Amid record labor shortages, shifting production centers, and freight rate fluctuations, shippers need smarter and more flexible approaches to parcel management. When order volumes and geographical demand grow, that’s doubly true: without the right tools and strategies, shippers can jeopardize shipment times, customer relationships, and crucial growth opportunities.
Fortunately, an integrated parcel management solution can help teams solve key challenges—and simplify parcel workflows along the way. Shippers can drive greater efficiency, customer transparency and communication, and cost savings—and ultimately unlock record profits.
Optimize the carrier selection process
Each carrier comes with its own benefits and drawbacks—especially when it comes to costs, delivery times, and special equipment. Certain carriers may work well for specific routes and types of shipments, but not for others. Making the right choice involves accounting for multiple factors, such as transport modes, market conditions, and fluctuations in customer demand.
In the face of countless moving parts, shippers can reap game-changing benefits from the right technology. Honeybee TMS—CTSI-Global’s transportation management system (TMS), which comes with Parcel Management—provides a vast network of regional and specialty providers, including more than 70 pre-approved parcel carriers. This powerful software—equipped with real-time carrier costs, delivery times, and capabilities—sorts through carriers with just one API call, pointing shippers to the optimal choice for each shipment.
The result? Faster shipments, fewer errors, and far greater savings.
Enhance customer communication and support
The right parcel management solution provides end-to-end supply chain visibility, enabling real-time shipment tracking. Shippers can easily keep customers in the loop when it comes to delivery dates, potential delays, and package movements. And with Parcel Management’s address validation feature, teams can rapidly verify local and global delivery addresses, preventing mix-ups before they happen.
Parcel management software also reimagines post-delivery tasks through rapid self-service returns and automated return label generation across multiple file formats. With a sophisticated digital parcel management process, shippers can quickly build customer trust while inspiring repeat orders.
Cut shipping costs
As freight rates, fuel costs, and other shipping fees continue to fluctuate, shippers—especially those dealing with high parcel volumes—are scrambling to find new cost-saving areas.
With flexible parcel management technology, shippers can easily consolidate shipments while implementing LTL rates over parcel rates. Additionally, teams can bypass the inefficiencies of individual shipments through zone skipping, or regional parcel consolidation, unlocking up to 50% in savings.
Streamline global shipping
As organizations scale and parcel demand swells, shippers must equip themselves with flexible global shipping strategies. But for many teams, precise, lightning-fast execution—especially in new global markets—can be an unprecedented challenge.
When it comes to tax complexities, international regulations, and high-stakes compliance standards, a single oversight can lead to major ramifications. Human error—a natural consequence of manual parcel workflows—only exacerbates potential risks.
“When addresses are inaccurate or incomplete, 41% of shipments are delayed, and 38% simply fail,” says Josh Miller, CTSI-Global’s Vice President of Sales.
The right parcel management tool can help. Automated shipping compliance and digitized address validation prevent penalties, fines, and delays—a major win for risk mitigation, customer happiness, and overall efficiency.
Integrate systems—and eliminate silos
Logistics teams often work with an extensive range of systems, from enterprise resource planning (ERP) software to TMSs. These systems extend across entire organizations, touching sales, finance, customer success, and more.
Yet many firms still rely on carrier-provided systems for parcel management, such as UPS Worldship and FedEx Ship Manager. These systems are often disconnected from other crucial systems, limiting internal information-sharing. Additionally, carrier-provided parcel management complicates the process of working with multiple carriers—and reduces the number of accessible carriers to begin with.
With a flexible freight shipping API, however, shippers can easily access pre-configured integrations with large international parcel and courier providers, including DHL, FedEx, and UPS. The accompanying TMS can also sync with ERP software, further connecting shipping details across entire organizations.
Modernize parcel management—and reap the benefits for years to come
Investments in digital transformation go a long way—and parcel management is no exception. With CTSI-Global’s all-in-one Parcel Management, equipped with Honeybee TMS and ShipEngine’s freight shipping API, shippers get access to everything they need for high-ROI parcel workflows: a centralized document repository, freight audit and pay services, predictive analytics, and more.
In today’s make-or-break business climate, every decision counts—beginning with the right technology.
Ready for cutting-edge parcel management? Contact CTSI-Global today.
