U.S. patent application number 13/335116 was filed with the patent office on 2012-05-10 for system and method of selecting freight forwarding companies.
This patent application is currently assigned to Cartus Corporation. Invention is credited to Gregory Goolkasian.
Application Number | 20120116913 13/335116 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34434847 |
Filed Date | 2012-05-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120116913 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Goolkasian; Gregory |
May 10, 2012 |
SYSTEM AND METHOD OF SELECTING FREIGHT FORWARDING COMPANIES
Abstract
A system and method for selecting freight forwarding companies
is provided wherein bids for shipping lanes and the like are
received well in advance of a freight move. Bids are submitted on
shipping lanes and other move associated transactions by
pre-approved freight forwarding companies. This information is
stored in a database. Selection of the freight forwarding company
or companies occurs in connection with evaluating the bid
information submitted and historical data stored on the
database.
Inventors: |
Goolkasian; Gregory;
(Southbury, CT) |
Assignee: |
Cartus Corporation
Danbury
CT
|
Family ID: |
34434847 |
Appl. No.: |
13/335116 |
Filed: |
December 22, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10819813 |
Apr 7, 2004 |
8131598 |
|
|
13335116 |
|
|
|
|
60502487 |
Sep 12, 2003 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
705/26.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 40/04 20130101;
G06Q 30/0611 20130101; G06Q 30/0613 20130101; G06Q 30/08 20130101;
G06Q 10/087 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/26.4 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 30/06 20120101
G06Q030/06 |
Claims
1. A method of identifying a bid of a freight forwarding company
comprising: receiving data representing a plurality of bids for
storage in a computer database, where the data associates each bid
with a traffic lane, a potential requirement for a move, a price
rate associated with the potential requirement for a move, and a
freight forwarding company, at least two of the plurality of bids
being associated with different freight forwarding companies,
receiving from a user, after receiving the plurality of bids,
search criteria relating to a move request, where the search
criteria is associated with a traffic lane, a moving requirement
and a quantity value associated with the moving requirement,
querying, via a computer, the computer database with the search
criteria, identifying, with a computer and in response to the
query, a plurality of bids by comparing the traffic lane and the
potential requirement of the received bids with the traffic lane
and the moving requirement of the move request, calculating a cost
for each of the identified bids dependent on the price rate and
quantity value, and providing graphic images, for display on a
computer screen, showing the bids and the calculated costs.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the
identified bids on a computer screen.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the displayed bids are ranked
based on the calculated costs.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the data representing a plurality
of bids is received via the Internet by providing a bidder with
access to a web page and displaying one or more traffic lanes
available for bid.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the bids further
comprises receiving the bids meeting predefined criteria at prices
based on predefined rate structures.
6. A system of identifying a bid of a freight forwarding company
comprising: a computer database storing a plurality of bids, where
the database associates each bid with a traffic lane, a potential
requirement for a move, a price rate associated with the potential
requirement for a move, and a freight forwarding company, at least
two of the plurality of bids being associated with different
freight forwarding companies, an electronic screen capable of
displaying graphics, an electronic processing unit in communication
with the computer database and the screen so as to provide graphics
to the screen in accordance with a computer program, the program
comprising: receiving from a user, after receiving the plurality of
bids, search criteria relating to a move request, where the search
criteria is associated with a traffic lane, a moving requirement
and a quantity value associated with the moving requirement;
querying the computer database with the search criteria;
identifying a plurality of bids by comparing the traffic lane and
the potential requirement of the received bids with the traffic
lane and the moving requirement of the move request; calculating a
cost for each of the identified bids dependent on the price rate
and quantity value; and providing graphic images to the computer
screen showing the bids and the calculated costs.
7. The system of claim 6 wherein the computer program further
comprises displaying the bids in a ranked order based on the
calculated costs.
8. The system of claim 6 further comprising a computer in
communication with the electronic processing unit via the Internet,
wherein the computer displays a web page and one or more traffic
lanes available for bid in accordance with the computer program.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 10/819,813, filed on Apr. 7, 2004, which
application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S.
Provisional Application No. 60/502,487, filed Sep. 12, 2003, the
entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Typically, relocation companies are hired by a company
(hereafter, the "customer") to help people, such as the customer's
employees, relocate to a new home. In this regard, relocation
companies typically help the person (hereafter, the "transferee")
obtain a fair price for their current home, find a new home, and
move the transferee from their point of origin to their point of
destination.
