Companies are raising salaries for supply chain executives in an effort to compensate for the increased costs of making and moving goods. According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, the average salary for supply chain professionals rose 4.1% in 2017, outpacing broader U.S. wage gains. This is consistent with the sector’s pay growth in recent years, and salaries could rise even faster in the coming year as businesses grapple with inflation and the growing tensions between the U.S. and key trading partners.

The strategy of “paying more to save more” means executives are seeking new solutions to increase savings opportunities wherever possible.

To complement these efforts, hiring an outside supply chain optimization company can make a critical impact. At Zero Down, we’re helping our clients achieve this impact through substantial savings opportunities.

Here are a few strategic methods we utilize to make a difference for our clients’ bottom lines:

1. Thoroughly audit carrier invoices. False charges can easily go unnoticed, unless invoices are consistently being monitored. Using our small parcel shipping audit software, we’ve achieved refunds on late shipments and uncovered issues with duplicate billings for our clients. Our parcel auditing services have identified incorrectly-applied accessorial fees including address corrections and residential surcharges, which have resulted in considerable refunds for our clients. We guarantee we’ll find savings, or we don’t get paid.
2. Renegotiate freight contracts for optimal rates. One of our clients had used their  chosen freight forwarder for more than 12 years, believing them to be the best-priced option available. As the client’s supply chain optimization consultants, we performed a formal bid project and successfully achieved a 17%-24% range of savings on their various import lanes.
3. Reduce overall spend with an innovative TMS. By tapping into our next-level transportation management system software, our clients make data-driven decisions every time they create a shipment. Our proprietary software for supply chain management implements all optimized rates and provides the best shipping options with just a few clicks of a mouse.
4. Enabling Duty Drawback Recovery. The duty drawback process can be extensive, yet we’ve successfully secured refunds for large importers and international clients with some of the toughest cases. In one instance, after holding multiple meetings and filing protests, we were able to cite an obscure treasury decision from the 1930s that convinced the drawback office to reconsider and expand on its initial ruling, resulting in a significant benefit of our client’s bottom line. We never stop fighting for our clients.

To learn more about our supply chain optimization services, or to schedule a free demo of our capabilities and solutions, contact one of our team members today!