If FedEx is late delivering your shipment to your customer, you may be eligible for a refund through the FedEx claims process. Backed by the FedEx money-back guarantee, the carrier will refund the entire shipping costs whenever your package is delivered later than the committed time.
For US import/export and US Domestic shipments, the eligible services for the FedEx claims include:
- FedEx Standard Overnight
- FedExFirst Overnight
- FedEx Priority Overnight
- FedEx International Priority Freight
- FedEx International Priority
- FedEx International First
As a business owner, your clients look to you to hold up your part of the deal, and you should expect your service providers to do the same. Let’s take a closer look at the general steps you should take to submit a FedEx claim. And if you would like more information or to implement a more automated, hassle-free freight audit process, the team at Trans Audit can help.
Step 1: Receive Your Invoice
The first step in the process is the easiest: receive your invoice. FedEx typically delivers invoices weekly. On the invoice, you’ll see a comprehensive list of all the packages that were delivered during the billing period.
Step 2: Audit Invoices for Late Deliveries
Once you have your invoice, you will need to review each shipment and pay special attention to the following areas:
- Eligibility. Does the delivery qualify for a valid money-back guarantee FedEx claim? Make sure the delivery falls into one of the previously mentioned service categories. Because FedEx may change program parameters, you should always verify the service is still eligible.
- Cut-off time. Make sure you’re aware of the cut-off time because each delivery service can vary. For example, Priority overnight may have a cut-off of 10:30 AM; while Ground could have a cut-off time at the end of the day.
- Delivery Time. To determine the delivery time, look into your account and check the timestamp of the last delivery.
- Destination cut-off time. Another parameter to consider is the cut-off time for the individual destination. For example, rural deliveries could have different cutoff times. However, if your deliveries are in the city, this notion may not be applicable.
- What’s the guaranteed time for that destination? With all things considered, you should be able to determine the number of days required for that specific destination.
Step 3: Submit Your FedEx Claim
Once you determine you have a valid FedEx claim and are owed money, you have three different ways to submit the claim.
Submit a FedEx Claim for Refund on the Website
As long as you have online billing enabled, submitting a FedEx claim on the website may be the easiest and fastest method. Simply navigate through FedEx.com to initiate a claim on the package.
Submit a FedEx Claim for Refund over the Phone
Depending on call volume, this method may or may not be ideal. However, if you have time, you can call FedEx, provide the rep with the tracking number of the late package, and they should help you with filing the claim.
Submit a FedEx Claim for Refund via Mail
The slowest and least efficient way to initiate a FedEx claim for a refund is via mail.
Step 4: Check the Results
Once you submit the FedEx claim for a late delivery refund, it will either be rejected or accepted.
- The claim for a refund can be rejected because of inclement weather or a host of other reasons that made the late delivery beyond their control.
- The claim can be accepted, which means FedEx’s Revenue Service Department will evaluate your request.
It’s important to understand it may take FedEx several weeks to come to a decision about the claim.
Step 5: Wait & Watch Credit Cards and Your FedEx Account for Credits
When a FedEx refund claim is paid out for late delivery, it can be issued as a refund back to the card on file with FedEx. The refund can also be issued in the form of a credit to future invoices.
Contact Trans Audit to Simplify the FedEx Refund Claims Process
Although the FedEx money-back guarantee exists, the process isn’t easy. To further complicate getting a refund, you must submit eligible FedEx claims in a limited time frame. And this adds an extra layer of complexity to the FedEx claims process of recovering funds for late deliveries.
Most small to medium-sized businesses find it extremely challenging, difficult, and time-consuming to claim the monies they are entitled to receive. In addition to running a business or managing a department, you’re expected to navigate a relatively complex process.
Because of the number of intricacies and steps involved, most business owners and logistics managers forgo initiating the process, which means you may be leaving money on the table. As the world’s largest and most successful global transportation post-audit specialists, the team at Trans Audit can help.
We have developed a comprehensive post-freight bill audit system that combines automated and manual processes. This system continuously monitors feeds of electronic and paper invoices, contracts, bills of lading, rates, and payment information to perform a recurring review. When we identify overbillings or overpayments, we will automatically recover the monies due to you.
Contact Trans Audit today to learn how we can help.