[0003] Quality relocation companies aim to meet and exceed the
expectations of the customers and transferees. For example, when it
comes to the move, transferees expect good communication regarding
the packing/delivery dates and times. They also expect that the
mover will respect their goods, such as providing special care to
fragile items, and avoiding damage during packing/unpacking and
transportation. Transferees also want the mover to meet their
commitments throughout the move, including helping with customs
requirements. In addition, transferees expect that the agents at
both the origin and destination point will be professional. They
also expect that the number of surveyors will be limited. Surveyors
generally come to the house to determine the equipment and
personnel that will be needed to effect the move. Surveyors also
use the information to enable the freight forwarding company to
provide an estimate for the cost of the move.
[0004] A relocation company often hires one or more freight
forwarding companies to perform moves and needs companies that can
meet these expectations while also meeting the customer's price
requirements. Thus, the relocation company may hire a moving
company, preferably an international moving company, to perform
freight forwarding services. However, not all freight forwarding
companies are the same, and this is particularly so with respect to
international shipments that cross a country border (the US and
Canadian border typically present less difficulties than other
international shipments).
[0005] Some freight forwarding companies specialize in particular
traffic lanes or channels where a traffic lane or channel includes
at least a geographic region (e.g., collection of countries,
particular country, collection of cities, a particular city, etc.)
that includes the origin of the move and at least a geographic
region that includes the destination of the move.
[0006] Other differences between freight forwarding companies
relate to pricing, because different freight forwarding companies
charge different prices. Freight forwarding companies typically
charge based on a matrix of shipment types, storage requirements,
other services and rate structures. For example, in addition to
having different prices for different lanes, the companies may also
differ with respect to whether they are charging based on weight,
volume, flat fees or some other criteria. Accordingly, the
different prices and sometimes rate structures often makes it
difficult to select a freight forwarding company based on cost.
[0007] The quality of service also varies from freight forwarding
company to company. A relocation company's past experience with
particular freight forwarding companies should also be taken into
account when selecting a freight forwarding companies, which
further complicates the selection process.
[0008] There is a need for a system which eases the difficulties
and complexities associated with the selection of freight
forwarding companies.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 represents a functional diagram of one aspect of a
system and method of the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 2 represents a flow chart of a method in accordance
with an aspect of the invention.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a flow chart of the freight forwarding company
approval process.
[0012] FIG. 4 illustrates a computer screen display for showing
lanes, in a drop down box, according to pairs of origin and
destination cities.
[0013] FIG. 5 illustrates a computer screen display showing weight
classes associated with traffic lanes.
[0014] FIG. 6 illustrates a computer screen display listing the
cost of putting goods into storage based on weight class and the
cost of taking goods out of storage based on weight class.
[0015] FIG. 7 illustrates a computer screen display showing
accessorial rates.
[0016] FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating a freight forwarding
company bidding process according to one aspect of the
invention.
[0017] FIG. 9 illustrates a computer screen for use with the
booking engine for entering performance feedback information.
[0018] FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating one aspect of a freight
forwarding company selection process according to the
invention.
[0019] Applicable reference numerals have been carried forward.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0020] The invention provides a method of selecting a freight
forwarding company.
[0021] According to one aspect of the invention, method of
selecting a freight forwarding company is provided wherein bid
information is received from a plurality of freight forwarding
companies. The bid information identifies a traffic lane, a moving
requirement, and a price rate associated with the moving
requirement. A move request is received associated with a traffic
lane. Additionally, a moving requirement and a quantity value
associated with the moving requirement are received. At least one
freight forwarding company is identified based on the freight
forwarding company's bid information wherein the traffic lane and a
moving requirement of the bid information relates to the traffic
lane and a moving requirement of the move request. The method
calculates a cost for each of the identified freight forwarding
companies dependant on the price rate and quantity value.
[0022] According to another aspect of the invention, a method of
selecting a freight forwarding company is provided wherein a
freight forwarding company to participate as a provider of
services. The freight forwarding company is subjected to an
approval process. The freight forwarding company executes a
contract for providing services and a database of approved freight
forwarding companies under contract is provided. Traffic lanes for
submission of bids by freight forwarding companies under contract;
is provided by the method as well as a database of traffic lane for
bid by the freight forwarding companies. A freight forwarding
company is selected using the database of traffic lane bids.
