Ask the Expert: Freight Shipping Tips for Your SMB

What are some big shipping challenges and opportunities for today's small and midsized businesses (SMBs)? How can you keep freight costs under control? What are the best ways to make your shipping operations smoother and more streamlined?

To get the answers to these and other top shipping-related questions from our customers, we sat down with Kyle Bohrer, who owns nine Unishippers franchises and has nearly 20 years of experience in the logistics industry. He provided some expert advice that every freight-shipping business can use to level up their operations and keep more money in their pockets.

Let the wisdom flow!

Q: What is a major challenge you see SMBs having with their freight shipping?

A: I think that shippers rush to solutions too often without asking the proper questions, understanding what to do, or taking the time to do things properly such as inputting proper NMFC codes and billing information. For example, a lot of times people will just throw a freight class on the bill of lading (BOL) and call it a day. We always push our customers to understand that the BOL is a contract with the carrier and needs to be completed thoroughly and accurately. We try to help them understand that if a reclass or reweigh is required, it's not good for anybody, especially them!

Q: What's the most common question you get from freight shippers these days?

A: Because of the economic environment we're in right now, the big question everyone asks is "Can you save me money?" So I always want people to understand why quotes and pricing from carriers are what they are and what goes into them. We try to give shippers some education and transparency, so that they can be aware of extra costs and make adjustments to avoid them. For example, if your shipment has excessive weight or size, you need to understand why that's going to cost more and how you can prevent that by keeping a closer eye on your shipment sizes and carrier weight restrictions.

Q: What are some simple strategies that SMBs can use to keep their shipping budget under control?

A: One of the first things you should do is look at your carrier base and the types of freight carriers you're using for your shipments. Every carrier has its own proficiencies and considerations. For instance, we have budget carriers that will get your freight to its destination safely, but it just might have a little more time in transit. Going with that carrier instead of a faster option, if you're able to, can provide you with some pretty significant savings.

Another simple thing you can do that can have a big impact is to take a deep look at how you're palletizing your products. Every inch matters, and if you can tighten up your pallets you can avoid bumping up against any kind of excessive length charge, which brings a dramatic rate increase.

Q: Speaking of palletizing and packaging, is there anything else shippers can watch out for to avoid damage and claims?

A: Definitely! We've had customers try to save money and excessively reuse old pallets or build their own, and then the pallets are completely falling apart by the time they get to their destination. It's always a better bet to use new pallets that will maintain their structure.

You also need to know the best type of packaging to use to protect the specific commodity you're shipping. This is where our Unishippers team can help you out and provide personalized advice.

Q: What do you say to shippers who are debating about whether it's worth adding insurance to their freight?

A: We like to have a very thorough conversation with people about the difference between liability and insurance, and that they are not the same thing. Shippers need to understand that limits of liability are usually very low and are only what the carrier is responsible for if everything goes right.

When you spend a just a little extra for insurance and something goes wrong, you are simply going cover your losses. So, I always remind people to do the math and protect themselves as much as possible by getting insurance. It's an easy equation!

Q: What's a big mistake you see shippers make that could be easily avoided?

A: A huge mistake that I see people make is forgetting to check for concealed damage upon delivery. This gets overlooked all the time, and people won't open up a shipment until after the driver has left. If there's concealed damage inside, but you signed the proof of delivery as free and clear, you're probably going to lose that claim. The lesson is to thoroughly inspect your deliveries every time right when they come, and don't sign that the proof of delivery until you've confirmed that everything is there and undamaged.

Q: Are there any best practices that you think all SMBs should implement to make their shipping operations smoother?

A: Yes. I see lots of businesses out there that are still filling out BOLs manually and visiting individual carrier websites to get quotes for comparison. The technology that we have at our disposal today is unbelievable, and many shippers don't take full advantage of it and keep doing things the same way they always have.

My advice is to trust the technology, like myUnishippers™, which does it all for you. It will give you rate quotes to compare, transit times, insurance options, create all your shipping paperwork and more. Today's tech gives you the really unique ability to streamline your day-to-day shipping operations. The amount of time, money and manpower it saves is huge. I like that!

Always ask the experts: your Unishippers team

For more expert freight shipping advice, look no further than Unishippers. We help more than 108,000 SMBs just like yours ship over 48 million shipments every year. We stand out among third-party logistics providers (3PLs) because we're made up of franchises, like Kyle Bohrers', that are small businesses themselves. This enables us to uniquely understand and help SMBs with their shipping challenges and become true partners for them.

Our team of experts is standing by to answer any questions you have and help your business maximize your shipping potential. Reach out to the Unishippers team for a comprehensive, complimentary and customized shipping consultation today!