Four new carriers and a strengthened renewal for TaylorMade Golf

Carrier Sourcing & RFP Parcel Air & ocean Consumer & retail brands
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WHO

Business model

A multi-billion dollar distributor of food products, delivering into Costco, Wal-Mart and grocers, where delivery windows are tight and a missed appointment costs money. Transportation execution was outsourced to a managed transportation provider.

Industry

Sports equipment and apparel, sold direct to consumer with final mile delivery.

Paul and team expertly orchestrated a competitive process with 20+ participants across three rounds, completing the entire project in under three months. Results exceeded expectations.

 

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Joe Vicent VP of Operations, TaylorMade Golf

PROBLEM

What they felt

They had a renewal from their incumbent parcel carrier sitting on their desk and their gut told them they were not receiving the best pricing. The number two carrier was knocking on the door to win more domestic ground volume. They wanted to run a competitive RFP but lacked the internal resources and the time to dedicate to it. The following year they ran the same process on their inbound air and ocean volumes, where service was good and the relationships were long-standing, but they preferred to test the market.

What we found

The pricing was fair, but not best in class, in both scenarios. The contracts did not address line-level pricing, which left exposure to accessorial charges that affected the bottom line.

WHAT WE DID

Prep and analysis

We monitor these markets and vendor changes daily. We mapped the exact shipment profile and needs of the customer, then aligned carriers that would hold service while giving best-in-class pricing structures. The upfront analysis identified where the impact would be largest, and where the carriers could still win something.

Execution and coaching

We identified the gaps and gave the client a clear approach to communicating their needs while leveraging their spend profile. We managed a bid of more than 20 international forwarders to match partners to the right lanes and modes.

We stayed on the account

We did not stop at rates. We introduced a multi-modal freight bill auditing and payment firm, which streamlined the process, captured critical data, tracked KPIs and provided better visibility of the freight. We also required carriers to provide "breadcrumb" tracking, so the team could reach the driver and adjust appointments to accommodate reality.

RESULTS

What they got

Four new carriers added, renewal strengthened, leverage kept

Four new carriers were brought into the network, with cost reductions implemented alongside greater flexibility and long-term resiliency. The renewal agreement was strengthened in the areas that protect against cost creep, and the parcel carriers stayed in the same competitive positions, so the client can revisit at end of term with leverage intact. They must be treated like a new customer at each renewal, and in between.

The ROI let them recoup more savings than originally planned, and the compensation cap gave them flexibility when tariffs hit in 2025.

How long it took

Each project ran start to finish in 90 to 120 days. The parcel process closed in under three months, across three rounds with more than 20 participants.

How we were paid

Gainshare, with a total compensation cap.

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