[0023] According to another aspect of the invention, a method of
conducting a relocation business is provided wherein an order is
received from a client for the transfer of property of a
transferee. The transferee is consulted and a move of the property
is scheduled. Information pertaining to the move is compiled an a
database is accessed containing preexisting information including
traffic lane bid prices from the freight forwarding companies. A
freight forwarding company is selected in conjunction with using
the database.
[0024] According to another aspect of the invention, a freight
forwarding company selection system is provided which includes a
freight forwarding company approval procedure and a database
including names of and information pertaining to approved freight
forwarding companies. The system also includes a freight forwarding
company bid procedure and a program which provides a graphic user
interface used in connection with viewing the database for use in
selecting a freight forwarding company in connection with ranking
database information according to a search criteria.
[0025] In another aspect of the invention a freight forwarding
company selection system is provided which includes a freight
forwarding company approval procedure and a database including
names of and information pertaining to approved freight forwarding
companies. The system also includes a freight forwarding company
bid procedure wherein selection of a freight forwarding company is
based off of bid information stored in the database for compilation
in connection with a search for a freight forwarding company.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0026] Among other things, the invention provides a system and
method for systemizing bid pricing of freight forwarding companies.
For example, instead of forwarders bidding competitively on every
shipment, the system and method compares previously submitted bids
with a particular move and uses the information to select a freight
forwarding company.
[0027] An operation in accordance with one aspect of the invention
will now be described. The following process represents just one
example of a method in accordance with the invention, and other
steps and orders of operation are possible. For the purposes of
illustration, FIG. 1 represents a functional diagram of one aspect
of a system and method of the present invention as implemented on a
system to include the invention called Acadia.TM.. FIG. 2
represents a flow chart of a method in accordance with an aspect of
the invention.
[0028] In operation, the relocation company first identifies and
then approves freight forwarding companies to participate in the
system. Typically, the approval process will include an on-site
visit to the freight forwarding company to check its facilities and
discuss the bidding process. The review process may also include
performing background checks and the like. If a freight forwarding
company is not rejected, the approval process is generally
concluded with the execution of a contract between the relocation
company and the freight forwarding company.
[0029] Once the freight forwarding company is approved by the
relocation company, it is added to the list of qualified
bidders.
[0030] Preferably, the list of qualified bidders is maintained in a
computerized database, hereafter referred to as the booking engine
database, and the database is maintained via the use of a computer
program, hereafter referred to as the booking engine. However, the
process may be implemented without a computerized database as
well.
[0031] One manner in which the qualified freight forwarding company
may be added to the list of approved freight forwarding companies
by the relocation company is by adding the freight forwarding
company's information, such as its name, address and other
information, to the booking engine database and indicating that the
company is approved to enter bids. Other information relating to
the contract may also be added to the database. FIG. 3 is a
flowchart of the freight forwarding company approval process.
[0032] After the freight forwarding company is added to the list of
approved companies, the freight forwarding company will then bid on
traffic lanes. Preferably, the list of traffic lanes will be
pre-identified, and the freight forwarding company is not obligated
to bid on every pre-identified traffic lane. With respect to the
traffic lanes that the freight forwarding company does bid on, it
is preferable for the freight forwarding company to bid on all of
the potential requirements for a move within that lane. For
example, as explained in more detail below, it may bid on how much
it charges per pound for surface shipments, how much it charges per
cubic foot for air shipments, how much it charges to put goods in
storage, etc. Alternatively, the freight forwarding company may bid
on only some of the potential requirements for moves within that
lane.
[0033] The bid is preferably made by providing the freight
forwarding company with limited access to the booking engine
database via the Internet and web pages. The information for the
web page is gathered by the booking engine. In this regard, the
freight forwarding company will log onto a web site maintained at
the direction of the relocation company and devoted to accepting
bids.
[0034] Once logged into the web site, the freight forwarding
company may then browse a web page containing a list of traffic
lanes that are open for bid. As shown in FIG. 4, the lanes may be
listed in a drop down box containing pairs of origin and
destination cites, such as the lane representing shipments from
Appleton, Wisc. to Dublin, Ireland.
[0035] After selecting a traffic lane, the freight forwarding
company will then be presented with web-based controls for entering
rate amounts. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the freight
forwarding company will be presented with a list of weight classes
associated with that lane. Each weight class represents a range of
weight values, such as shipments ranging from 1,000 to 2,000
pounds. The freight forwarding company can then enter the per-pound
amount ("CWT" refers to net per 100 pound weight) that it will
charge for transporting goods in that weight class for that lane.
