/ By Varsity Shipping Specialists / Shipping Software • Customer Experience • Parcel • Supply Chain/Logistics • Technology • TMS/ / 0 Comments

Mastering Market Volatility: 5 Ways Shipping Software Helps You Weather the Storm

You can’t always predict the unexpected, but you sure can prepare for it

In 2020, a global pandemic forced our world into a lockdown, causing productions to shut down, surges in unavailable product demand, and delays at ports. In 2022, 1,743 entities were impacted by supply chain cyber-attacks in the U.S., a 235% increase year-over-year since 2017. In 2023, anticipation of a potential strike by UPS Teamsters triggered a defensive response in many businesses, increasing costs for alternative shipping options, stress and anxiety, and many other harmful effects. Uncertainty regarding capacity exceeding demand adds another layer of complexity, as businesses grapple with questions about how many carriers will survive or merge in the face of changing market dynamics. Not to mention, other threats of disruption, like natural disasters and labor concerns, continue to loom over the supply chain and logistics industries.


You might be wondering: What’s the point of calling out these examples of market volatility? The point is, the supply chain and logistics landscape changes rapidly, constantly evolving. At the same time, they’re consistently faced with irregularities and the unknown. The possibility of supply chain disruption can occur at any time, especially when we least expect it. So, how can businesses be prepared for the unexpected?


Not only understanding, but also preparing for these market dynamics is crucial for businesses looking to excel in today’s volatile shipping environment. An advanced supply chain technology solution, such as a Transportation Management System (TMS) or multi-carrier shipping software built for both parcel and LTL shipping, emerges as the strategic key, offering a variety of tools and capabilities designed to help you navigate uncertainty. Let’s explore how these solutions can set your shipping operations up for success against unforeseen circumstances and market volatility.

How Top-Tier Multi-Carrier Shipping Software (MCSS) Keeps Your Shipping Operations Resilient

From visibility to automation and provider expertise, here are five ways a robust shipping software solution can help you adapt to evolving market conditions and provide the control you need to weather any storm:

1. Enhanced Visibility: Industry leading multi-carrier shipping software offers real-time visibility into the entire supply chain ecosystem. Advanced tracking and monitoring gives businesses visibility to several factors including shipment status, carrier performance, inventory levels, and market conditions. This provides companies with the ability to quickly detect disruptions and proactively respond to any unexpected obstacles.


2. Optimized Routing: In times of supply chain disruption, a shipping software’s optimized routing capabilities can really make a difference. The software can analyze various factors like traffic conditions, carrier capacity, and delivery windows, to select the most efficient route avoiding any disruptions. This way, businesses can still minimize transit times and adapt to volatile market conditions.


3. Improved Communication: Superior shipping software platforms integrate seamlessly with other parts of the Enterprise Software Stack (ESS), ensuring smooth data exchanges and streamlining operations. This also allows for uninterrupted communication between shippers, carriers, and customers. By maintaining real-time communication between the different parts of the supply chain, it helps businesses keep stakeholders informed to swiftly mitigate the impact of unforeseen circumstances and vice versa.


4. Automation: The ability of a comprehensive multi-carrier shipping solution to automate manual tasks and streamline workflows improves overall operational efficiency and agility. Not only do automated processes reduce the risk of costly errors, but they enable businesses to quickly adapt to sudden market changes, ensuring high service levels even in unpredictable events.


5. Expertise: A top-tier shipping software provider’s expertise is invaluable when it comes to preparing shippers for market volatility. Experienced providers offer strategic guidance, innovative solutions, and proactive support. Leveraging their strong industry knowledge, these providers can assist businesses in anticipating potential risks and developing contingency plans to mitigate them. By partnering with an experienced shipping software provider, shippers can lean on a trusted resource to help them navigate turbulent times and ensure resilience in supply chain uncertainty.

