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A perfect paradigm is a partnership between Client, Carrier, and BBA.
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BBA recognizes that different information needs exist among Information Systems, Finance, and
Traffic departments. BBA will work with all of these departments to ascertain their
individual needs, and to exceed departmental expectations.
BBA provides a comprehensive, flexible, and cost-effective processing service that enables our
clients to develop the data to control their transportation and distribution expense. As
one of the first freight payment services to offer on-line access to information for exception bill
processing and management reporting, we are committed to research and development efforts to reduce
our clients’ costs of doing business.
Quality is what makes an information system work, and quality service at BBA begins with our
client. The direct involvement of our principals in day-to-day operations and our
commitment to ongoing training and professional development for our staff ensures that every BBA
employee is focused and dedicated to delivering the very finest customer service.
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Freight Payment
All BBA systems are custo-designed with our clients. Each client establishes their
unique criteria for paying transportation/distribution bills.
Source Documents
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Prepaid outbound shipments can be pre-loaded to the database
with the client's bill of lading. Original freight bills are matched to bill of
lading prior to payment.
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Collect inbound shipments are either pre-loaded to the database
using a "key receiving"number or a stamped copy of the delivery receipt is provided
with the original freight bills.
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Duplicate Payment Controls
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If your company has the capability of generating an automated
shipment file, we will utilize the data to create an unbilled shipment file in our database.
All outbound carrier invoices are matched to the open file, prior to payment, so
that we are effectively controlling all payments based on your shipment file. A
similar system can be created for inbound shipments. This not only eliminates
duplicate payments but enables us to generate information for freight accruals or other
transportation needs.
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BBA has established control procedures that will eliminate the
following types of duplicate payments:
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Two carriers paid for the same
shipment: If more than one carrier handles the shipment, only one carrier
will be able to present our customer’s bill of lading. Thus, one and only one carrier
will be paid.
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Paying the same freight bill
twice: Our computer system is designed to pay an invoice only one time.
The history file is maintained on-line for a minimum of three years and hard copy for an
additional three years. The freight invoice number is checked for duplication prior to
payment.
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Paying a bill if the carrier submits two different freight pro
numbers for the same shipment. This is accomplished by checking the bill of lading
number for each shipment.
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Pre-Audit
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BBA combines automated rating with manual audit to achieve the
highest degree of accuracy and greatest savings for our clients.
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Pre-audit recovery pays for the service: client's recovery may
exceed BBA's service fees.
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Control payment procedures will eliminate carrier overpayments.
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All bills are audited regardless of dollar amount.
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Corrections are made prior to payment and only the corrected
amount is paid.
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Audit savings belong 100% to our client. We do not share the
recoveries.
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Bill of Lading/Source Document is used to create the
freight charges, therefore, each shipment is rated.
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Smaller shipments are handled in the same manner as truckloads,
enabling BBA to maximize its customers return on service investment.
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Carrier Payment
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Payments to the carriers are made by BBA either once or twice
a week depending on client requirements.
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BBA does the mailing and all carriers are paid by our system.
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Carriers are paid based on your decision and timing for the
disbursement. You control the cash flow.
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You pay only the audited amount, eliminating duplicate payments
and overcharges prior to payment.
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BBA handles all research and responds to all inquiries regarding
balance due bills, past due bills, payment information, etcetera.
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Payment information can be accessed via an on-line inquiry system.
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Carrier remittance advice contains the following information:
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Name of Payer
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Probill Number
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Amount Billed
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Amount Paid
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Tariff Authority, if amount paid is less than amount billed
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Original check date and number if bill has been previously
paid
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Information Systems
Information is the basis for future cost savings and our reports and database management systems
provide this valuable information at very reasonable costs.
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All information is delivered in a method and format which meets
our clients requirements.
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Information is provided for finance, transportation, distribution
and marketing.
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The freight expense can be captured and provided in various
formats based on origin, destination, plant, distribution center, division, product, location,
general ledger account code, etcetera.
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Information can be furnished in hardcopy or electronic media.
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Unlimited reporting capability that is customized and tailored
to each client's needs.
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Key information is provided in a timely fashion with a high
degree of accuracy.
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Web-based report generation or in-house database files for
corporate sponsored reporting tools are available to all BBA clients.
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Systems Design and Data Processing
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The process begins with quality systems design. BBA works
closely with our clients to carefully analyze the data fields, determine the criteria for
validation or system-generation, and develop any other necessary control elements.
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The data entry system is a network-based data capture system
which provides field and character validation as well as blind keystroke verification. All
fields that require double keystroke verification are re-keyed by a second data entry
operator. Verifications may include probill field, mapping, and logical multiple-field
validations. After complete data capture, secondary data validations and rate audits are
conducted on BBA’s mainframe.
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BBA’s flexibility and our personal commitment ensures that we
meet the changing data needs of our growing customer base.
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EDI Migration Path
BBA’s technological innovations, state-of-the-art information management systems, and dedicated
operations teams provide the foundation to significantly enhance your freight payment processes.
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EDI transition is critical to reaching strategic freight
payment goals. BBA provides the infrastructure for our clients to convert manual freight bill
processing to automated rating and EDI invoice submission.
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BBA has the resources and technology in place to bring your
company the efficiency and cost reductions associated with an aggressive EDI migration path.
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EDI transactions from FedEx PowerShip®
or similar carrier shipping systems may contain all delivery detail information for the purposes
of service failure audit. Converting PowerShip® data to EDI is
simple and cost effective.
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Customer Services
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BBA provides a carrier inquiry department that handles questions
regarding past due invoices, unpaid bills, and balance due bills.
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An individual account representative is assigned to your account.
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An implementation/conversion team is assigned to facilitate the
early stages of our relationship.
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Our management team, including senior levels and principals of
BBA, is available for client support on a regular basis.
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Our in-house programming staff is constantly designing new reports
to meet customer requests.
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BBA can develop customized interfaces for inquiry and/or other
analytical purposes.
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Value-Added Services
BBA has identified itself with quality and value-added servicing for more than 30 years. Operations
that lead to process improvement, exceeding quality standards, and achieving efficiencies translate
to cost reductions and an increased bottom line; this is our definition of a successful partnership
with our clients.
Value-Added Means:
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Reducing annual inbound and outbound transportation costs.
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Reducing the cost of transaction processing.
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Improving internal operating efficiencies.
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Improving your profit potential over time.
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The availability of information on-line and our 24-hour carrier
and client support. BBA’s Web site access can provide both clients and carriers with the ability
to retrieve data and supporting payment information directly from the database.
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BBA recognizes the value of relationships between shippers and
carriers. As an enhancement to this relationship, we have begun to develop a program of sharing
information with the large carriers for our clients and plan to expand it over time.
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BBA provides processing, follow-up and reporting services for loss
and damage claims, relieving the client of the burden of processing claims while gaining control
of the claims process.
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As inbound programs increase visibility of customer dollars spent,
it becomes necessary to control that spending by establishing routing guides and enforcing these
requirements with your carriers. BBA can provide assistance in developing an inbound program as
well as through the administration of controls and information in this process.
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Additional Services
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Automated claim filing.
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Automated supplier routing and chargeback system.
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Automated vendor terms file.
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Imaging of paper bills.
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Express air courier performance audit.
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Freight accruals and rate tables.
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BBA provides a fully automated Loss and Damage freight claims
system. Our dedicated processing staff review the paperwork and prepares the claim for
processing. Automated tracers or claims are filed with the carrier. Constant status updates
trace the progress of the claim process through final disposition. Complete control is
maintained by the customer through periodic reporting or through our optional dial-in status
and reporting system.
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