The booking engine may perform immediate or post-bid validity
checks on the entered data, such as ensuring that the price does
not exceed a certain range.
[0036] FIG. 5 illustrates additional options in connection with the
bidding process. For example, the freight forwarding company may
enter the expected transit time as a range of days (as shown),
weeks or some other time frame. The freight forwarding company may
also identify the period of time over which the rates will be
effective. The freight forwarding company may also indicate whether
the rates are newly entered, unfrozen (meaning that the freight
forwarding company is reserving the right to change the rates
during the effective date period) or expiring (meaning that the
prices will need to be updated).
[0037] As also shown in FIG. 5, the freight forwarding company
preferably indicates the manner in which the goods will be shipped.
For example, all of rates in the example of FIG. 5 relates to
surface shipments. The freight forwarding company can select among
different surface transportation methods for the goods, such as
"surface loose load (LL)" or "lift van (LV)", and bid on each
method.
[0038] Returning to FIG. 4 an exemplary screen is provided for
bidding on moves that require air shipments. The freight forwarding
company selects a particular lane and then bids on the cost of
shipping goods by air within that lane. Rather than being broken
down by weight classes, the air shipment rates are broken down by
ranges of volumes, such as from 1 to 22 cubic feet and 22 to 44
cubic feet. The dollar amount of the rate reflects how much the
freight forwarding company is charging per cubic foot for that
lane.
[0039] In addition to the cost of shipping goods, transferees often
require that their goods be stored for long periods. Accordingly,
the freight forwarding companies may also be permitted to bid on
the costs of putting goods in permanent storage. As shown in FIG.
6, the freight forwarding company may select cities in which goods
will potentially be stored and then the cost of putting the goods
into storage based on weight class, the cost of taking the goods
out of storage based on weight class, and the cost of storage based
on weight and other flat fee charges. As with the shipment rates,
the freight forwarding company can enter dates over which the rates
are effective.
[0040] In addition to charging for shipment and storage, freight
forwarding companies may also charge for particular services. These
assessorial charges may include services such as moving a grand
piano or obtaining a crane to move items to upper floors. In this
regard, the method and system of the present invention also allows
the freight forwarding company to bid on accessorial charges. This
information may be entered via the use of the Internet as shown in
FIG. 7. Preferably, each bid request identifies acceptable
accessorial charges (such as moving a "Piano-Grand"). The request
also identifies acceptable rate structures for the charge, such as
whether the price needs to be based on a flat fee, weight (CWT),
volume (CF), the freight forwarding company's cost plus a 10%
surcharge, or some other unit of measure (UOM). As with the
shipment and storage bids, the freight forwarding company may enter
the effective dates of rates. Preferably, the assessorial charges
are constrained to coincide with the effective dates of the freight
forwarding company's shipment rates.
[0041] Preferably, the bidding process also requires that the
freight forwarding company agree to abide by a variety of rules
relating to the rates. Exemplary rules are attached as Exhibit A;
the rules are often particular to the individual relocation
company. The rules may be accepted, reaffirmed and changed at
numerous points in the process, such as at contract signing and
submission of new or changed rate information.
[0042] In one aspect of the invention, the bid is privacy
protected, that is, no bidder can see another's bid. It is believed
that a confidential bidding process not only preserves the privacy
desired by the freight forwarding companies but also promotes fair
and competitive bidding.
[0043] As noted above, the bid is not made in connection with a
particular move but, rather, preferably reflects the freight
forwarding company's agreement to fulfill future moves meeting
predefined criteria at prices based on predefined rate
structures.
[0044] In one aspect of the invention, the freight forwarding
company can indicate an interest in a geographic region without
bidding on it. For example, the freight forwarding company may
identify whether they are willing or unwilling to provide services
in a particular country. In this regard, a freight forwarding
company may indicate that they are willing to provide services to
or from England without actually bidding on lanes that include
English cities. At the same time, the freight forwarding company
may indicate that they are not willing to provide services to a
particular geographic region. FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a
freight forwarding company bidding process according to one aspect
of the invention. Note that this process can be implemented without
a computer.
[0045] When a client of the relocation company wants assistance
moving a particular person, they will contact the relocation
company. A consultant for the relocation company will then call the
transferee. The consultant will perform a needs assessment and
analysis based on the customer's policies, the transferee's needs
and the particulars of the move.
