Freight billing & collections · Ocean freight forwarding
Margins protected and payables closed on cycle.
A carrier invoice arrives with a BAF surcharge that was never quoted. With no line-by-line check against the rate agreement, it gets paid and margin bleeds.
The reality
Billing leaks margin one surcharge at a time.
Carrier invoices carry surcharges — BAF, CAF, peak season, congestion — that don't always match the rate agreement. Each one needs a check against the contract before it's paid.
The volume makes manual auditing impossible, so invoices get paid as received and client invoices go out late. The margin bleeds quietly across hundreds of shipments a month.
How the operator runs freight billing & collections
Invoice CARR-9920 · Audit
auditing- Base ocean rate matched to contract
- BAF surcharge not in agreement
- Dispute — drafting to carrier
01Audit carrier charges
Matches each carrier invoice line against the rate agreement and flags surcharges that weren't contracted.
Invoice CLT-4471 · Billing
billing- Charges pulled from rate sheet
- Accessorials reconciled
- Invoice issued — terms net 30
02Bill the client
Builds the client invoice from the rate sheet and accessorials, then issues it within the agreed terms.
Invoice CARR-9920 · Resolve
resolving- Dispute filed with carrier
- Credit confirmed by carrier
- Client payment — following up
03Resolve & collect
Disputes the incorrect surcharge with the carrier and follows client invoices through to collection.
The outcome
−60% of billing dispute resolution off the team
Margins protected and payables closed on cycle.
- Carrier surcharges checked against the rate agreement
- Uncontracted charges disputed before they're paid
- Client invoices issued and collected within terms
Common questions
Freight billing & collections
- What does the Freight billing & collections operator do?
- The volume makes manual auditing impossible, so invoices get paid as received and client invoices go out late. The margin bleeds quietly across hundreds of shipments a month.
- What impact does the Freight billing & collections operator have?
- −60% of billing dispute resolution off the team. Margins protected and payables closed on cycle.
- How does the Freight billing & collections operator work?
- Matches each carrier invoice line against the rate agreement and flags surcharges that weren't contracted. Builds the client invoice from the rate sheet and accessorials, then issues it within the agreed terms. Disputes the incorrect surcharge with the carrier and follows client invoices through to collection.
More operators in Ocean freight forwarding
See the full catalogue →