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Hear tips for optimizing your operations with multi-piece shipping from ProShip expert, Jon Wolynia

By Jon Wolynia, Integration Manager, ProShip

The backbone of any successful retail, manufacturing, third-party logistics (3PL), or healthcare operation hinges on a well-oiled logistics machine. But even the most efficient systems can be challenged by unusually large orders. These giant orders, demanding meticulous packing and intricate shipping arrangements, can disrupt workflows and strain resources.

Fortunately, a strategic approach known as multi-piece shipping offers a compelling solution. By dividing these oversized orders into smaller, more manageable packages, multi-piece shipping unlocks a range of benefits that streamline operations and enhance efficiency.

Benefits of Multi-Piece Shipping

Multi-piece shipping goes beyond simply breaking down bulky orders. By strategically dividing these giants into optimized packages, businesses unlock a multitude of advantages that improve efficiency and generate cost savings. Let's explore the specific ways multi-piece shipping can streamline your shipping and boost your bottom line.

• Cost Savings: Shipping individual items can be a financial burden. Multi-piece shipping often benefits from volume discounts offered by carriers for bulk shipments, leading to significant cost reductions. These savings can then be passed on to your customers, making your offerings more competitive and potentially increasing repeat orders.
• Streamlined Logistics: Consolidating numerous individual shipments or orders into one multi-piece order simplifies the logistics process. This translates to less paperwork, fewer tracking numbers, and a smoother overall experience.
• Enhanced Tracking: Keeping tabs on your shipment is crucial. Multi-piece shipping allows you to track all packages under a single ID, providing greater visibility and accountability throughout the delivery journey.
• Customer Satisfaction: Faster delivery times and minimized risk of lost items are key to happy customers. Multi-piece shipping strategies can help achieve both, leading to increased customer satisfaction.

Challenges of Multi-Piece Shipping

While multi-piece shipping offers a compelling solution for large B2B orders, it's not without its own set of challenges. Let's look closer at some of the key considerations to navigate when implementing a multi-piece shipping strategy:

• Carrier Limitations: Not all carriers offer multi-piece shipping options. This can limit your flexibility depending on your chosen service provider and their specific shipping criteria. [Hint: this is why access to multiple carriers matter – think carrier rationalization!]
• Management Complexity: Keeping track of multiple packages requires a robust logistics and inventory management system. Ensuring accurate order consolidation and efficient multi-piece tracking becomes essential. [What about the rest of your Enterprise Software Stack?]
• Labeling & Errors: Each package necessitates a unique shipping label, which can be time-consuming and prone to human error. This highlights the importance of automation and error-free labeling systems. [Learn more about Common Shipping Labeling Errors.]
• Delivery Coordination: Ensuring all pieces of a multi-piece shipment arrive at the destination together or in a coordinated manner can be particularly challenging. This challenge is prevalent for both single and multiple origins, and it affects B2B (Business-to-Business) and B2C (Business-to-Consumer) customers alike. For businesses, meticulous planning and robust communication with carriers are essential to manage the complexities involved in coordinating deliveries. Whether consolidating shipments from various warehouses or ensuring a seamless delivery to a consumer’s home, effective coordination is key to maintaining efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Multi-Carrier Shipping Software: The Multi-Piece Shipping Powerhouse

The complexities of multi-piece shipping can quickly become a hurdle, especially when juggling carrier limitations and intricate labeling requirements. This is where multi-carrier shipping software (MCSS) emerges as a game-changer. By streamlining processes, automating tasks, and ensuring compliance across various carriers, MCSS empowers you to navigate the complexities of multi-piece shipping with ease.

Here's how shipping software specifically tackles the challenges of multi-piece shipping:

• Comprehensive Carrier Support: Not all carriers offer multi-piece shipping options. Multi-carrier shipping solutions provide support for a wide range of carriers, giving you the flexibility to choose the most cost-effective and efficient option for your specific needs. [Does your MCSS have a broad carrier portfolio?] Note, for carriers that don’t support multi-piece, see Complex Multi-piece below.
• Automation is Key: Shipping software automates many aspects of the multi-piece shipping process, from generating labels for each individual package to ensuring compliance with carrier-specific regulations. This reduces manual effort, minimizes errors, and frees up your team to focus on other tasks.
• Enhanced Visibility: Shipping solutions provide real-time tracking capabilities for all packages within a multi-piece shipment, allowing you to monitor their progress and keep your customers informed.
• Reduced Errors: Manual data entry is a major source of errors in multi-piece shipping. Multi-carrier shipping software automates data entry tasks, minimizing the risk of errors and ensuring smooth delivery.

By leveraging the capabilities of MCSS, you can overcome the complexities of multi-piece shipping and unlock a world of efficiency, cost savings, and improved customer satisfaction. 

Why Choose ProShip for Your Multi-Carrier Shipping Software

Now that you've seen how multi-carrier shipping software empowers businesses to navigate the complexities of multi-piece shipping, let's explore why ProShip’s shipping solutions stand out as the ideal solution for your high-volume shipping needs.

ProShip goes beyond the essential functionalities of shipping software, offering a comprehensive suite of features designed to optimize your multi-piece shipping strategy and unlock its full potential.

Here's what sets ProShip apart:

• Unparalleled Carrier Support: ProShip boasts extensive support for a wider range of carriers compared to nearly every other multi-carrier shipping providers (20+ in the last two years!). This flexibility ensures you can leverage the most cost-effective and service-oriented options for your specific multi-piece shipments.
• Complex Multi-Piece Expertise: Not all carriers offer multi-piece shipping options. When it comes to carriers with limitations on multi-piece shipments, ProShip offers a unique solution called "Complex Multi-Piece." This innovative feature works behind the scenes, so when you attempt a multi-piece shipment with a carrier that doesn’t typically support multi-piece, ProShip automatically splits the order into individual packages. ProShip seamlessly generates separate shipping labels for each package, ensuring they still comply with the specific regulations of the chosen carrier. Despite processing each package individually, ProShip presents the entire order as a single multi-piece shipment, combining the fees to calculate the costs as if it were a true multi-piece shipment for the shipper and ensuring a smooth user experience.
• Dedicated Customer Support: Our team of experienced professionals are here to support you every step of the way. ProShip offers exceptional customer service, with a dedicated Customer Advocate and a Strategic Account Manager, ensuring you have the resources and guidance you need to maximize the benefits of multi-piece shipping with ProShip.

By choosing ProShip, you gain more than just shipping software; you gain a trusted partner dedicated to streamlining your operations and helping you unlock the full potential of multi-piece shipping. 

Ready to Experience the ProShip Difference?

Contact us today to learn more about how ProShip's shipping solutions with advanced features and exceptional customer support can transform your multi-piece shipping operations and empower you to achieve superior efficiency and cost savings.

Author Bio

Jon Wolynia has been with ProShip for over 14 years, starting as an integration engineer and has most recently being promoted to Integration Manager. In his current role, he continues to guide professional services engineers ensuring the successful integration of new and existing satisfied customers. Jon has developed an extensive skill set through his work on complex projects across North America, collaborating closely with customers and adeptly managing any challenges that arise during projects. His experience and expertise make him an invaluable asset to ProShip and its clients.