3 Minute Explainer: What is Multi Carrier Shipping Software?

Welcome to our new 3 Minute Explainer series. Here we undertake to explain best practices, solutions or functionality  in no more than 3 minutes. In this QAD Precision 3 Minute Explainer, we discuss multi carrier shipping and its benefits.

What is Multi Carrier Shipping?

As the name suggests, multi carrier shipping means using more than one carrier to deliver parcels. Multi carrier shipping software allows you to:

• Automatically switch between carriers

• Compare rates, routes and transit times

• Select the best carrier and service level for your needs

• Automatically generate carrier compliant shipping labels, the manifest and all necessary shipping documents

• Track shipments from pick-up through to delivery

If you use one carrier for domestic shipments and another carrier for international deliveries, that’s not multi carrier shipping. 

Enterprises using multi carrier shipping software can leverage a large network of carriers. For example, an exporter based in Germany could use DHL, FedEx, UPS, and DPD as well as regional carriers and postal operators.

Therefore, when a shipment needs to be sent out, logistics staff can easily see which carrier will meet the promised delivery date at the lowest possible cost. 

How an Automatic Routing Guide Powers Multi Carrier Shipping Solutions

The real power of multi carrier shipping lies in the automatic routing guide. 

Automatic routing assigns shipments to a carrier based on predetermined criteria and your business rules. These can include the destination, the customer, or the package’s weight, size and dimensions and so forth.

Our German exporter could decide that small parcel shipments of X product bound for the US, should use only the global carriers DHL, FedEx or UPS. The exporter might also decide these shipments must reach the customer within 2 business days. The routing guide will automatically shop between these 3 carriers. Then the solution assigns the shipment to whichever carrier can meet the delivery deadline at the best price.

In addition, our exporter could decide that all European shipments are next-day delivery and can use any carrier in the network. Therefore, the routing guide will shop between all the carriers that deliver across Europe. Again, the solution will choose the lowest cost service that will meet the delivery date. 

The Benefits of Multi Carrier Shipping Software

Here are 5 benefits of multi carrier shipping:

• Lower delivery costs

• Global package tracking and exception alerts

• Automated processes

• Standardized shipping procedures

• Protect customer relationships

Let’s look at these in more detail.

LOWER DELIVERY COSTS

As explained above, multi carrier shipping software chooses the lowest cost delivery option. Therefore, multi carrier parcel shipping solutions help shippers control costs. 

GLOBAL PACKAGE TRACKING

Multi carrier shipping software tracks all packages, with all carriers in the same way from a single location. In addition, the solution alerts personnel if a package is at risk of missing a delivery deadline. Therefore, you can proactively take action to deal with delays. 

AUTOMATED PROCESSES

With multi carrier shipping and automated routing, you don’t need to switch between carrier interfaces looking for the best rates and routes. The system does it for you.

In addition, the solution automatically generates all the documentation needed to complete a shipment. This removes the need for time-consuming manual processes.

STANDARDIZED SHIPPING PROCESSES

If you have multiple sites, either domestic or global, multi carrier shipping allows you to standardize shipping across your enterprise. You can apply the same business rules no matter where you ship from or ship to.

PROTECT CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS

Multi carrier shipping software allows you to accommodate customer requests to use a particular carrier and service level. 

Furthermore, multi carrier shipping allows you to serve your customers even when things go wrong. If one carrier lacks capacity or another has a route outage because of a weather event, you can reroute packages to the carriers that can fulfill the delivery.

If customers can count on you to deliver their orders in a timely fashion, it bolsters their trust in you.

Need More Information?

Six Ways Multi Carrier Shipping Lowers Parcel Delivery Costs

Five Benefits of Multi Carrier Shipping Software 

How Multi Carrier Shipping Software Benefits Global Manufacturers

LET’S KEEP IN TOUCH

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About QAD Precision – Trusted Global Trade and Transportation Execution

QAD Precision, a division of QAD Inc., provides industry-leading global trade compliance, and multi carrier transportation execution solutions from a single, integrated platform. An ISO-certified company, QAD Precision assists companies to streamline their import, export and transportation operations, optimize deliveries, and increase logistics ROI.

QAD Precision’s scalable and extensible solution easily integrates with existing ERP and WMS solutions. Industry leaders in every region of the world rely on QAD Precision’s global support centers to leverage thousands of carrier services and manage millions of global trade and shipping transactions every day. For more information about QAD Precision, visit www.qadprecision.com.

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