At first glance, if a transportation management business gets products from point A to point B in a timely manner and without mishap, you could figure it is a successful company. However, everyone in the industry knows there is much more that goes on behind the scenes than that. The most successful companies are constantly trying to figure out how to increase the cash flow, lower operational costs and improve the bottom line. This is where an operational audit comes into play. This type of exercise should be done at least annually to reach the fullest potential for your own transportation management operations.
Hire a Third Party for Transportation Management Operational Audits
The most thorough audit will include a third party. It is their job to know what to look for that typical staff members may not think of. They are also the most up-to-date on tactics to improve operations through the proper analysis of information gained from the review. The cost of hiring a third party for an operational audit is surprisingly affordable, especially when you factor in the end results of your work with them.
What to Expect During a Transportation Management Operational Audit
During an operational audit, all procedures are reviewed, from sales and marketing to dispatch procedures, maintenance and statistical data. The statistical data review puts a fine-tooth comb through anything that costs your business money and anything that makes money. The reason for this is to balance out the profit and loss. You might find there are ways you can lower internal purchasing significantly or your marketing department could cut costs of advertising through venues that aren’t getting any return on investment. It can be amazing what a third party can find about your business you had either not thought to look into before or didn’t realize it was relevant to the bottom line.
When you hire a third party to conduct a transportation management operational audit, you will find it is a standard process that is conducted seamlessly from start to finish. There is no need to worry about any issues from having a third-party audit completed by a well-established management consulting firm. They will sign any type of nondisclosure or confidentiality agreements before they get to work. When you find out how much profitability can be found by running an audit, you will realize the importance of running them regularly.