Varsity Logistics: The Leading Provider of Multi-Carrier TMS Systems

While it’s clear that unforeseen circumstances and instances of supply chain volatility are inevitable, Varsity Logistics’ comprehensive shipping software solution is the obvious choice for safeguarding your shipping operations against them. Varsity Logistics is the industry-leading multi-carrier shipping software provider exclusively designed for shippers on the IBM i (AS/400) Power systems. Included in our parcel shipping suite are various robust functionalities and supply chain execution modules, built for even the most complex shipping challenges. As a premium shipping solution, we help you protect your shipping operations with our:

Supply Chain Visibility

Electronically linked via Varsity’s ShipTalk module, your shipping software is seamlessly connected to your carriers to provide your business with real-time, end-to-end visibility into various parts of the supply chain. This functionality gives insight to variables such as current time order updates, delivery status, and advanced tracking and tracing. The visibility ShipTalk provides gives companies the ability to swiftly identify disruptions and take proactive action.

Carrier Selection

Another functionality Varsity provides as an important tool in mitigating supply chain disruptions is our carrier selection process. Based on a list of criteria including transit time, cost, mode, performance, optimal carriers, and more, Varsity’s ShipSelect module chooses the best carrier for every single shipment. This kind of functionality offers your business an automated way to still select the optimal carrier option for your shipments even during volatile supply chain conditions.

Streamlined Communication

Varsity’s shipping software solution offers the most robust and powerful integration possible with IBM i ERPs, making it the clear choice for IBM i (AS/400) Power systems users. This seamless integration allows for smooth communication and real-time shipping data access, empowering IT and e-commerce teams to stay informed of any potential threats or disruptions, allowing for immediate collaboration and proactive responses. [Learn why Varsity is the preferred shipping software partner of VAI!]

Automated Workflows

Automation plays a big role in helping shippers mitigate volatility. Varsity’s ShipSoft-Parcel solution automates the entire shipping process from start to end, eliminating the risk of expensive manual errors. From optimizing shipment pricing to ensuring label compliance, our automated solution ensures quick adjustments to your shipping strategies in response to shifting market conditions, like disruptions in transit routes. Additionally, our ability to conform to business requirements and industry compliance standards guarantees shippers a reliable solution regardless of supply chain challenges.

Supply Chain Expertise

We absolutely agree that the experience of your shipping software provider is invaluable, especially with unforeseen circumstances consistently looming. Founded in 1989, Varsity Logistics is proud to share that we hold over nearly 40 years in the supply chain and logistics space under our belt. Additionally, the tenure of our services and support teams surpasses 120 years. With that much experience, we know best when it comes to preparing shippers for resilience against market volatility.

Additional Features

There are many more capabilities of Varsity’s shipping modules that go beyond this list, but it’s important to mention:

  • Auditing: Varsity’s ShipAudit module reconciles carrier invoices against the anticipated costs, eliminating over-charges, duplicate bills, or invalid charges. Overall, by protecting profitability, ShipAudit helps companies fortify their supply chains against disruption and encourages operational continuity.
  • Analytics: TransData is Varsity’s transportation analytics tool that provides shipping companies with access to organized historical shipping and carrier data, enabling them to analyze performance, monitor trends, and make informed decisions. Leveraging this data helps businesses negotiate better agreements with carriers and reduce costs, thus helping to mitigate the impacts of a volatile shipping market.
  • Containerization: The ShipOptimizer module revolutionizes shipping operations by providing companies with the ability to predict shipping costs accurately before product shipment, offsetting rising transportation expenses and enhancing warehouse efficiency. By optimizing the container packing process, this module enables companies to seamlessly manage complex fulfillment requirements, reduce operating costs, and minimize potential product damage, ultimately helping companies navigate the challenges of supply chain disruptions.

To learn more about the modules mentioned above and Varsity’s comprehensive selection of parcel, freight, analytics and auditing shipping solutions, visit our resource center.


