Transport and delivery: Quotation software for pallet distributors
Quotation software for pallet distributors that builds prices from pallet spaces, pallet size, regional surcharges and extras such as tail lift or booked-in delivery, with the assumptions on show.
Where quotes for pallet distributors get stuck.
A pallet distributor does not charge by the kilo or the kilometre but by pallet space and region. In practice, the difficulty lies in the exceptions. A half pallet that cannot be stacked costs a full space. A pallet to a postcode outside the core area gets a regional surcharge, and a tail-lift delivery to a home address comes on top. Customer service looks up those components in a network rate table and a separate list of surcharges, and two colleagues arrive at different prices for the same consignment. For a shipper with standing agreements, nobody quite remembers which discount applied to which surcharge.
Quotation software for pallet distributors
Example- 1
Convert the consignment to spaces
DoneThe quote starts from the pallet lines in the booking.
- 2
Add region and extras
In progressFrom the postcodes of recipient and sender follow the zone and any regional surcharge.
- 3
Record the proposal and assumptions
NextThe proposal states the price, the assumed height and stackability per pallet and the surcharges.
From enquiry to signed quote.
Convert the consignment to spaces
The quote starts from the pallet lines in the booking. For each line the software works out how many pallet spaces it takes, considering size, height and stackability. A non-stackable half pallet then counts as a full space. The shipper sees that conversion, so the price does not feel arbitrary.
Add region and extras
From the postcodes of recipient and sender follow the zone and any regional surcharge. Then come the extras: tail lift, booked-in delivery, time window or evening delivery. Each surcharge comes from one rate table, with any customer agreements on top, so every colleague uses the same structure.
Record the proposal and assumptions
The proposal states the price, the assumed height and stackability per pallet and the surcharges. If the shipper accepts, that is stored with the consignment. If the hub check shows a pallet is taller or heavier, the assumptions show why the price changes.
Alongside your calculations and price lists.
Pallet distributors often work with network rate tables, their own surcharge list in a spreadsheet and a transport system where consignments are booked. The quotation software reads network rates and your own surcharges as its source and records any shipper-specific agreements. Management or the commercial desk owns rates and discounts; customer service only prepares the quote. An accepted proposal goes to the transport system as a consignment with its price attached.
Price per pallet or per pallet space
A price per pallet is familiar to the shipper, but does not show why a tall or non-stackable pallet costs more. Charging per pallet space is fairer, but needs explaining. A quote that shows a price per pallet and states how many spaces it takes combines both.
Fixed zones or a surcharge per postcode
With a few fixed zones the rate table stays clear, but some postcodes within a zone cost more to serve. A surcharge per postcode is more precise, but makes the table large and hard to maintain. Many distributors use zones with a short list of exceptions for islands and hard-to-reach areas.
Contract rate or quote per consignment
Regular shippers with predictable volumes usually get a contract rate, where the quote is mainly a check. Occasional shippers get a quote per consignment. The software has to handle both, and show when a contract customer's consignment falls outside their terms, for example because of an unusual size.
Clients in other industries.
No customer story from this industry yet. This is how the software works for businesses elsewhere.
All customer stories
Hotel Aadam Wilhelmina
Online check-in, even at two in the morning.
Read the story
L'Artiste Barbershop
A full calendar starts with easy booking.
Read the storyNovaw Pilates
Focus on the class. Let the booking take care of itself.
Read the storyWhat we prepare in the quotes.
The rate table with zones, regional surcharges and extras is in place, pallet lines are converted to pallet spaces and the customer's acceptance is kept with the consignment. Two requests are worked through together beforehand: stackable pallets within the core area, and a non-stackable half pallet that needs a tail lift to an island. Contract rates per shipper and automatically taking over rate changes from the network are added at the moment you want to work with them.
View pricingSupport and updatesGood to know.
Explore pricing and optionsHow do we explain that a half pallet sometimes counts as a full one?
By showing it in the proposal: this half pallet is not stackable and therefore takes a full space. One short sentence is the difference between a shipper who understands and one who calls to complain. The same explanation can go on the website.
Can we add surcharges afterwards?
Yes, when the hub check or delivery shows the assumptions were wrong. The software shows which assumption differed, such as height or unloading facilities, and which surcharge results. The change can then be explained instead of appearing as an unexplained higher amount.
What if the network changes its rates?
The rate table is updated with an effective date. Quotes already accepted keep their price; new quotes use the new rate. You can always trace which rate applied to which consignment. Where the date is unclear, the commercial desk decides.
Can shippers calculate a price themselves?
They can, through the website or customer portal, using the same rules as the commercial desk. The result is indicative until the consignment has been checked. For an unusual size or a hard-to-reach address, the request still goes to a colleague.
What often connects to this.
- Enquiry form for pallet distributorsAn enquiry form for pallet distributors that asks for pallet height, weight, stackability and the unloading facilities at the recipient, so a consignment is planned correctly first time.
- Digital job cards for pallet distributorsDigital job cards for pallet distributors in the form of a shipment card with loading details that travels with the pallets from hub to recipient and records every scan and exception.
- Invoicing software for pallet distributorsInvoicing software for pallet distributors that collects delivered pallets, surcharges, corrections and exchange discrepancies per shipper and sends them as a consolidated invoice with breakdown and payment link.
Quotes that match the work.
Start with a short intake. Then we schedule a call to show the software with your services, team and way of working.
WhatsAppinfo@vorlyo.com Quotation software for pallet distributors: price consignments on pallet spaces, regional surcharges and tail lift, with assumptions shown upfront.
- Convert the consignment to spaces
- Add region and extras
- Record the proposal and assumptions