The
Delivery Experience
Blog

MAR 7, 2024 | Bob Malley

Connect and Communicate at the Speed of eCommerce

Connectivity is an essential ingredient in digitizing and automating supply chain processes. This blog explores how Sendflex’s next-generation parcel TMS platform makes integration to APIs, data sources, and “things” like scales, printers, and robotics easier than ever, speeding up time to benefits.

FEB 28, 2024 | Bob Malley

Sendflex and Maergo Help Shippers Diversify Carrier Services Without Sacrificing Incentives

One of the biggest obstacles shippers face when diversifying their carrier network is the fear of losing their primary carrier tiered incentives. Sendflex and Maergo illustrate how parcel TMS can help overcome those fears and take advantage of innovative delivery services.

FEB 9, 2024 | Bob Malley

Manhattan and Sendflex Ride the Microservices Architecture Wave

Global disruptions, fluctuating demand, economic volatility, and a complex eCommerce market have created new and unprecedented challenges for the supply chain industry. This complex environment demands innovative technological solutions and prompts a strategic shift towards microservices architecture for unparalleled flexibility and agility.

JAN 28, 2024 | Bob Malley

Stuck in a Custom Programming Ditch? No-Code Parcel TMS Puts Logistics Managers Back in the Driver's Seat

In the ever-evolving landscape of eCommerce, decisions about how to cost-effectively pack, select from a growing diversity of final mile carrier delivery options, and efficiently execute shipments have become increasingly complex. Legacy shipping systems lack the ability to embed business rules without costly custom programming and long project timelines.

DEC 18, 2023 | Jesse Gates

Parcel Shipping Economics and Operational Requirements Have Evolved, so Should Your Approach to Data Analysis

To keep up with the growing complexity of e-commerce fulfillment and the supporting logistics operational requirements, parcel analysis techniques and the enabling software have been forced to modernize. As the questions being asked have become more nuanced, so have the ways we think about modeling the answers.

NOV 30, 2023 | Bob Malley

Parcel Carrier Diversification vs. Primary Carrier Incentives - Do You Have to Choose?

The parcel industry is rapidly evolving, as the rise of e-commerce, direct-to-consumer (D2C), and omnichannel strategies continue to reshape how goods are moved around the globe. This dynamic, fueled by ever-growing consumer demands and technological advancements, has made the concept of parcel carrier diversification a necessity for businesses to reduce shipping costs, avoid disruption risks, and improve local delivery capabilities.

OCT 31, 2023 | Bob Malley

Revolutionizing Parcel Management: What Sendflex Parcel TMS Can Do that Legacy Systems Can't

Parcel management used to be simple: give everything to one carrier and try to negotiate better rates every year in hopes of controlling rising shipping costs. However, the exponential growth of eCommerce has led to higher parcel volumes, increased demand for omnichannel fulfillment, and driven the need for carrier diversification. This has made parcel management incredibly complex. Shippers are now turning to more advanced parcel management technology like Sendflex to conquer complexity and gain a competitive edge.

OCT 3, 2023 | Bob Malley

Sendflex Announces SOC 2 Certification!

The world's most influential companies that entrust their data and information operations to external partners cannot afford to gamble with those who do not rigorously protect sensitive information. This is why an increasing number of companies insist on SOC 2 compliance from their service providers. SOC 2 certification signifies an organization’s dedication to safeguarding data and ensuring seamless functioning of critical systems.

SEP 25, 2023 | Bob Malley

Parcel Simulators: Proving Intelligent Cartonization ROI

In the dynamic and complex world of supply chain logistics, staying one step ahead of the competition is a constant challenge, and logistics managers are under constant pressure to implement innovative fulfillment strategies. But trial and error can be very costly, disruptive, and potentially tarnish the brand's reputation. That’s why logistics managers are turning to more intelligent parcel technologies with simulation capabilities that allow operational ideas to be tested in virtual environments, significantly minimizing cost and disruption risks.

SEP 14, 2023 | Bob Malley

Sendflex & Paccurate Elevate B2C Shipping to a New Level: A Story of Innovation

The benefits of B2C models are undeniably attractive, but they come with a hefty burden for retailers. Fulfilling orders, managing shipping, and meeting delivery expectations are increasingly complex tasks. Common hurdles in B2C shipping include the intricacies of carrier network management, complex rating processes, suboptimal packing, and the struggle to provide real-time shipment status updates.

