The COVID-19 pandemic, combined with the Amazon Effect, has played an integral part in boosting the number of products bought online. In fact, consumers spent $870.78 billion in 2021. It is estimated that these sales wouldn't have reached this high until 2023 if we had not had the pandemic. With an increase in online sales comes an increase in the number of packages shipped. In 2021, UPS shipped 25.2 million packages per day, on average, and FedEx shipped more than 18 million per day. If you're reading this, your company is probably among those that have had to ship more in recent years.
As your volume of shipping increases, so too do the shipping charges. Doing a parcel invoice audit can combat that, but it can be difficult figuring out where to start. Logistics consulting services can help. Many offer parcel audit services among other solutions to help you cut costs while keeping shipping up to standards and maintaining customer satisfaction
Before we discuss what logistics consulting services offer, we will explore what exactly logistics are and what logistics consultants do.
Logistics, by definition, is how an action or process is organized and put into practice. In the freight and logistics industry specifically, it means the way in which goods are transported from your company to your customers in a way that meets the expectations of both parties. There are several types of logistics.
The four types of logistics handle different points in the manufacturing and shipping process.
A logistics consultant is someone who evaluates and improves shipping and supply chain operation processes to come up with ways to save money while optimizing procedures. Essentially, they make sure products get from your company to customers efficiently. They can work in several areas of the freight and logistics industry, including manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, and transportation.
When it comes to freight and logistics consulting, consultants do the following:
When searching for logistics consulting companies, look no further than ShipSigma. Within eight weeks, we can optimize your shipping and save you an average of 25% on shipping costs when you ship with UPS or FedEx. Not only do we offer weekly automated invoice audits and prepare you for negotiations, we also have an Audit & Reporting platform that automatically identifies invalid charges and creates a report for you. No long-term contract is required to use this feature. All that's required of you is connecting your carrier account to our platform.
If you are interested and want to learn more about our services, try it for free and start saving today.
Distribution logistics oversees how products are stored, packed, and shipped to customers, while reverse logistics manages items customers return. Online shoppers return 30% of products purchased online, compared to 8% of in-store purchases, making reverse logistics a growing operational concern. Logistics consultants who work with distribution address both outbound and return flows within the same supply chain framework.
Which business sectors use logistics consultants?Logistics consultants work across manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, and transportation. Each sector faces distinct challenges around inventory movement, carrier management, and cost control that consultants evaluate and address. Companies in any of these industries benefit from consulting services covering shipping charge audits, technology implementation, and carrier negotiation preparation.
How do logistics consultants prepare businesses for carrier negotiations?Consultants audit shipping invoices to identify billing errors, delivery failures, and service quality issues, then compile those findings into a documented case for rate adjustments. The audit data reveals where carriers have overcharged or underperformed, giving businesses concrete grounds to seek corrections. Armed with this information, companies enter carrier negotiations with specific, data-backed claims rather than general requests.
What does a parcel invoice audit examine?A parcel invoice audit reviews shipping records to find errors in carrier charges, shipment quality issues, and late deliveries. Auditors compare what was billed against what the carrier's rate agreement specifies and flag any discrepancies for recovery or correction. The findings from these audits establish a factual baseline for renegotiating carrier contracts.
How much do businesses save through logistics consulting?Businesses shipping with UPS or FedEx average 25% in shipping cost reductions through logistics consulting, with the full optimization process completed within eight weeks. Savings come from correcting invoice billing errors, improving shipping procedures, and entering carrier negotiations with audit-based data. The process includes weekly automated invoice audits and reporting to identify and document invalid charges.