Sword Automation Solutions LLC

REAL MARCH MADNESS

by James L. Sword, Sr.

As this month of March takes hold, millions of people watch the NCAA Basketball Extravaganza, aficionados spend hours analyzing teams to make that perfect bracket and American companies loose huge sums of dollars in lost productivity. So much attention is focused on an annual activity that can lead even the calmest of grandmas into the “madness” of these couple weeks of alma mater boasting, bashing and crying. Truth be told…. the real madness occurring at this time of year is the effect being felt on many companies’ bottom-line with new shipping costs from new (and ever increasing) shipping rates that may just now be showing its ugly head this year.

The madness can be avoided with action on a single word I sometimes use during initial visits with potential customers – modernize. For many startup companies, those first few years of increased volume can pass by without realizing what is out there to help suppress the madness resulting from shipping costs. The madness is swept aside for some operations – not wanting or not taking the time to dive into or understand the cause of their shipping costs.

In the ecommerce space the easiest excuse is – “It’s ok, the customer is paying for shipping”. What eventually happens though is today’s more adept e-shopper evaluates the total cost and compares you to your competition. Soon that “shipping cost” will begin to take its toll on orders and those businesses that do not address the issue. Solutions are available to ensure that the March Madness from those shipping invoices does not last.

Modernize should not be interpreted to imply massive dollars are required for a solution. For many businesses a static dimension / weighing station can curb the madness. What can it do?

• Dimension/Weighing station like the SPS 4C helps stop the shipping madness. Freight costs are almost impossible to calculate manually with dim factor, dimensional weight etc. Incorporating the SPS into your operations gets it done simply by pressing a button and saving minutes per shipment.
• Manual data entry and manual measuring can cause errors. Eliminate those errors by using an SPS 4C to automatically capture dimensions, weight and calculate chargeable weight.
• Plug-in to carrier provided shipping systems like UPS WorldShip® and ConnectShip® and Fed Ex Ship Manager®. Unique plug-in into carrier systems as a standard feature, shipment data is transferred with a press of a button without manual data entry. Many units out there today require additional cost to accomplish the same.

Don’t let March Madness continue in your shipping operations. Contact Sword Automation Solutions today to discuss your options. From static dim/weight to fully automated shipping systems with in-motion dimension/weighing, Sword Automation Solutions can help you determine the best remedy for controlling the madness of shipping costs. Let us help you find the best money saving tools like to SPS 4C. Save by cutting shipping costs today.