Toshiba delighted after 40% is slashed from courier costs

By setting a benchmark against which Toshiba could measure their spending on couriers, ERA Analyst Ian Kinnaird found a way to cut 40% from their costs. They now get benchmark pricing on every service, so they know not just what they should be spending, but exactly what they should be saving.

"I told them to continue with the three suppliers they were using, which they were happy with," Kinnaird revealed. "But they also had to take on a fourth courier company, and change their insurance arrangements."


Toshiba is a massive company. A household name in technology, they make all kinds of electronics and electrical products, computers and communications, internet services, and household appliances. Chances are you have one of their products in your own home.

Toshiba is on every continent, and while global presence is an achievement, it also brings with it the tangled logistics of interoffice shipments. Of course, a huge company like Toshiba can negotiate a great deal with a courier company, can't they?

"We were happy with the service being provided by each of the three couriers we were using but were keen to learn whether or not our expenditure in this area could be reduced," said Remy Reinker, Finance Manager with Toshiba.

It only took a few meetings before he agreed to take ERA on. The objective: to review Toshiba's spending on couriers and see if some of that spend couldn be reclaimed.

"This is such a common thing to hear when we talk with any company about their courier costs," Kinnaird commented. "They'll say they already have good rates that they monitor closely or that they've just entered a new agreement."

"They say they're totally happy with the service they're getting. That's because they've been told they're getting a good price. But if they don't have a benchmark to measure against, how do they know if they really getting any discount at all?"

Kinnaird made his recommendation to introduce another courier and re-evaluate their insurance. The result of Kinnaird's proposals was a 40% savings in Toshiba's courier expenses.

"We are delighted with the results Ian has been able to achieve for us." Reinker concluded. Your success story is waiting to be written. Get started lowering costs for your company.

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