This book, the first of its kind, provides a comprehensive look inside the world of small package pricing, including a 20-year historical review, and the strategies used by carriers to maximize revenue and profit. The cost to ship a package has evolved from a simple formula of weight and distance to a variety of base prices, surcharges, value-added services, dimensional weighing, and minimum charges. Every company has a unique set of package characteristics – a shipping fingerprint – that determines a carrier’s profit margin and, ultimately, the discount opportunity. The reader discovers how to identify and analyze package characteristics to attain a fair and equitable discount, using a proven, time-tested Discount Matrix during price negotiation.
This book is an excellent educational text for undergraduate and graduate students who are pursuing careers in supply chain management, logistics, transportation management, and business administration. It focuses on pricing structure, key cost components, carrier profit margin and its role in determining a discount, and a proven negotiation process. Students assigned this book will gain a thorough understanding of a complex subject, someday applying their knowledge to real world situations.
This book is must reading for all professionals – executive, manager, administrator, and consultant – directly and indirectly involved in small package shipping who desire an in-depth understanding of pricing and successful negotiation tactics. After completion, it will serve as an excellent reference source.
The Shipper’s Guide to the Small Package Industry
What You Need To Know!
This book, the first of its kind, offers a comprehensive look inside the operation of a small package carrier. The reader discovers that what seems to be the simple movement of brown boxes from point A to point B is, in fact, a series of complex practices required to efficiently provide on-time service. The book offers an up-to-date and comprehensive coverage of terminal network structure, technological applications, service offerings, pricing, service standards, detailed operational stages in the life cycle of a package – from pick-up to delivery, and a historical overview of the industry.
This book is a valuable resource for executives, managers, administrators, and consultants in the public or private sector who desire an in-depth understanding of the small package industry. This important work is an excellent reference for practicing shipping professionals and should be required reading for anyone directly and indirectly involved with small package shipping.
It is an excellent educational text for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing careers in supply chain management, logistics, transportation management, and business administration. It introduces the student to the exciting world of small package shipping, specifically how a small package carrier operates and why it is important to understand. Students assigned this book will gain valuable knowledge of a complex industry, someday applying it to real world situations. When faced with actual managerial decisions, students will have learned key fundamentals to conduct sound and incisive evaluations.
Joseph P. Loughran is President of Parcel Rate Solutions, LLC and a 35-year veteran of the small package industry. He specializes in carrier pricing and cost analysis and is a leading provider of rate analysis and negotiation strategies for clients nationwide. Mr. Loughran has extensive expertise in the carrier side of the small package industry, enabling him to offer an innovative, engineered “inside” approach to cost reduction for companies utilizing small package services.
Prior to starting Parcel Rate Solutions, Mr. Loughran spent 20 years with SmartTran, Inc., as President and Co-Founder. He previously served as a Corporate Officer and Vice President of Operations Planning and Engineering for RPS, Inc. (now FedEx Ground). He joined the company in 1984 at the beginning of the research and development phase and served a prominent role in the many innovative services and operational techniques that differentiated RPS and enabled it to gain a foothold in the industry.
Mr. Loughran assists shippers with carrier rate analysis and contract negotiations to ensure the proper level of discount is being received. All relevant areas are examined to increase profit through cost reduction, including package characteristics, accessorial charges, surcharges, dimensional weighing, and minimum charges. Mr. Loughran has written the popular annual UPS Rate Increase Analysis for over 20 years, detailing the true impact of the annual rate increase – as no one else does. It is available at parcelratesolutions.com.
Mr. Loughran earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Administration and Management Science and a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Carnegie Mellon University and a Master of Science degree in Operations Research from New York University – Tandon School of Engineering.
Joseph P. Loughran is President of Parcel Rate Solutions, LLC and a 35-year veteran of the small package industry. He specializes in carrier pricing and cost analysis and is a leading provider of rate analysis and negotiation strategies for clients nationwide. Mr. Loughran has extensive expertise in the carrier side of the small package industry, enabling him to offer an innovative, engineered “inside” approach to cost reduction for companies utilizing small package services.
Prior to starting Parcel Rate Solutions, Mr. Loughran spent 20 years with SmartTran, Inc., as President and Co-Founder. He previously served as a Corporate Officer and Vice President of Operations Planning and Engineering for RPS, Inc. (now FedEx Ground). He joined the company in 1984 at the beginning of the research and development phase and served a prominent role in the many innovative services and operational techniques that differentiated RPS and enabled it to gain a foothold in the industry.
Mr. Loughran assists shippers with carrier rate analysis and contract negotiations to ensure the proper level of discount is being received. All relevant areas are examined to increase profit through cost reduction, including package characteristics, accessorial charges, surcharges, dimensional weighing, and minimum charges. Mr. Loughran has written the popular annual UPS Rate Increase Analysis for over 20 years, detailing the true impact of the annual rate increase – as no one else does. It is available at parcelratesolutions.com.
Mr. Loughran earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Administration and Management Science and a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Carnegie Mellon University and a Master of Science degree in Operations Research from New York University – Tandon School of Engineering.
