In times like these, your shipping operation really can’t afford any stubborn inefficiencies.

The capacity of the global supply chain is strained to its limits. Unpredictable disruptions happen every day. It’s never been harder to find qualified workers. And peak holiday shipping season is here, which makes all of the above even scarier.

If your operation has a weak spot, you’ll discover it in the next two months.

Can the right technology help you eliminate those inefficiencies before they impact your customer relationships and hurt your bottom line? Yes—and that’s the topic of a recent webinar from Pierbridge and Labelmaster: “How Technology Can Mitigate Hazmat Risk and Maximize Fulfillment Efficiency.” Here’s a preview.

Replace tribal knowledge with system knowledge

One stubborn inefficiency shippers can’t afford these days is tribal knowledge.

“Tribal knowledge is knowledge that lives in someone’s head,” explains Bob Liva, Senior Account Executive at Pierbridge, who’s one of the leaders of the upcoming webinar. “It’s spread by word-of-mouth but not documented and not in your system, so it’s not always available at the point of execution.”

You can see where that’s a problem when it comes to hazmat shipping. If the person who knows exactly which labels and marks go on which packages isn’t the person who’s applying them, mistakes can be made. And these days, you can’t afford hazmat compliance errors.

The right technology can make sure your operation has system knowledge, not just tribal knowledge. For example, Pierbridge’s Transtream TMS can fully integrate Labelmaster’s DGIS software, so users anywhere in your operation have instant access to fully updated Dangerous Goods information.

Labelmaster Director of Business Strategy Kristen Dapore, who co-leads the webinar, says, “From the user’s perspective, you’re working within Transtream—there’s no change in user interface, no having to log into a new system, no rekeying anything. It even incorporates carrier variations from FedEx and UPS.”

“And it can all be handled by one person with a scanner and a screen,” adds Liva.

Find the carriers and capacity that work for you

The giant carriers are under as much strain these days as anybody. To optimize their own operations, they have rules and limitations every shipper has to work within. You have to understand those rules— knowing when and how to apply them—to make sure your own business is operating at full efficiency.

“Capacity is slim these days, and even more limited during the holiday season,” says Dapore. “Carriers have imposed limits on some shippers and will charge a surcharge if you exceed them.”

Liva adds, “And then of course there’s the ‘air tax.’ Carriers want your shipments in the smallest box possible so it’s not taking up too much room on their trucks. They’ll charge you by volume, not just weight, so if you’re not packing shipments as efficiently as possible it will cost you money.”

But here’s what many shippers don’t understand—those fees often come after your shipment has been transported. Liva says, “You can’t go back to your customers and ask them for more money. That extra cost come straight off your bottom line.”

A multicarrier management system like Transtream’s integrates the rules, restrictions and fee structures of every major carrier and most regional ones, too, so you can evaluate them all in the same workflow and predict what every shipment’s going to cost before it leaves your hands.

Grow business without growing headcount

With eCommerce growing by double digits every year, every shipper has enormous growth potential—but it’s never been harder to find qualified supply chain workers. How can you grow your business without growing your headcount?

“If you separate your shipping and execution from your Dangerous Goods expertise, that’s two steps, ,” says Liva. “Multiply that by the number of times it needs to be done, and you’re going to reach limits on your capacity. You’re not maximizing your people.”

That explains why Labelmaster has had so many inquiries about integrated software in the last 18 months. Dapore says they ask, “How can I save time in any way, shape or form?”

Once again, it comes back to system knowledge—about hazmat regulations, carrier restrictions, optimum parcelization or any other aspect of shipping. When everyone in your operation has access to all the knowledge in your system, they’re all empowered to be their most efficient.

How can technology help you overcome the stubborn inefficiencies that can hold you back—and hurt your profitability? Find out! “How Technology Can Mitigate Hazmat Risk and Maximize Fulfillment Efficiency.”

Make sure your shipments are safe and in complete compliance with a full line of solutions from Labelmaster—a full-service provider of goods and services for hazardous materials and Dangerous Goods professionals, shippers, transport operators and EH&S providers.