How To Reduce Your UPS Bills

As a busy court reporting company, sending transcripts to our clients is a daily and costly task.  These days with the economy slowing down, it's important to watch every penny like a hawk.  Now is an excellent time to pick up the phone and call every single vendor on your payee list to renegotiate terms.  (I don't mean independent court reporters, though!)  Here's a quick way to cut at least 10% to 20% off your UPS bills. 

 

Earlier this week I called UPS -- and after winding my way through their automated phone prompts -- a highly annoying process -- I reached a delightful UPS representative and the following conversation ensued:

 

Todd Olivas: I'd like to find out if I'm getting the best UPS shipping rates possible.  Is there any way you can double check to make sure that my volume doesn't qualify me for a discount? 

 

UPS Representative: Sure thing!  Let me put you in contact with your Incentive Specialist, John.  I'll have him give you a call before 5:00 p.m. today.

 

Todd Olivas:  Wow, I didn't even know such a position existed -- Incentive Specialist -- much less that I have one assigned to me personally.

 

UPS Representative: Yes, sir.  Is there anything else I can help you with?

 

Todd Olivas: An Incentive Specialist specializing in incentives, I guess; right?

 

UPS Representative: Yes, sir.  Is there anything else I can help you with?

 

Todd Olivas: Would I have ever been told about John, my Incentive Specialist, if I had not proactively called you today?

 

UPS Representative: I am not sure, sir.  Is there anything else I can help you with?

 

Todd Olivas:  No, thanks.  I'll be awaiting John's call.

 

UPS Representative:  Thank you, sir.

 

Later that day John the Incentive Specialist did, indeed, call me.  I happened to not be able to take his call so we didn't actually speak until the following day.  Sure enough, due to something artfully known as Gross Weekly Revenue Band, I qualified for a 12% reduction on all UPS Ground packages to commercial addresses.  That savings made my heart flip up and down in glee!  Thank you, John. 

 

But John wasn't done with me yet.  On Next Day Air packages (you know, for expedites), I qualified for a 24% discount.  Yes! Yes! And more yes!

 

John emailed me a Carrier Agreement which was basically a one-page document outlining that my discounts were based on the aforementioned Gross Weekly Revenue Band and that if my Gross Weekly Revenue Band were to rise or fall, the discounts would rise or fall accordingly.  No problemo.  Doubting my Gross Weekly Revenue Band  will be falling any time soon, I signed on the dotted line and sent it back to John.  All of this happened within 36 hours of my first having called the delightful UPS Representative and my new discount UPS rates will take effect next week.