Freight Optimisation & Implementation
Independent, hands-on support to reduce freight costs and improve how your freight operations run — from carrier and rate benchmarking through to full implementation of agreed changes, scoped to your operation with no savings guaranteed in advance.
Freight Cost & Spend Audit
Freight Cost & Spend Audit — an independent review of your current freight costs and spend, identifying where genuine savings and efficiencies may be available — introductory fee £1,495 (standard fixed fee £3,500).
Optimisation & Implementation
Optimisation & Implementation — building on the Audit, or run as a standalone engagement, this covers carrier and rate benchmarking, routing and transport-mode review, procurement and tender/RFQ support, and hands-on implementation of agreed changes — from £5,000. Savings are never guaranteed in advance; every engagement is scoped individually around your actual freight spend and operation.
Scoped to Your Freight Operation
Every engagement is scoped around your actual carriers, lanes and spend — not a generic checklist or a guaranteed-savings promise.
Where This Can Help
Reviewing carrier rates and contracts to identify where costs may be reduced.
Assessing routing and transport-mode choices across your network.
Supporting procurement, tender and RFQ processes for freight services.
Areas We Can Review
Who It’s For
This service is built for operators who already have a reasonably clear picture of where their freight costs sit — often from a completed Freight Cost & Spend Audit, sometimes from their own internal review — and want hands-on support turning that picture into agreed, implemented changes: renegotiated carrier rates, a revised routing or mode plan, or a properly run tender process. It is not the right starting point if you don’t yet know where your freight spend actually goes — that diagnostic work is what the £1,495 introductory Freight Cost & Spend Audit is for.
See the full range of ADB’s services on the Services page.
Deliverables
- Carrier and rate benchmarking against current market conditions for your specific lanes and volumes
- A routing and transport-mode review, where relevant, covering road, rail, and combined-transport options
- Procurement and tender/RFQ support where a competitive retender is the right approach
- Hands-on implementation support for agreed changes — not just a set of recommendations left for you to action alone
- A written summary of what changed, why, and what to monitor afterward
How It Works
- Scoping conversation. Confirm what’s already known (e.g. from a completed Audit) and agree the specific scope — which lanes, carriers, or decisions are in play.
- Benchmarking and options. Carrier/rate benchmarking and, where relevant, routing/mode analysis, producing a clear set of realistic options rather than a single fixed recommendation.
- Tender or negotiation support (where applicable). If a competitive retender is the right approach, support through the RFQ process; if direct renegotiation is more appropriate, support through that instead.
- Implementation support. Hands-on support putting agreed changes into effect — not simply handing over a report and leaving execution to you.
- Review. A short follow-up to confirm changes have taken effect as agreed and flag anything to monitor.
Realistic Timing
Timing depends entirely on scope. A single-lane rate renegotiation can often be resolved in a few weeks; a full multi-carrier tender process realistically takes several weeks to a few months, largely governed by carriers’ own response times rather than anything within ADB’s control. An honest estimate is given after the scoping conversation, not before — no fixed timeline is promised in advance of understanding your specific situation.
What’s Outside Scope
- Savings are never guaranteed in advance — every engagement is scoped individually around actual freight spend and operation, and market conditions affect what’s achievable.
- This is not an ongoing managed-service relationship unless separately agreed — it is a scoped engagement with a defined start and end.
- Legal review of carrier contracts is outside scope; where a contract needs formal legal review, that should sit with your own solicitor alongside this work.
FAQs
How is this different from the Freight Cost & Spend Audit?
The Audit is diagnostic — it tells you where your costs sit and where savings may be available. Optimisation & Implementation is the follow-on work that actually renegotiates rates, retenders where appropriate, and implements the agreed changes. Many clients do the Audit first; some come to this service directly if they already have a clear internal picture.
Do you guarantee savings?
No. Savings depend on your starting position, current market conditions, and carrier responses — none of which can be promised in advance. What’s guaranteed is a structured, evidence-based process and hands-on implementation support.
What if we only want some of the recommended changes implemented?
That’s normal and entirely workable — the scoping conversation at the start agrees exactly what’s in play, and it’s your decision which changes to proceed with.
Do we need to have completed an Audit first?
No, though many clients find it a useful starting point. If you already have a clear picture of your costs and simply need support acting on it, this service can start directly from a scoping conversation. Not sure whether your setup needs a closer look first? See Seven Signs Your Freight Procurement or Carrier Setup Needs Reviewing.
What information do I need to provide?
If you’ve already completed the Freight Cost & Spend Audit, we work from those findings. If not, a general picture of your current freight operation and the areas you want to improve is enough to start scoping.
How long does Optimisation & Implementation take?
Timelines are agreed individually during scoping, based on which recommendations are being implemented and the size of your operation.
How is pricing worked out?
Pricing is quoted individually based on scope, agreed with you before any paid work begins — there is no fixed list price for this service.
Is this independent of any particular carrier or software vendor?
Yes. ADB has no commission, referral, or reseller arrangements with any carrier, supplier, or software vendor. Recommendations are based solely on what best fits your operation.
What happens after I get in touch?
You will hear back to arrange a free, no-obligation initial conversation to discuss your operation and agree scope and pricing before any paid work begins.
How an Engagement Starts
- Enquiry — you get in touch via the contact form, email or phone with a brief description of what you’re looking for
- Initial Conversation — a free, no-obligation call to understand your operation and whether this service is the right fit
- Written Scope/Proposal — if it’s a good fit, you receive a written scope and proposal covering what’s included, timing, and fees
- Approval — work begins once you’ve reviewed and approved the scope and fees — nothing starts before that
- Delivery — the engagement is delivered as scoped, with findings and recommendations provided in writing
Not every enquiry is a good fit, and that’s fine — the initial conversation exists to establish suitability honestly before any scope or fee is proposed.