Presented by
our Partners at FedEx®
©
2010
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.
