Managing shipping operations well is a rock-solid way to become invaluable to your company and advance your own career.
Job security is a beautiful thing. But so are raises and promotions – and you shouldn't count those out. Through the ebbs and flows of the economy, the key to advancing your career is to win your boss's trust and respect, and become indispensable. But how do you do that? Be on the ball at all times and always work to improve the bottom line. In other words, make your manager's job easier and make him or her look good.
To help you shine, we offer these seven clever steps. Follow them and you'll save your company money, and you and your supervisor may just become company superstars.
1. Understand your shipments' characteristics. "Know your modes, shipment sizes, the nature of the freight and where it's going to and coming from," advises David J. Closs, a renowned professor at Michigan State University's department of marketing and supply chain management. "What I see in many cases is that because people don't have knowledge of all the pieces, they don't know how to look at the invoices and the big picture, and improve the process."
2. Unlock your shipping system's full potential. "It's easy to get into the trap that the system just generates labels – but it can do so much more," says Ramsey Mansour, UPS director of retail and consumer goods marketing. Make full use of your system's features to increase efficiency and reduce duplication. Your UPS representative can help you; you can also watch demos or get tips for WorldShip®, UPS CampusShip® and shipping on ups.com.
If you're facing a challenge you just can't solve, call the WorldShip Help desk at 888-553-1118. And whatever you do, if you're a WorldShip shipper, make sure you get the latest, greatest version of WorldShip for your PC.
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3. Automate. UPS solutions such as batch processing, integration and distribution lists (specific to each shipping system), electronic billing and automated e-mail alerts of key shipping events save your company time and money while improving customer service, notes Mansour. "All these tools give your internal staff and your customers information, and that information is powerful," he says.
4. Package smarter. Efficient packaging reduces the risk of damage in transit and ultimately saves your company money, says Quint Marini, engineering manager of the UPS Package Design and Test Lab. The lab can help you determine the most effective packaging for your products.
5. Get a handle on shipping industry trends. Imagine if your boss or a senior manager asks you about sustainable packaging or free shipping. Be prepared with an informed answer about these and other changes in the industry, Mansour says. One way to do that is to read about trends in your industry or watch videos on Compass. Simply type "trends" into the search box.
6. Become a global shipping expert. Sooner or later, your company will seek new markets abroad. And it will be up to you to figure out how to get the product to them. "A marketing department can talk about doing it, but the transportation person is the one who's got to make it happen," Mansour says. Let UPS show you the way.
7. Keep an eye on industry innovators. How do other companies get a leg up on the competition? When you can cite examples of programs that have worked, you show your boss that you have solid ideas and that you're thinking about the company's bottom line, Closs says. Browse through the success stories at Compass – or search by product type, UPS shipping system or business segment.
Have you impressed your boss with your shipping prowess? Saved your company loads of money? Or saved the day with an innovative solution to a shipping problem? Tell us about it by selecting "Add Comment" below this article, or e-mail your story to the Compass editors.
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