AUG 21, 2023 | Bob Malley

Wrapping Up 2023: Logistics Trends You Need to Know

The highly dynamic and rapidly evolving logistics industry has experienced a seismic shift in recent years. Accelerated by the global pandemic in 2020, the industry has been reshaped by rapid technological advancements, evolving customer expectations, and innovative business models.This article examines the high-level logistics trends industry professionals need to know about to navigate the changes, challenges, and opportunities in the months ahead.

AUG 8, 2023 | Bob Malley

Parcel Simulators: An Essential Tool for 3PLs to Prove Cost Savings

As parcel shipping conditions stabilize, the previous frenzy of heightened demand, capacity crunches, and skyrocketing rates has leveled off. Volumes are lower and capacity is now more readily available, yet shipping costs continue to rise. The pressing question for 3PLs is: How can we prove cost savings in a highly competitive outsourced parcel shipping marketplace?

JUL 10, 2023 | Bob Malley

Streamlining B2C Shipping: Unlock Savings with Parcel Optimization and Orchestration

When it comes to eCommerce and business-to-consumer (B2C) fulfillment, companies are constantly seeking ways to deliver products swiftly, efficiently and profitably. B2C parcel shipping is at the core of this mission, acting as the linchpin between a digital retailer and its customers.

JUNE 20, 2023 | Bob Malley

Slash Unnecessary Parcel Shipping Surcharges with Parcel Orchestration

Carrier surcharges, often glossed over, have been quietly escalating, dramatically pushing up shipping costs far beyond the rate of inflation. If not monitored carefully, these avoidable parcel shipping surcharges can lead to severe spend leakage and pose a significant threat to your company's bottom line.

JUNE 3, 2023 | Bob Malley

Parcel Management Maturity Model: The Path to Parcel Orchestration and Optimization

In the evolving eCommerce environment, parcel management has become the beating heart of retail success. With increasing consumer demand and an unquenchable thirst for swift, seamless deliveries, retailers of all sizes are seeking out innovative ways to optimize parcel operations while reducing costs.

MAY 22, 2023 | Bob Malley

Harnessing the Power of High-Performance Parcel Orchestration: Sendflex Shines at Momentum 2023

Sendflex is attending Momentum 2023 as a Manhattan MVP Gold Partner. Sendflex, a high-performance parcel orchestration solution, integrates seamlessly with Manhattan's OMS, WMS, TMS and ActiveOmni platforms to optimize order-to-cash planning, simulation, and execution decisions. Come visit our booth at Momentum 2023 and we will share valuable insights and demonstrate the power of our powerful solutions.

MAY 8, 2023 | Bob Malley

Can Parcel Orchestration Shield Your Business from UPS Strike Disruptions?

As UPS celebrates record-breaking profits of $11.5 billion and revenues of $100 billion in 2022, their employees — who move an astounding 24% of U.S. parcel volume and 6% of the U.S. GDP in their trucks daily — work hard and long hours to help achieve this success. But it seems UPS employees have had enough.

MAY 4, 2023 | Bob Malley

Parcel Orchestration Needs High-Speed Parcel Optimization Capabilities

The eCommerce market is exploding, with the global value predicted to reach $6.39 trillion by 2027. The dramatic shift in consumer shopping behavior that was first prompted by the pandemic has put business-to-consumer (B2C) transportation in the spotlight, creating both exciting opportunities and daunting challenges for high-volume shippers.

APRIL 24, 2023 | Bob Malley

Calling CFOs: Parcel Spend Management Leakage is Impacting Your Bottom Line

In the age of e-commerce, parcel shipping has become an essential component of business operations. However, the most recent Pitney Bowes Parcel Shipping Index reveals a concerning financial reality: despite U.S. parcel volumes decreasing by 2% in 2022, parcel carrier revenues were up by 6.5% year over year. The culprit? Hidden surcharges and accessorial fees are causing significant spend leakage and negatively impacting the financial health of companies nationwide.

MARCH 20, 2023 | Bob Malley

How to Plug Spend Leakage with Intelligent Parcel Management Systems

Adding an intelligent layer to parcel management can reduce total spending by avoiding unexpected surcharges, eliminating waste, keeping track of progress toward targets, reducing damage, identifying lower-cost shipping options including consolidation and zone-skipping strategies, and correcting billing errors.