[0046] Once the relocation company's consultant obtains the
information relating to the transferee and the move, the consultant
will notify one of the relocation company's move specialists to
book the move.
[0047] The specialist will then compile the relevant information
pertaining to the move, such as the origin, destination, one or
more moving requirements, and the quantity associated with each
moving requirement. For example, the moving requirements may relate
to the required type or types of shipments that will be necessary
for the move, such as air, loose load surface shipments and lift
van surface shipments. Other requirements may relate to storage and
assessorial services. The quantity may relate to weight, volume or
some other criteria that is associated with the moving requirement,
such as how long the goods must be stored and whether a crane is
required such as to remove a piano or other large object (e.g., no
crane being considered a quantity of zero cranes). The specialist
may also enter in other information, such as the date that the
goods need to be shipped. The specialist then compares the compiled
information with the bid information to select the best freight
forwarding company for the move.
[0048] In one aspect of the invention, the specialist will use the
booking engine to search the booking engine database and rank the
bids. For example, the specialist may enter a number of different
search criteria, such as the origin, destination, weight, dates and
other information into a computer. The computer then accesses the
booking engine, which in turn queries the database for bids which
match the criteria.
[0049] As shown in FIG. 9, the booking engine may provide the
specialist with information on various forwarders, including how
much each freight forwarding will charge. Specifically, the names
of the freight forwarding companies are listed in the "Forwarder"
column. The "Air", "LL" and "LV" columns reflect a calculated value
based on the price that the freight forwarding company has bid for
the transportation mode and the quantity of goods to be shipped via
that transportation mode. The subtotal column reflects the total
cost of the shipment. The "Perm Str" column similarly reflects a
calculated value reflecting the freight forwarding company's
charges for permanently storing the goods to be stored. The "Total"
column reflects the shipment costs and permanent storage costs.
Optionally, the total may also include any assessorial charges in
the event assessorial services are required.
[0050] The invention may also provide the ability of storing
information relating to the quality of services provided by the
freight forwarding companies. The quality may be quantified based
on subjective and objective criteria.
[0051] For example, in the example of FIG. 9, the "Service Scores"
columns represent how the freight forwarding company performed
based on feedback forms completed by prior transferees. Based on a
sliding scale where 1 represents a poor ranking and 8 represents an
excellent ranking, the percentage represents the number of feedback
forms having positive ratings (e.g., rankings from 5-8) divided by
the total number of returned surveys. The scores are further broken
down by how well the freight forwarding company scored with respect
to the destination and origin cities particular to the move, the
countries particular to the move, and all surveys. It is noted that
while this information may be subjective with respective to the
transferee's views, it is objective with respect to the relocation
company because the relocation company merely compiles the
results.
[0052] The "Claims" column of FIG. 9 also quantifies quality based
on prior transferee's claims for damages. In this regard, the
"Frequency" column represents a ratio of the number of times that
claims have been made versus the number of insured shipments
performed by the freight forwarding company. The number of
shipments in the Frequency column may be limited to only shipments
in the particular lane, all shipments in all lanes or shipments
sharing an origin or destination with the current move. Moreover,
each different transportation type in a move (e.g., air, surface
loose load, surface lift van) may be considered a separate
shipment. The "Severity" column represents the average amount of
claims that have been awarded against the freight forwarding
company, and may be limited in a manner similar to or different
from the frequency column.
[0053] Based on the returned cost and quality information, the
specialist can make an informed choice of the best forwarder for a
move. To aid the specialist in its task, the specialist may rank
the freight forwarding companies by different columns. Optionally,
the bids may be ranked based on a single, calculated value which
takes the total cost and service as the parameters.
[0054] If no vendor has bid on the selected channel, then the
system may optionally use other information to suggest freight
forwarding companies. For example, a list may be compiled of all of
the companies that have indicated a willingness to provide services
in the origin and destination regions. These companies may then be
contacted, either manually or by an automatic email from the
booking engine, to enter bids on the lane.
[0055] After the relocation company selects the freight forwarding
company, the move specialist will then notify the freight
forwarding company of the decision. The freight forwarding company,
in turn, will call or otherwise contact the transferee and conduct
a survey. The freight forwarding company will also work with the
relocation company as well as the transferee to coordinate and
execute the move. FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating one aspect
of a freight forwarding company selection process according to the
invention. Note that this process can be implemented without the
use of a computer.