Varsity Logistics’ industry-leading multi-carrier shipping software is more than a shipping tool; it’s an essential piece of your supply chain software solution helping to safeguard your IBM i (AS/400) shipping strategy against the unexpected. Offering a valuable set of capabilities, including enhanced visibility, optimal carrier selection, streamlined communication, automated processes, and provider expertise, Varsity provides the solution to equip your shipping strategy for whatever’s around the corner.


Ready to weather the storm and take on supply chain disruptions with confidence? Contact our team of shipping experts or schedule a demo to learn more about how Varsity can help you navigate the ever-changing parcel shipping landscape.

/ By Varsity Shipping Specialists / Carriers • 3PL/Distribution • Customer Experience • E-Commerce • Parcel • Retail • Shipping Software • Supply Chain/Logistics/ / 0 Comments

4 Ways Zone Skipping Can Optimize Your Shipping Strategy

Learn how Zone Skipping can lower costs, decrease transit times, and boost customer satisfaction

In a supply chain and logistics environment where economic uncertainty is constant, businesses are always on the lookout for opportunities to reduce transportation costs without sacrificing transit times and customer experience. As e-commerce has continued to thrive by yielding high order volumes, the need for innovative shipping strategies has become more critical than ever.


Many will be relieved to know a logistics approach that offers a solution to both high shipping costs and extended delivery times does indeed exist. This approach is referred to as Zone Skipping, a logistics technique that consolidates individual packages and ships them directly to a parcel carrier’s distribution center closer in proximity to the final destination points of the consolidated packages. From there, a regional carrier delivers the package to the customer’s doorstep.


This technique is called Zone Skipping because consolidating individual shipments and transporting them in bulk to get them closer to their end delivery location allows the packages to bypass intermediate distribution centers, or zones.

How does Zone Skipping work?

Unlike traditional shipping methods that involve multiple sorting and transfer points, Zone Skipping minimizes the extensive routing of parcels across the country before reaching their end destination. Instead, the approach leverages local carriers for the final zone. The main purpose is to consolidate parcels headed for the same target location, allowing them to be shipped together in bulk. This process eliminates unnecessary handling and sorting, resulting in faster transit times and significant cost savings.

4 Ways Zone Skipping Can Benefit Your Business

Now that we’ve laid the foundation for understanding how Zone Skipping works, it is important to explore how this innovative shipping strategy can positively impact your business.

1. Cost Savings

Zone Skipping can bring substantial cost savings for businesses by optimizing the final stages of the shipping journey. Rather than relying solely on individual parcel carriers for end-to-end delivery, Zone Skipping utilizes local delivery services to make final mile deliveries. This strategy eliminates the need for multiple sorting and transfer points along the shipping route, significantly reducing costs associated with shipping packages. This cost efficiency allows businesses to allocate budget elsewhere, bettering the business’s finances and operations.


For example, if you were shipping 5,000 parcels from Oklahoma City to Detroit at $10 each in shipping costs, you would incur a grand total of $50,000 in shipping spend. The flat rate, however, is $5,000 if they all arrive in a truck. From there, shipping the individual parcels from the Detroit sorting facility will cost $7 per parcel. If you add the $5,000 flat rate shipment with the $7 per parcel for local delivery, the total shipping will equal $40,000. That’s $10,000 in savings compared to using the parcel carrier for shipping the parcels individually.

5,000 x $10 = $50,000

(5,000 x $7) + $5,000 = $40,000

$50,000 – $40,000 = $10,000 in Savings!

2. Faster Transit Times

Zone Skipping also revolutionizes the speed and efficiency of parcel deliveries, significantly reducing transit times. Traditional shipping methods involve excessive back-and-forth traveling through multiple sorting facilities across the country throughout the duration of transit. However, this logistics technique utilizes local carriers to minimize unnecessary detours and ensures a direct route to the end customer. Not only does this eliminate transit delays, but it shines a spotlight on businesses offering reliable service. It is no secret that today, especially, faster delivery times translate to higher customer satisfaction.

