From the category archives:

Tips for Purchasing Managers

What Time Limit Does a Freight Carrier Have to Send an Invoice

by George Muha September 28, 2011

One question I get a lot is about the time frame in which a carrier has to invoice a shipper.  Shippers get surprised when a freight invoice pops up twelve months after a shipment was executed and they feel there might be some clause that gets them off the hook.  Well, I’m here to burst [...]

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Is it Legal to Mark Up Freight Charges?

by George Muha September 21, 2011

Is it legal to mark up freight charges? No, its not.  So lets load up the paddy wagon and start bringing American businesses to justice!  Okay, I’m only partly kidding around so readers can relax.  Technically it’s not illegal to mark up freight charges but in so doing suppliers may be violating the purchasing terms. [...]

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How Bad Are Parcel Companies Screwing You?

by George Muha September 13, 2011
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One thing I hear a lot in the voice of shippers is their lack of confidence when it comes to their parcel pricing programs.  Recently a shipper told me, in a boasting kind of a way, of the new discount he just achieved with UPS.  Then he immediately asked me if I thought that was [...]

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Outsmarting Vendors by Controlling Inbound

by George Muha September 7, 2011

One area that is typically ripe with opportunity for companies to capitalize on is inbound logistics. Historically this area has been an afterthought for companies but the available cost reduction, operational efficiency and overall value it brings is too significant for anyone to ignore anymore.  I personally feel that, with the way companies are seeing [...]

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Better Understanding Fuel Surcharges

by George Muha July 26, 2011

Fuel has jumped an unprecedented 32.34% from the 2nd quarter of 2010 when diesel was $3.03 per gallon to 2nd quarter of 2011 when fuel was $4.01 per gallon.  The good news though, according to the US Energy Information Administration’s projections, is that fuel will hover around the four dollar range through Q4 of 2012. [...]

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The Secret to Fighting Freight Capacity

by George Muha June 8, 2011
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I am going to cut to the chase; the secret to combating a capacity trucking market is…(drum roll please)…LEAD TIMES!  End of article.  Thank you for bringing the potato salad!  We’ll see you again at the 4th of July picnic! Okay, okay, okay!  I’ll give you a little more but I am still going to [...]

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Supply Chain Necessities When Planning an Acquisition

by George Muha April 4, 2011
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When a company wants purchase another company, nothing makes this process smoother than having a well run supply chain in place.  Having a high proficiency in supply chain operations is most vital when evaluating a selling company, negotiating at the bargaining table and transitioning once the sale is complete. A lot of companies I work [...]

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Shh, It’s a Secret: Why a Supply Chain Strategy is Where its at! (VIDEO)

by George Muha December 23, 2010
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SHHHH!!!  I have a secret for any company that wants to outperform their competitors, bring more value to their stake holders or just deliver more bottom line revenue…or all of the above. I’ll get to the secret in a minute but first I need to give you a little background.  Over the past 10 years [...]

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Using Color Coded Maps to Improve Your Supply Chain

by George Muha November 16, 2010
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Improving your supply chain doesn’t always mean revamping a whole process, spending thousands on certifications for your employees or changing the culture of your company.  The supply chain is vast and contains various moving parts.  So many times supply chain excellence is achieved with a lot of little effective practices.  One small, yet powerful item [...]

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Am I Liable if a Third Party Doesn’t Pay My Freight Bills?

by George Muha October 18, 2010
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Question:  I am getting solicited by a logistics company who wants to pay my freight invoices for me.  I am concerned that if they go out of business or don’t pay the freight carriers with my money that I will still be responsible to issue another payment.  Is this something that I should worry about? [...]

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