Melbourne is home to manufacturers, retailers, wholesalers, food and beverage businesses and other organisations that depend on freight every day. Once freight volumes increase, managing different carriers, invoices, delivery performance and shipment information can become a substantial operational task.
For businesses researching ways to manage that complexity, Freight People is a name worth knowing.
Founded in 1987, Freight People is an Australian enterprise freight broker with offices in Dandenong South in Victoria and Lane Cove West in New South Wales. The company works specifically with enterprises and commercial organisations rather than personal deliveries, with freight services extending across Australia and into New Zealand.
What makes the business particularly relevant to larger organisations is that its service extends beyond sourcing freight rates. Freight People combines carrier management, technology, reporting, consolidated invoicing and freight strategy within one model.
Why Freight People may be relevant to Victorian businesses
Freight requirements can look very different from one Melbourne business to another.
A manufacturer may need to move pallets interstate and reach regional customers. A retailer could be handling large numbers of cartons and parcels. Another organisation may have several warehouses, numerous freight carriers and internal teams that all need access to accurate shipment information.
Freight People is set up around this type of enterprise freight environment.
The company provides access to more than 300 freight carriers nationally and manages carrier selection, ongoing rate negotiations, performance monitoring and KPI reporting. Its freight services include palletised freight, carton and parcel freight, air freight and deliveries into regional and remote areas.
For Victorian organisations, Freight People also has a local presence at its Dandenong South office.
Freight People combines freight brokerage with ongoing management
A traditional freight broker may primarily help a business obtain suitable carrier rates. Freight People’s model is broader.
The company manages carrier relationships and monitors freight performance while providing businesses with information about their shipments and freight expenditure. It also reconciles freight charges against warehouse data and deals with discrepancies before producing a consolidated invoice.
That means a business using several freight carriers can receive a single reconciled invoice covering its freight profile rather than treating each carrier as an entirely separate administrative process.
Freight People also provides independent analysis of carrier mix and freight strategy. Its approach draws on more than 30 years in the Australian freight market and the freight volumes it manages across its client base.
Cario gives businesses one place to manage multiple carriers
Technology is a significant part of the Freight People model.
Its proprietary cloud-based platform, Cario, has been developed in Australia for enterprise freight operations. The system provides one interface through which businesses can quote, book, consign, manifest and track shipments across multiple carriers in real time.
For businesses currently moving information manually between freight providers and internal systems, integration may be particularly relevant. Cario integrates with ERP systems including Microsoft Dynamics 365, SAP, NetSuite and Pronto.
Different modules provide information for warehouse employees, customer service teams, sales representatives and management. The platform also includes business intelligence capabilities covering areas such as freight costs, delivery performance, carbon emissions and customer satisfaction.
Freight People runs a Freight Optimisation Workshop when beginning an engagement with a new client. This is used to map the organisation’s existing freight operation and identify opportunities for improvement.
Freight services available through Freight People
Freight People manages several types of commercial freight rather than focusing on a single transport category.
Its services include interstate palletised freight, high-volume carton and parcel freight, time-critical air freight and transport to regional and remote destinations. Carrier selection can therefore be based on factors such as the route, required delivery speed and cost rather than relying on one carrier for every shipment.
The company also provides freight automation consulting for organisations moving towards more automated freight management. This can include system integration, workflow design and ongoing optimisation.
Businesses with sustainability and ESG reporting requirements can also investigate Freight People’s carbon footprint analysis and reporting services. These include gross emissions measurement, offset recommendations and sustainability compliance reporting.
Who might consider Freight People?
Freight People is not a personal courier or delivery service. Its stated focus is enterprise organisations and commercial freight operations.
The company works with businesses across sectors including manufacturing, retail, food and beverage, industrial supply and consumer goods.
For Melbourne Talk readers researching business services, Freight People may therefore be particularly relevant where an organisation has substantial freight volumes, uses multiple carriers, needs better visibility over freight activity or wants to reduce manual freight administration.
Businesses considering a freight provider should still assess their own requirements, routes, freight volumes, systems and service expectations before deciding which approach is appropriate.
Research Freight People directly
Melbourne Talk provides information about businesses and services as a starting point for further research. We don’t provide freight services ourselves, and inclusion on Melbourne Talk should not be treated as a guarantee that a particular provider is right for every organisation.
If Freight People sounds relevant to your business, check its current services and discuss your freight requirements directly with its team.
Freight People can be contacted on 1800 621 036 or at sales@freightpeople.com.au. Its Victorian office is located at Unit 3–4, 11–15 Smeaton Avenue, Dandenong South or visit their website at freightpeople.com.au.
