekly.
• Comparing the rate you were charged vs your contract terms.
• Analyzing key performance metrics (KPIs) for deliveries.
• Evaluating carrier performance.
• Reviewing internal shipping processes.
• Analyzing packaging methods & impact of dimensional weight.
• Examining returns processes.
• Identifying opportunities for better negotiations.
• Recovering overpayments on your behalf for rate validation, late deliveries, erroneous residential surcharges, non-proof of shipment or delivery, etc.

3. Choose Less Than Truckload Shipping

Less than truckload (LTL) shipping can promote cost efficiency by shipping smaller quantities that do not require a truck’s full capacity. Multiple shipments from different businesses are combined in one truckload, allowing your company to share transportation costs across various companies, lowering expenses and allowing for optimized logistics.

By choosing LTL for smaller shipment volumes, your company can enjoy reduced costs and greater flexibility regarding shipment size and frequency.

4. Optimize Shipping Routes

Businesses can maintain an edge by taking steps to improve shipping routes, such as working with regional carriers, warehouses and fulfillment centers to support faster, more efficient delivery. Partnering with local fulfillment facilities also enables favorable delivery options, such as same-day or next-day shipping.

Last-mile delivery accounts for 53% of overall shipping costs and is vital to customer satisfaction. Taking steps to optimize routes and establish smoother deliveries from your business’s distribution center to the recipient’s door is key.

5. Monitor Shipments With Real-Time Tracking

Over half of online shoppers believe shipment tracking is among the most critical factors for a satisfying delivery. E-commerce, distribution and retail businesses can benefit from investing in real-time tracking solutions that offer teams and customers greater insight into deliveries. These solutions can help your company build trust and keep consumers up to date regarding potential delays or issues with their orders.

Real-time shipment tracking systems also enable proactive communication and customer notifications to enhance visibility and transparency while reducing frustration.

6. Negotiate Better Rates

Another strategy for improving shipping and gaining a competitive advantage is actively negotiating better rates with your carriers. Key tips for successful negotiations include:

• Research the market and stay informed on carrier rates, services and reviews.
• Track KPIs, like weight, delivery times and dimensions, to share data-driven insights.
• Consider long-term contracts with reliable carriers.
• Hire a benchmarking service to understand how your rates compare to other shippers in the marketplace.

7. Put the Customer First

Prioritizing customer-centric policies is essential for optimizing your shipping practices. A few techniques to satisfy your customers and gain an edge include:

• Establishing a free shipping threshold.
• Offering discounted shipping.
• Tailoring delivery choices to cater to the individual’s preferences, such as allowing shoppers to choose desired delivery times.

Your business’s logistics directly impact your customers, and using these strategies is key to satisfying consumers and ultimately outshining the competition.

Transform Your Supply Chain With Broussard Logistics Today

If you want to lower shipping costs and boost profitability, turn to the experts at Broussard Logistics. We can help your business thrive with industry-leading transportation management software and analytics solutions. Our team is experienced and highly knowledgeable, and we are here to make your supply chain more agile. Our customizable software can help your company gain a competitive advantage and exceed customer expectations through significant cost savings.

Is your business ready to reduce transportation costs and enhance shipping operations? Contact Broussard Logistics today to request a consultation and a customized solution tailored to your needs.