In today's globally outsourced business environment, most of the data that companies need to run their supply chains resides with partners, and typically in the systems of those partners. Cloud platforms... View More
Robert O. Fabrize, doctoral candidate in the Department of Marketing and Logistics at the University of North Texas, and Dr. Martin Theodore (Ted) Farris II, Ph.D., CTL, Professor at the University of... View More
Shippers are often surprised when I suggest setting targets for service providers in transportation sourcing events. Economists refer to this concept as "anchoring". Many, if not most, shippers simply... View More
An important court battle that impacts parcel shippers continues to take shape in US District Court. As reported in Parcel in October 2010 (“FedEx & UPS Policies Regarding Third Party Consultants:... View More
Based on Profit Point’s recent Transportation Survey of industry leaders, 90+% of shippers identify cost, service, and finding adequate transportation capacity as their continuing priorities in... View More
No Free Lunch; No Free Shipping The old adage “there’s no such thing as a free lunch” holds parallels for today’s shipping industry pros. The phrase is generally traced back to... View More
Tompkins Associates has conducted a mid-year checkup on major industry trends that supply chain executives are putting at the top of their strategy lists. “Late last year, we published the Top 11... View More
My first transportation job was as a package car driver in Jamestown New York, in what was called the "down town area". UPS delivered 34 states when I started in 1969. You signed a sheet that had your... View More
Through supply chain visibility technology, it is now possible for companies to view their parcel and freight shipments no matter their locations, and track them in as close to real time as data feeds... View More
Internet retailers are keenly aware that an efficient returns program is a critical factor for maintaining customer loyalty. Quite often a customer’s first visit to an Internet retailer is the result... View More
For carriers to not only become competitive in the small parcel market but also obtain a competitive advantage, the carrier’s capacity to differentiate itself from the competition and adapt to changing... View More
I was recently asked to review three companies that make it simple to sell in foreign markets. In essence, these three companies can help any company market their products to foreign consumers with all... View More
Everybody’s talking about Business Intelligence (BI). So what is it, and how can it help you? In short, BI is using existing data to drive a desirable future outcome. Savvy BI programs know: a) What... View More
At first glance, logistics and Olympic snowboarder Lindsey Jacobellis’ infamous gold-medal-losing race may not appear to have much in common. But take away the snow, the global television audience... View More
For anyone who is not closely involved with the shipping industry, it is nearly impossible to know how much goes into the process behind the scenes. As PARCEL readers, however, you are likely to be painfully... View More
While news about manufacturing job losses continue to make headlines, about 11 million Americans currently work in industrial and manufacturing settings, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. So why do... View More
There are several ways that shippers can minimize the impact of Mideast tensions on transportation spending. Political and military unrest in the Mideast is causing fuel costs to rise, which will have... View More
The Rules of our personal and business lives exist to protect us. Rules of the Road keep us safe while driving. Robert’s Rules of Order protect the democratic process of many organizations and governments.... View More
In last month’s article we talked about the similarities between the parcel carriers’ list rates, rating logic, and accessorials and surcharges. This month we’ll delve into the more recent,... View More
For companies looking for relief from high shipping costs and market volatility, a professional, third party logistics (3PL) provider can save an extra 18 to 25% off already heavily discounted LTL freight... View More