[0056] Once the move is completed, the freight forwarding company
will send the relocation company an invoice and backup
documentation, such as proving that the move was completed and
other information, to the relocation company. Before paying the
invoice, the freight forwarding company is preferably audited to
ensure that it has complied with the rate rules, other contractual
requirements and industry rules. It is also preferably audited for
accuracy and completeness of the documentation. The cost of the
move may be invoiced in two portions, one occurring after the
shipment leaves the port and the other upon delivery.
[0057] Different aspects of present invention provide a number of
different advantages. In one aspect, it promotes cost management,
because it increases control over costs and quality.
[0058] The bidding process also allows the relocation company to
leverage the advantage of using multiple competitive vendors. By
asking vendors to bid in advance, rather than move-by-move, the
vendors have an incentive not to overcharge the relocation company
because of the likelihood that overbidding will result in
continuous non-selection.
[0059] Moreover, by quantifying quality, the relocation company can
insure that under performers are not awarded moves. In addition,
the specialist can use the quality information to reflect the
customer's needs. For example, one customer may accept somewhat
lower quality, particularly if it results in the price being lower.
Another customer may require the highest quality at any reasonable
price.
[0060] The use of the system further allows the relocation company
to manage its information more effectively.
[0061] Aspects of the system also provide advantages to the
customers beyond price. The system provides faster supplier
selection because bids are entered in advance and the information
necessary to award the move is already in the system; it is no
longer necessary to wait for bids to come back on each individual
move. Moreover, as noted above, the clients' priorities (i.e.,
quality or cost) can be taken into account in forwarder selection.
The system also prevents transferees from having to deal with
multiple surveyors because a single freight forwarding company is
selected based on pre-existing information. The system also
provides the customer with effective control, because the employee
can evaluate the mover's performance and this assessment will be
entered into the system. As noted above, overall customer
satisfaction can be tracked by city, country and worldwide, so that
future choices can be based on very specific performance metrics.
Claims experience may also be stored in the system.
[0062] The system also provides benefits to the freight forwarding
companies. For example, it creates a fair playing field because it
allows the relocation company to choose the forwarder entirely on
the basis of objective factors, such as price and service
performance, and not for any other reason. In this regard,
forwarders will be motivated to play to their strengths, that is,
offer the best prices in the lanes where they have the most volume
and ability to offer high quality services. The system will also
enable them to be strategic, focusing on lanes and weight ranges in
areas where they want to grow. Even a smaller forwarder can bid on
business that might be out of their usual scope, because as long as
their pricing and service are competitive, they are likely to be
selected.
[0063] Indeed, since preferably all of the approved freight
forwarding companies can bid on a lane, the process is more
competitive than simply consulting two or three companies as
typically occurs in prior art systems. It is also less labor
intensive for the freight forwarders than the old process, since
multiple surveys are not required.
[0064] Another advantage to relocation company and freight
forwarding companies alike is that all of the companies are
preferably required to bid in accordance with the same set of
rules. This provides a level playing field for the freight
forwarding companies and it minimizes surprise fees for the
relocation company.
[0065] Another advantage of one aspect of the present invention is
its flexibility. For example, although the invention is preferably
implemented automatically via a web-based application, it may also
be implemented manually. For example, communication may take place
by voice over phone rather than by network access, and the
information need not be stored in computer-implemented databases.
It can also take place using faxed solicitations and bids.
[0066] The system, including the booking engine, may provide other
administrative functions as well. For example, it may place a
six-month time limit on rates such that rates are no longer
considered valid if they have not been changed or confirmed within
the last six months. It may also conduct routine post-payment
audits of bills to track and trend compliance with rates in the
program.
[0067] Unless stated to the contrary, use of words such as
"including," "containing," "such as," "comprising" and the like,
means "including without limitation" and shall not be construed to
limit any general statement that it follows to the specific or
similar items or matters immediately following it. References to a
"plurality" of things means at least two of the things, and, unless
stated to the contrary, reference to "a" or "one" thing does
exclude the possibility of using a plurality of such things.
[0068] Most of the foregoing alternative embodiments are not
mutually exclusive, but may be implemented in various combinations
to achieve unique advantages. As these and other variations and
combinations of the features discussed above can be utilized
without departing from the invention as defined by the claims, the
foregoing description of the embodiments should be taken by way of
illustration rather than by way of limitation of the invention as
defined by the claims.
* * * * *