February 27, 2023 | Bob Malley

Automating Complex Decisions with Intelligent Parcel Management Systems

As global eCommerce market growth continues to drive demand for efficient and cost-effective delivery services, more shippers are diversifying their B2C carrier networks and implementing decentralized omnichannel fulfillment strategies adding new levels of complexity to decision-making regarding where, when, and how to use different carrier services to meet their delivery promises.

Logistics managers need more control and agility to stay competitive in today’s dynamic B2C delivery environment. Shippers are now turning to the next generation of parcel shipping management platforms to automate increasingly complex omnichannel eCommerce distribution decisions.

October 31, 2022 | Bob Malley

Parcel TMS ‘No-code’ Configurability Enables Agility in a Dynamic B2C Environment

New parcel TMS platforms use no-code utilities to make it easy for logistics managers to optimize parcel management to reduce costs, increase capacity and improve customer delivery experiences.

Parcel shipping used to be simple. While freight shippers used TMS systems to optimize complex transportation planning and execution across hundreds of LTL and TL carriers, all that parcel management systems had to do was print labels for a couple of carriers at high speeds.

July 11, 2022 | Bob Malley

Need for Speed: When Carrier APIs Just Won’t Cut It

Since the emergence of carrier APIs, rating performance was never a critical issue because shipment processing speeds were paced by label printing.

But with the acceleration of B2C eCommerce parcel volumes and customers demanding more delivery options, shippers are diversifying their mix of carrier services and implementing omni-channel shipping strategies.

Carrier diversification means hyper-fast carrier rating engines are essential for freight quoting, planning, and forecasting.

June 20, 2022 | Sendflex Technology, LLC

Sendflex Announces New Advisory Board Members

We are thrilled to announce that Henry Maier, Nick Costides, Lee Jennings, and Brian McDonald have joined the Sendflex board of advisors.

We look forward to the huge contributions these industry veterans will make at Sendflex.

March 31, 2022 | Bob Malley

The Dude Abides, But So Do Inefficient and Inaccurate Freight Quote Processes

As The Dude in the Big Lebowski observed about life, it’s “strikes and gutters, ups and downs.” The same goes for quoting freight. Estimating freight quotes for LTL and parcel can have a negative impact on your business. Too high estimates can result in lost customers. Too low estimates erode margins. AI tools can help you throw more freight quote strikes than gutters.

February 22, 2022 | Bob Malley

Ferris Bueller and the Legacy Shipping System Challenge

To paraphrase philosopher Ferris Bueller, eCommerce moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. The parcel shipping industry has been wholly — and rapidly — transformed by eCommerce. Here's how to simplify final-mile shipping and parcel planning. Here is how to simplify final-mile shipping and parcel planning to cope with skyrocketing volumes, diminished capacity, higher costs, and impossibly high customer expectations for more (free) shipping options, a better sustainability experience, and faster delivery.

February 3, 2022 | Bob Malley

3 Ways to Ship More in the Age of Diminished Carrier Capacity.

There is an unprecedented capacity crunch among traditional parcel carriers who, in response to high demand, are raising prices, setting pickup limits, and cancelling less profitable contracts. Shippers have to change the way they operate to support current operations and future growth. Here are 3 ways you can alleviate your capacity problems.

JANUARY 10, 2022 | Bob Malley

From the Shopping Cart to the Front Door: How a Cloud-based TMS Helps Shippers Optimize Final Mile Delivery.

National parcel carriers are running out of capacity. As a result, they are raising shipper’s rates, adding surcharges, rationing pickups, and terminating contracts. In response, smart shippers are diversifying their carrier networks to accommodate final-mile deliveries.

AUGUST 31, 2021 | Bob Malley

Limited Trucking Capacity? It’s Time to Ship Smarter.

Shippers are preparing for an unprecedented and disruptive peak season marked by stronger consumer demand, capacity limitations and rationing, and higher carrier surcharges.

JULY 30, 2021 | Bob Malley

Everyone Pays the Price for Residential Delivery Dwell Times

Variable residential dwell times make some residential deliveries unprofitable. Technology may soon enable carriers to make every B2C delivery profitable.

JULY 6, 2021 | Bob Malley

Is Your Packaging Out of Control?

Consumers and carriers alike are irked by shippers poor and unsustainable packing. Time to stop damaging your brand and incurring unnecessary costs. Here are a few things to keep in mind for better packing results.