Skip to main content

Getting Ahead this Peak Season: A Multi-Carrier Shipping Software Guide

Published Date
Author ProShip Shipping Experts

Explore how to navigate peak season with ease using advanced shipping solutions

The holiday season is fast approaching, and with it comes the annual peak shipping season—a time of increased demand, tight deadlines, and operational challenges for retailers, manufacturers, and 3PLs. To navigate these challenges successfully, it's essential to have a robust shipping strategy in place.


One key component of a successful shipping strategy is a reliable, robust, and efficient multi-carrier shipping software (MCSS). By leveraging the power of a shipping solution, businesses can streamline their operations, reduce costs, and improve customer satisfaction during the peak season. With access to a wide range of carriers and shipping options, businesses can choose the most suitable solution for each shipment, ensuring timely delivery and minimizing costs.

The Role of Multi-Carrier Shipping Software

Streamlining Operations

Multi-carrier shipping software plays a crucial role in streamlining shipping operations during peak season. By automating many of the manual tasks involved in shipping, businesses can save time and resources while improving accuracy.


Some of the key benefits of using shipping software include:

  • Consolidated shipping management: Manage all your shipments from a single platform, regardless of carrier.
  • Automated shipping label creation: Quickly generate shipping labels with accurate information.
  • Real-time tracking: Monitor the status of your shipments in real-time.
  • Proof of delivery: Automatically capture proof of delivery for each shipment.

Access to a Wider Range of Carriers

One of the biggest advantages of using MCSS is access to a wider range of carriers and shipping options. This allows businesses to choose the most suitable carrier for each shipment based on factors such as cost, speed, and reliability.


By having multiple carrier options available, businesses can:

  • Negotiate better rates: Leverage their shipping volume to negotiate favorable rates with carriers.
  • Improve service levels: Choose carriers with strong track records in specific regions or industries. In fact, you should consider a multitude of risk factors that can play a role in carrier selection. [Learn more about Carrier Risk Mapping: Comparing 8 Carrier Risk Factors for 6 Carrier Types]
  • Reduce transit times: Select carriers with faster transit times for time-sensitive shipments.

Enhancing Visibility and Control

Multi-carrier shipping software provides businesses with greater visibility and control over their shipping operations. With real-time tracking capabilities, businesses can easily monitor the status of their shipments and identify potential issues before they become problems.


Key features that enhance visibility and control include:

  • Shipment tracking: Monitor the status of your shipments from pickup to delivery.
  • Exception management: Receive alerts for exceptions such as delays or delivery failures.
  • Data-driven decision-making: Leverage analytics and data to identify areas for improvement and optimize shipping processes.

Essential Features for Peak Season Success

When selecting a MCSS, it's essential to consider a solution that can offer the following features:

1. Rate Shopping and Carrier Selection Tools

Efficient rate shopping and carrier selection tools are crucial for maximizing cost savings and choosing the best carrier for each shipment. A good MCSS should provide users with the ability to compare rates from multiple carriers and select the most suitable option based on factors such as cost, transit time, and service level. Advanced solutions consider factors beyond even cost – such as label creation time, customer choice, contracted pick-up dates, trailer pull times and more. [Discover more with Advanced Date Shopping]

2. Automated Shipping Label Creation and Printing

Automated shipping label creation and printing can significantly reduce manual labor and errors. To ensure efficient peak season performance, your shipping software should be able to generate and print shipping labels in sub-second speeds. This requires a powerful, optimized software architecture that can handle high-volume transactions without sacrificing speed or accuracy [Just Say “When!” The Right Time to Print a Shipping Label].

3. Integration with Other Systems

To streamline your shipping processes and reduce manual data entry, it's important to choose a MCSS that integrates seamlessly with your other systems in your tech stack, such as your Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, e-commerce platform, Warehouse Management System (WMS), or Order Management System (OMS). This integration can help to automate workflows, improve data accuracy, and enhance overall efficiency [Learn more about how an integrated tech stack optimizes your shipping strategy].

4. Versionless Software Architecture

A versionless software architecture is crucial for ensuring the scalability and flexibility of your shipping software. This architecture allows for continuous updates and improvements without disrupting your operations. Look for a solution provider with a commitment to versionless architecture to ensure that your system can adapt to changing business needs and industry trends.

5. Scalability and Flexibility

Your MCSS should be able to scale up or down to meet the demands of your business, especially during peak seasons. A scalable and flexible software architecture will allow you to handle increased volumes without compromising performance.


To ensure maximum reliability and resilience during peak, consider a hybrid carrier solution that combines on-platform carriers with third-party APIs. This approach provides a valuable fallback option in case APIs become overloaded or experience downtime, helping to maintain uninterrupted shipping operations. By offering both on-platform carriers and third-party API integrations, your MCSS can provide you with the flexibility and redundancy needed to navigate peak season challenges effectively.

Best Practices for Peak Season Shipping

To effectively leverage your multi-carrier shipping software, consider the following best practices. By combining the powerful features of your shipping solution with these strategies, you can optimize your shipping operations and ensure a successful peak season.

  • Forecast peak volume: Accurately forecast your expected shipping volume during peak season to ensure you have adequate resources in place.
  • Manage carrier relationships: Build strong relationships with your carriers to ensure priority service and negotiate favorable rates.
  • Monitor performance and identify areas for improvement: Use analytics and reporting solutions to track your shipping performance and identify areas where you can improve efficiency and reduce costs.
  • Stay informed about industry trends and regulations: Leverage your shipping software vendor's expertise to stay up to date on the latest shipping industry trends, regulations, and best practices. A vendor with extensive experience can provide valuable guidance and support to ensure your business remains compliant and competitive.
  • Track all shipping data: Gather comprehensive data on all your shipments, including carrier performance, shipping costs, delivery times, and customer satisfaction. This data will be invaluable for conducting a post-mortem analysis after peak season ends. [Hot tip: Utilize our comprehensive Decoding the Data eBook & companion Workbook to complete a detailed post-peak analysis.]

By following these best practices, you can effectively leverage your MCSS to navigate the challenges of peak season and ensure a successful shipping experience for your customers.

Peak Season is Almost Here

By leveraging the power of an industry-leading multi-carrier shipping software like ProShip, you can effectively navigate the challenges of peak season shipping. ProShip's comprehensive shipping solution offers a wide range of features designed to streamline your operations, reduce costs, and improve customer satisfaction.


Key benefits of using ProShip include:

  • Advanced rate shopping and carrier selection tools
  • Versionless software with open architecture
  • Seamless integration with your existing systems
  • A scalable and flexible platform
  • Exceptional customer support

ProShip is a recognized leader in multi-carrier shipping software (Three-Time FedEx Solution of the Year Award and Tenth Diamond Compatibility Status), with a proven track record of delivering exceptional solutions to enterprise and high-volume shippers. We are committed to innovation and continuously invest in research and development to ensure our solutions remain at the forefront of the industry. Our focus on customer satisfaction is evident in our dedicated team of both supply chain and IT experts who are always available to assist you with any questions or issues. With ProShip, you can be confident that you are partnering with a reliable and trusted provider of multi-carrier shipping solutions.


Ready to learn more about how ProShip can help your business succeed during peak season? Schedule a discovery call with our team today to discuss your specific needs and explore how our shipping solution can benefit your organization.