3. Greater E-commerce Capabilities

As the e-commerce landscape continues to evolve, customer expectations grow right along with it. This means meeting the growing demand for seamless and hassle-free deliveries is crucial for businesses. Zone Skipping presents an ideal strategy for businesses to meet these expectations by providing faster and more reliable shipping options to their customers. With the ability to directly route a package to the customer, avoiding transit delays and sorting, it meets the immediate needs of today’s online shoppers. Not only will this boost your business’s customer service, leading directly to happier customers and increased customer loyalty, but it will help your business excel in the competitive e-commerce market and ultimately drive profits.

4. Fewer Chances for Damaged Packages

Not only does Zone Skipping save your business time and money when it comes to shipping, it also reduces the risk of damaged packages. As we know by now, traditional shipping methods can send packages through multiple sorting and distribution centers, exposing packages to more hands and a higher likelihood of becoming damaged. Zone Skipping decreases the opportunity of something bad happening to packages, such as being dropped or dented, by eliminating unnecessary touchpoints in the shipping process. This helps ensure that customers receive their orders in pristine condition, improving the overall customer experience and building trust with the shipping process and your business.

What Do I Need to Implement Zone Skipping?

Here are 3 things to do before you implement a zone skipping strategy.

Evaluate the Areas You Serve

Before implementing a Zone Skipping strategy, it’s crucial to evaluate the regions you routinely serve. This strategy is most cost-effective for businesses that consistently have a substantial volume of parcels going to the same area. If you are considering utilizing Zone Skipping, you should consider the frequency of orders that are headed to the same region and examine how many steps are in your current shipping process. Remember, reducing the steps in your shipping process creates a more streamlined experience as well as increases cost savings to your business. Ideally, you should have a shipping system that allows you to turn zone skipping on/off based on current volume to ensure optimal efficiency and savings.

Evaluate your Internal Infrastructure

Before jumping into Zone Skipping, evaluate your internal infrastructure to ensure a seamless implementation. You will need software that is equipped to seamlessly handle increased capacity requirements. The integration of a robust solution, like multi-carrier shipping software (MCSS), becomes crucial in this context. Advanced shipping solutions are designed to handle complex shipping scenarios and streamline parcel logistics, ensuring your system remains agile and efficient, even with the increased demands of Zone Skipping. Because of volume, Zone Skipping may overly burden a more traditional system, which could reduce efficiency and increase labor costs. By leveraging the capabilities of multi-carrier shipping software, business will be able to effectively utilize Zone Skipping to deliver ROI and operational efficiency.

Open a Dialogue with your Local Parcel Carriers

It’s important to foster a collaborative partnership with your local parcel carriers as these are the people you’ll rely on to make Zone Skipping a successful strategy. Communication with these carriers is vital to smooth operations and an effective plan. While Zone Skipping might reduce the sorting and shipping workload on your part, transparent communication with your local carriers will help them recognize the substantial benefits of increased volume. A collaborative approach to this strategy ensures benefits for both your business and the carriers involved.

Zone Skipping with Varsity Shipping Software

Zone Skipping is an effective way to reduce shipping costs and improve customer experience. The industry leading multi-carrier shipping software for IBM i (AS/400) Power systems users from Varsity Logistics offers the ideal solution for flexibility and reliability when it comes to additional cost savings and promoting a positive customer experience.


Read our How it Works Brochure to learn more about Varsity’s software integration and comprehensive set of features.

View the Brochure

To discover all the ways Varsity’s multi-carrier shipping software can improve your parcel shipping processes, contact our shipping experts or schedule a demo.

/ By Varsity Shipping Specialists / Supply Chain/Logistics • AS400 • Customer Experience • Parcel • Shipping Software • Technology • Varsity Logistics/ / 0 Comments

The IBM i (AS/400) Guide to Handling Increased Parcel Throughput

Learn how IBM i (AS/400) Power users can streamline their shipping operations and increase their parcel throughput with ease

Up and running since 1988, IBM i (AS/400) operating systems (now Power Systems), are a cornerstone of many businesses’ shipping operations. In fact, the AS/400 platform is used in over 100,000 companies including Fortune 500 companies that use IBM i Power systems. As these systems have stood the test of time, their reliability, scalability, and durability have remained strong, which is why they are still relevant in today’s modern business environments. IBM i (AS/400) Power systems act as a central hub for various business functions, including those related to shipping and distribution. For those in the parcel shipping industry, these systems play a critical role in managing the various aspects of daily shipping operations.


