With global shipping volumes down, supply chain teams are under pressure to do more with less. Fewer shipments mean less revenue, but not necessarily lower logistics costs. In fact, during periods of decreased volume, many companies face increased per-shipment costs, more aggressive carrier surcharges, and reduced contract leverage.
In this environment, freight audit insights are critical for maintaining profitability and uncovering where cost leakage is quietly draining your budget.
When Volumes Drop, Inefficiencies Rise
A slowdown in shipping activity doesn’t pause your cost exposure. Instead, it often amplifies it. Common pain points include:
- Higher cost per unit shipped due to a lack of volume discounts.
- Minimum charges kicking in on under-filled loads.
- Idle carrier contracts are still incurring fees.
- Missed errors in invoices when volumes are assumed to be low-risk.
Without full visibility into your logistics spend, these issues go unnoticed and compound over time.
What Freight Audit Reporting Uncovers?
A robust freight audit and payment program isn’t just about catching errors. It’s about surfacing insights that help you plug financial leaks. Your audit data can help identify:
- Recurring overcharges and accessorial creep.
- Duplicate or misbilled invoices.
- Inefficient routing decisions in a low-volume environment.
- Carriers not meeting contractual obligations.
- Missed opportunities for modal shifts or consolidation.
These insights allow finance and operations teams to act quickly, whether it’s disputing charges, renegotiating contracts, or reallocating volume to more efficient partners.
Profitability Starts with Visibility
When every shipment carries more financial weight, precision matters. Freight audit insights give you the clarity to:
- Refine your transportation strategy based on actual performance.
- Eliminate avoidable charges before they hit your bottom line.
- Forecast costs more accurately in a volatile market.
- Ensure you’re only paying for what you use and need.
In short, audit insights turn uncertainty into opportunity.
In a slow market, waste is the real threat. See how freight audit visibility helps protect your margins.