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http://www.nationalbusiness.org/NBAWEB/Member_Benefits/B112.htm

An important consideration you must face when setting up a business is your shipping method. After all, your business relies on getting the product to the end consumer. Though there are various ways to set up shipping, everyone desires a quick and efficient method. An ideal system allows you to easily integrate your various shipping lanes, whether they are overnight, ground, or simple mail service, into your business systems, retail website or order management system. An ideal route is to purchase a software application that allows you to create shipping labels, track shipments, obtain rate quotes and generate reports all in one place. While there are some pretty extensive applications out there, it is usually best to start with one of the basic programs that are available free online.

Online Shipping Services

Using an online application (like FedEx Ship Manager® at fedex.com) or downloaded software (like FedEx Ship Manager®) allows your employees to manage their own shipping. Add central monitoring functions to this, and you’ll be able to coordinate the entire process.

Centrally Monitoring Shipments

Look for a shipping application like FedEx Ship Manager that allows you to control and manage shipments made by employees throughout your organization – even at different locations. Administrative privileges can be assigned to a single user or to many users, depending on your business’s needs.

Using a special user ID and password, administrators through FedEx Ship Manager have the ability to do the following:

• Add and delete users from the system, as new employees are hired or as employees change positions within the organization.
• Determine what privileges users have. For example, you may assign a user to be able to ship nationally but not internationally, or only using certain account numbers.
• Customize system defaults for various shipping services, such as the address where packages should be picked up.
• Control what information is available to users at various levels. For example, you may want to designate department heads with the ability to generate reports on shipping within their department.

Using a Central Administrator

Assigning an administrator through a tool like FedEx Ship Manager allows you to combine the efficiency of a decentralized process with the control of a dedicated mailroom. Another benefit is that by limiting user access to information within the system, you can maintain a higher level of security.

Administrators can set up various levels of control for users throughout the organization who require access to the shipping system, thus ensuring that your shipping solution is customized to fit your business’s particular needs. Finally, because administrators are better able to track costs and generate reports, they can manage your shipping process to make the best use of your company’s resources.

Central monitoring functions, like the tools available through FedEx, can make your shipping worry-free, while still providing employees with the freedom to manage their own packages.

Save on Online Shipping with FedEx

NBA members can now save up to 26% on select FedEx® shipping services. There are no costs and no minimum shipping requirements to take advantage of this benefit. For more information about the FedEx Advantage® Program click here and enter password C95786 or call 1-800-MEMBERS (1.800.636.2377, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. EST, M-F).

* FedEx shipping discounts are off standard list rates and cannot be combined with other offers or discounts. Shipping discounts are exclusive of any FedEx surcharges, premiums or special handling fees and are not available to package consolidators. Eligibility for discounts subject to FedEx credit approval. Eligible services subject to change. Base discounts on FedEx Express® are 15%-21%. An additional 5% discount is available for eligible FedEx Express shipments when you ship online at fedex.com. Discounts are subject to change.