E-commerce and customer expectations have surged over the last few years. This has caused the pressure for shippers to handle increased parcel throughput to grow in tandem. As businesses find themselves grappling with the challenge of managing an increased volume of packages, they must find an efficient solution to help them navigate this quickly changing environment to remain competitive. For shippers relying on IBM i (AS/400) Power systems, there are strategies and solutions that can empower your business in tackling the ever-growing demand for efficiency. Let’s start by looking at potential challenges you may face if you fail to adapt your strategy.

The Challenges of Handling Increased Parcel Throughput

While increasing your business’s parcel throughput can point to many positives, such as business growth, improved customer satisfaction, and competitive advantage, it is not always an easy undertaking. A quick spike in orders can stretch a company’s staff and resources thin without proper planning. Operational bottlenecks and a slow down or halt in tasks due to inefficient processes can result in order processing delays, late shipments, and unfulfilled customer expectations.


As mentioned previously, there has been a substantial increase in consumer demand and expectations surrounding the delivery of their products and customer service. Because of this, there is a heavy pressure on shippers to ensure they meet order fulfillment timelines and delivery promise dates. This requires businesses to adapt their shipping operations quickly to meet high order volumes and keep their customers satisfied.


As a reliable system for over 35 years, it is no wonder that the IBM i (AS/400) Power system is one of the world’s “most popular business computing systems”. However, because it has been around for so long, it is considered a legacy system by many – mainly because of other, newer solutions that have been released since. In fact, many companies with IBM i (AS/400) Power systems still have homegrown shipping solutions that may not be as adaptable or efficient, making it hard to keep up with increased throughput demands. Because of this, it is crucial for shippers to find scalable and efficient technologies that can seamlessly grow with their operations and provide the adaptability they need to keep up with such a dynamic parcel shipping landscape.

Strategies to Handle Increased Parcel Throughput Like a Pro

While the challenges of managing increased parcel throughput are evident, there are several strategies for shippers utilizing IBM i (AS/400) Power systems to empower them to tackle these obstacles effectively.

Automating Order Processing

Order processing automation is crucial for businesses experiencing an increase in demand. Implementing the automation of tasks such as order entry, address validation, and order routing can minimize the need for manual data input. Overall, this significantly reduces the possibility of human error and allows businesses to handle increased parcel throughput with ease. When integrated into IBM i (AS/400) Power systems, order processing automation substantially improves the precision and seamlessness of order fulfillment, delivering a streamlined processing of orders and efficient dispatch of shipments.

Rate Shopping

Rate shopping is an invaluable strategy for shippers utilizing IBM i (AS/400) Power systems to efficiently handle the challenges that come with increased parcel throughput. Rate shopping technology gives shippers the ability to compare and select the best carriers and rates for each shipment, allowing them the opportunity to stay cost-effective for both their business and their customers. Incorporating rate shopping into the shipping process also guarantees a reduction of overspending on shipping costs while ensuring users can make well-informed decisions in real time, guarantee timely deliveries, and remain competitive in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Real-Time Tracking for Customers

With the high expectations consumers hold today, real-time tracking and visibility to their orders is extremely important. Shippers can utilize their technology to provide their customers with tracking information, providing them insight into every step in the shipping process of their order. Notifications of early, on-time, or shipping delays make deliveries more convenient for consumers, as well as builds trust with the business, enhancing the overall customer experience. IBM i (AS/400) Power users can achieve this through integration with shipping software, like a multi-carrier shipping software solution, ensuring real-time tracking and visibility for their customers.

