8 Reasons to Summon FedEx and UPS Online

This article appeared in Law Firm, Inc., April 2003

The American Bar Association sends 50,000 packages each year, and has saved time and money by using online tools from FedEx and United Parcel Services. Here are eight reasons to consider these services:

Money: FedEx and UPS both save money when you go online, and they can pass the savings on to you. Savings depend on the percentage of your shipping done online; the greater the percentage, the greater the potential discount.
Power to the people: Package prep is usually a support staff function, but if it's easy and painless, lawyers and managers may do it themselves. And the online services can be a godsend when you travel. (You can send packages back to the office rather than lugging them on planes.)
Low tech: Web-based systems require only a Web browser. FedEx and UPS handle software upgrades on their servers, so your staff always have the latest version of the software.
Save time: ABA staff can print real-time reports showing all package transactions - recipient, sender, account information, cost - and immediately see all package activity. You can download and import the shipping data into your accounting system, eliminating data entry and account reconciliation. Account numbers are validated when the air bill is created, not when the bill arrives in your office. The ABA has been able to eliminate six hours of manual data entry and reconciliation each week since going online.
Reduce paper: Hard copy air bills must be stored in case of invoice or accounting errors. Online air bills remain accessible without taking up space or filing time. The online air bill reflects the signature of the recipient and the delivery information.
Share contacts: Your firm probably manages its contact information centrally. The online package services provide for online address books for every user of the system. They can take your current contact file and make it accessible as a shared address book for all packages stored on the package company's server.
Save even more: The ABA was facing a 10 percent "bad address" problem, because of illegible, transposed, or plain wrong labels. UPS and FedEx will validate your addresses, so no more Phoenix, AK. This means real dollars when you are charged a $10 surcharge per bad address.
Anywhere, anytime: Going online eliminates the need to remember billing codes and carry paper air bills. You can create an air bill online and print from any Internet connection - hotel, airport, home. No printer? Send yourself a fax at the hotel using your fax software or walk down to the local laptop-friendly copy center and print the page off.

David Whelan is director of the A.B.A. Legal Technology Resource Center. Diana Gilbert, director of A.B.A. administrative services, assisted with the article.