UPDATE - Unishippers Quarterly Newsletter

IN THIS ISSUE

UPS^® is More than Ground

The Best Way to Bill a
Receiver for a Shipment

UPS Opens International Hub in Shanghai
In December of 2008, UPS placed in service a new international hub in Shanghai, China, improving access to China and speeding the movement of express packages and heavy freight around the world.

The facility is strategically located at the Pudong International Airport, right in the heart of the Yangtze River Delta area, and now becomes the key gateway linking China to UPS's global network.

"Everything about this facility was built for speed and reliability," said Dan Brutto, president of UPS International. "Linked now to our vast integrated transportation network, it opens wider the doors of commerce with China. We believe Shanghai will become an even more attractive business location because our customers will recognize the importance of a world-class UPS facility that provides rapid access to the world."

The hub features 117 conveyor belts and 47 docking bays and has a package sorting capacity of 17,000 pieces per hour. It also is designed, however, for simultaneous rapid processing of heavy freight, recognizing the different types of business done by importers and exporters in China.

With its high sorting capacity, the hub improves delivery times for customers in eastern China by a full day. In addition, pick-up times for express and cargo shipments in Shanghai will be pushed back by one hour and four hours, respectively, so customers have greater flexibility in shipment preparations.

Source: UPS.com/pressroom

UPS pledges $53 million to United Way in 2008
UPS employees and retirees pledged more than $53 million for United Way in 2008, the company said in December of 2008.

The Atlanta-based package shipper noted the donations marked the ninth year in a row the company and its employees topped all other U.S. companies for pledged donations to United Way. More than 249,000 people at UPS participated in the campaign.

UPS’s matching contribution, which will be set early this year by The UPS Foundation, is expected to push UPS’s total donation for 2008 to more than $60 million. In 2007, UPS’s companywide contribution to United Way hit $60.8 million.

"Even in this tough economy, the spirit of giving is alive and well at UPS," said Scott Davis, UPS chairman and CEO, in a news release. "The support of our employees is unwavering because we all recognize that the United Way’s efforts to improve lives and communities are more important than ever."

Since 1982, UPS and its employees have donated $924 million to United Way.

Source: Bizjournals.com

Unishippers' Express Manager
Unishippers’ Express Manager for UPS^® is About to Get Even Better

Unishippers’ Express Manager online shipping tool for processing UPS ground and express shipments is a one-stop shipping solution for thousands of Unishippers customers every day. Express Manager makes getting price quotes, creating labels, shipment tracking and accessing shipment history easy, fast and convenient.

One of the greatest benefits of Express Manager is its cost: nothing! Express Manager not only saves its users time and money, it also offers significant advantages over handwritten labels and other online tools. Some the unique advantages enjoyed by Express Manager include:

Immediate cost estimates. Rather than making you wait until you are invoiced, Express Manager will let you know the estimated cost of your UPS shipment immediately, eliminating guesses and surprises.
Greater accuracy. Using Express Manager reduces many errors that can creep into handwritten labels, which can prevent costly shipping mistakes.
Easier tracking. Express Manager keeps track of all the labels you prepare on the site, making it easy to track those shipments without having to remember or enter long tracking numbers.
Speed. Once users are familiar with Express Manager’s simple, intuitive interface, labels can be created in under a minute, greatly increasing efficiency and productivity.
Compatibility. Because it is entirely web-based and there is no software to download, Express Manager is compatible with just about any computer and operating system.

Unishippers is pleased to announce that an even better version of Express Manager will be released in the coming weeks. This brand new version will incorporate all of the features and benefits customers have come to expect from Express Manager and make them compatible with UPS.

Not only will Unishippers customers enjoy the same advantages that they currently experience, but this new release will also include some exciting new features to enhance the ease and convenience of Express Manager:

Schedule a pickup. Customers will now be able to schedule a pickup at the same time they create a shipping label in one easy step.
Request email notification. Customers will be able to request that an email be sent to them upon package delivery, ensuring peace of mind and eliminating worry.
Address verification. This feature will prevent delays and possible extra costs by verifying the existence and accuracy of every address entered into Express Manager.

These and other outstanding features will make the new Express Manager even more useful and convenient for users. Watch for more information when the new Express Manager is operational. The new and improved Express Manager is just one more way Unishippers is demonstrating its commitment to being your trusted shipping advisor.

Did U Know?
UPS^® is More than Ground

While you may know that UPS is the leader in ground package delivery and technology solutions, you may not be aware that UPS is a leader in a few other areas as well.

UPS is #1 in Air Reliability
According to a 2008 Morgan Stanley Parcel Shipper Survey, UPS beat rival FedEx^® in both Air and Ground reliability.
One Convenient Pick-Up for All Your Shipping Needs
UPS provides one driver who understands you and your business needs for pick up and delivery of all of your air and ground packages so you get more convenience. No more separating packages by service or dealing with multiple drivers and pick up times. Plus, with 60,000 UPS drop boxes and drop off locations that accept both air and ground packages you get more options.
More Delivery Service Options
UPS has more domestic express delivery options – and more early business deliveries – than anyone else so you get more choice.
Unlimited Weight Letter
UPS has no weight limit for documents and electronic media in overnight letter envelopes, so you get more value with each shipment.

When it comes to balancing cost and service, you can’t beat Unishippers and UPS.

Saving You Time, Trouble and Money
The Best Way to Bill a Receiver for a Shipment

When you have the need to bill the receiver for a shipment there are two options available through UPS in order to accomplish this. It is important for Unishippers customers to know about the best method of billing a receiver. It’s simple, and it won’t cost you a thing.

The best way to bill a receiver is to use the Freight Collect option from UPS. With this option, you simply select "Bill the Receiver" in the Bill Shipping Charges To field in UPS Internet Shipping or WorldShip while preparing a shipment. You then enter the receiver’s UPS Shipper Number, and you are ready to go! No additional charges and no hassles are involved. If you have questions on how to use this option, please contact your local Unishippers office. They will be more than happy to walk you through this quick and easy process.

UPS offers another option for billing a receiver. This option is known as "Bill Consignee". This option is a contractual service with UPS, which requires additional agreements with them. There is also a charge for this service. If you use this option, you will be subject to these additional charges. As your trusted shipping advisor, we want you to know that you can accomplish the same thing through Freight Collect, without incurring these fees. If you have additional questions about this topic, please contact your local Unishippers office.

Unishippers.com / Ship a Package / Track a Shipment / Nearest Drop Box