Dimensional Weighing

Incorporating dimensional weighing technology can significantly boost your company’s parcel throughput. This strategy is critical for IBM i (AS/400) Power users to integrate in order to get accurate rate calculation and cost-efficient shipping. It ensures accurate pricing based on the dimension and weight of parcels, minimizing discrepancies between manifest weight and actual weight. Not only does this technology lower shipping costs and allows businesses to handle increased parcel throughput, but it also results in substantial labor savings. [Learn more about dimensional weight pricing and unexpected shipping costs.]


The list of strategies for shippers using IBM i (AS/400) Power systems to handle increased parcel throughput goes on, but wouldn’t it be nice if there was one comprehensive platform that combined all of these strategies into one helpful solution?

Introducing: Varsity Logistics’ Multi-Carrier Shipping Software Solution

Varsity Logistics has stood as a top-tier supplier of multi-carrier shipping software for companies in need of parcel shipping capabilities for over a decade. Designed exclusively for IBM i (AS/400) Power users, our comprehensive parcel shipping suite is seamlessly integrated, hosting various top tier supply chain execution modules engineered to handle even the most intricate small package shipping.


Varsity’s ShipSoft-Parcel seamlessly integrates with ERP, legacy, and Order Entry systems running on IBM i (iSeries, Power, AS/400) systems. It delivers a unified and automated shipping solution that ultimately eliminates manual data entry and significantly reduces shipping costs for your business. This solution incorporates several technologies to apply the strategies for businesses to handle increased parcel throughput discussed above.


Within Varsity’s ShipSoft-Parcel solution, ShipSelect automates the carrier selection process based on factors such as transit time, cost, and carrier service. It chooses the optimal carrier for every shipment, following business requirements and routing guides. ShipOptimizer technology finds the ideal containerization process and accurately predicts shipping costs before processing the order. SpeedWeigh allows shippers to automatically retrieve the package weight from the scale which is pulled into the system at the time the order number is scanned. This eliminates the need for an additional get-weight barcode scan or manual entry, ultimately saving your business processing time and money.


Varsity’s multi-carrier shipping solution is a unified platform that encompasses automation, order processing, dimensional weighing, real-time tracking, and more. This all-in-one solution optimizes operations, improves efficiency, and guarantees the effective and successful management of increased parcel throughput for those operating on IBM i (iSeries, Power, AS/400) systems. To learn more about Varsity’s Parcel shipping solution, the additional execution modules, and how our software can transform your shipping operations, contact our team of shipping experts or request a demo.

/ By Varsity Shipping Specialists / Carriers • Customer Experience • E-Commerce • Retail • Varsity Logistics/ / 0 Comments

7 Benefits of Carrier Diversification

Learn how carrier diversification reduces costs, improves customer satisfaction, and more.

Everyone’s familiar with the saying, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket”. The expression is a warning against concentrating all your resources or efforts into one place or thing. When relying too heavily on a single option, you potentially put everything at risk in the event of a crisis. Although this time-worn phrase dates back to the 1600’s or earlier, it still remains applicable to an abundance of situations, including your shipping strategy.

An effective way to apply this advice to your shipping strategy is by diversifying your carrier mix. This provides shippers with carrier options in the event of a supply chain disruption. The saying became especially relevant in the logistics world after the pandemic struck, causing a spike in e-commerce, disruptions in carrier networks, shifting consumer behavior, and more.

7 Reasons to Implement a Carrier Diversification Strategy

Post pandemic, in today’s rapidly evolving shipping landscape, supply chain innovation and adaptability are essential. Still, amidst times of changing consumer expectations, dynamic market conditions, labor unrest and other unforeseen circumstances, businesses are realizing that carrier diversification is a key driver of success. If you are looking to inject flexibility into your shipping processes, mitigate risks, enhance service coverage, and unlock new opportunities, then carrier diversification is a strategy to put in place. Here are seven ways having more than one major carrier can benefit your business:

1. Carrier Diversification Reduces Risk

Relying on a single carrier can pose risks such as service disruptions due to weather, labor strikes, or unforeseen circumstances. By diversifying carriers, you reduce the risk of shipping disruptions having a devastating effect on your business by distributing shipping volumes across several providers. Additionally, with an advanced multi-carrier shipping solution, if one carrier experiences an issue, you can seamlessly switch to an alternative carrier. This redundancy helps to continue the flow of goods, ensure timely delivery and business continuity, and minimize the impact on your shipping operations.

2. Carrier Diversification Increases Flexibility and Scalability

By integrating multiple carriers into your shipping software, you gain the flexibility and scalability to adapt to evolving market conditions, shifting consumer preferences, and seasonal demands. It allows you to find the best carrier suitable for specific needs on a shipment-to-shipment basis, based on factors such as cost, transit time, destination, and service level. This agility allows you to optimize your shipping operations and handle fluctuations in consumer demands efficiently.

3. Carrier Diversification Uncovers Competitive Shipping Rates

Competitive Shipping Rates: Carrier diversification enables you to compare shipping rates across multiple providers. Each carrier may offer different pricing structures, discounts, or negotiated rates based on several favors like your shipping volume, destination, or time in transit. By having options, you can identify the most cost-effective shipping solutions for your business, potentially reducing shipping expenses and passing along those savings to retailers as well.

4. Carrier Diversification Improves Geographic Coverage

Incorporating different carriers into your shipping software allows businesses access to a broader network of delivery routes and service areas. Individual carriers typically have strengths in certain regions whether that be local, regional, or international. By diversifying carriers, you can expand your shipping reach to more areas and access markets that might be underserved by a single carrier. This allows you to leverage your established expertise in different geographic locations while also growing your business. Carrier diversification helps you reach a wider customer base and opens the door to entering new markets with confidence.

5. Carrier Diversification Improves Service Levels

Different carriers have their strengths and weaknesses, such as specific routes, delivery networks, or specialized services. By diversifying carriers, you can fill the gaps in areas where some carriers might be as efficient. This allows you to tap into each carrier’s unique strengths and select the option that best aligns with your specific shipping requirements. This can result in faster delivery times, higher customer satisfaction, and overall improved service levels.

6. Carrier Diversification Empowers Negotiation

When you have multiple carriers integrated into your shipping software, it strengthens your position during carrier negotiations. You can leverage competition among carriers to compare rates or service capabilities. Carriers may also be more likely to offer you discounts, customized solutions, or other attractive incentives to secure or maintain your business. Overall, negotiation allows businesses to vouch for more favorable pricing, contractual agreements, and value-added services.

7. Carrier Diversification Improves Customer Satisfaction

Every business has the goal to provide an exceptional customer experience- after all, it’s what builds brand loyalty and customer trust. By expanding your carrier library, you increase customization abilities, flexibility, and other great options for customers. It also allows for the selection of carriers based on factors like reliability, delivery speed, and geographic range that best aligns with your customer’s needs. With higher consumer expectations surrounding deliveries today, customers appreciate carriers who can get them their goods in a safe and timely manner.

How Carrier Diversification Facilitates Growth

Overall, diversifying your carrier mix offers a variety of benefits for businesses navigating the ever-evolving world of supply chain and logistics. This strategy enables greater flexibility, improved service levels, cost optimization, risk mitigation, expanded market reach, negotiation power, and increased customer satisfaction. Integrating multiple carriers provides operational redundancy, allowing businesses backup options in the event of disruptions and other unforeseen circumstances. Additionally, carrier diversification creates the opportunity for businesses to expand their reach, enter new markets, or those that may be under serviced. Embracing a carrier diversification strategy is imperative and empowers businesses to construct resilient, streamlined, and customer-focused operations in a constantly evolving marketplace.

Need help getting started with a carrier diversification strategy or shipping software? Contact our experts today to discover how Varsity Logistics can improve the way your business does shipping.