In particular, small and mid-sized shipping and courier companies often face intense competition, tight profit margins, and operational complexity—especially when working as partners for larger logistics players. Although these businesses are critical to the shipping ecosystem, many of them still rely on paper-based workflows, manual billing, and guesswork for pricing.. This leads to billing errors, margin leakage, and inefficiencies. Perfex CRM customization can help streamline these processes, minimizing errors and maximizing profitability.
In this article, we’ll explore how Perfex CRM customization can help shipping businesses tackle these challenges by offering automation, better control, and improved profitability.
Common Problems in Shipping Invoice Management Without Software
1. Paper-Based Operations
Most small shipping and courier companies still rely on paper forms and handwritten records for shipment details, customer information, and billing. This outdated method causes:
- Frequent data loss or duplication
- Poor customer service due to missing history
- Time-consuming audits or reconciliations
2. No Centralized Customer Data Management
Without using dedicated software, customer records can be scattered, lost, or incomplete. As a result, shipping and courier companies face challenges such as:
- Difficulty tracking repeat clients
- No customer-specific rate history or previous invoice data
- Inability to personalize offers or track loyalty
3. Manual and Error-Prone Shipping Invoices
Shipping companies often handle invoicing manually via Excel or handwritten formats. As a result, they often face:
- Missed charges (e.g., duties, re-attempt fees)
- Incorrect tax or VAT applications
- Lack of standardized invoice formats
4. Inability to Apply Custom Freight Logic
Many companies lack the ability to implement advanced freight logic, such as:
- Weight-based and volume-based pricing
- Duty and VAT based on item type
- For instance, special surcharges (e.g., fragile items, express delivery)
The result is often underbilling, overcharging, or disputes with clients.
5. Lack of Profit and Expense Tracking
Without the proper tools, shipping companies cannot:
- Track expenses associated with each shipment
- Calculate profit/loss per job or client
- Accurately track margins from courier partnerships
6. No Financial or Tax Reporting Tools
As a result, owners and managers struggle without access to critical data, such as:
- Daily revenue and outstanding invoices
- Profit per customer or shipment
- Tax reports or GST summaries
7. No Online Payment or Automation
Without software automation, invoices must be sent manually. This can result in:
- No integration with payment gateways for quick transactions
- No record of offline or cash payments
- Customers unable to track shipments or view invoices online
Why Default Software Won’t Solve Shipping Invoice Management
Although standard invoice software or basic CRM solutions may seem like an option, they often fall short when it comes to handling the unique invoicing needs of shipping companies.Here are some key limitations:
1. Limited Freight-Specific Features
Moreover, default software lacks the ability to apply shipping-specific rules such as:
- Weight-based or volume-based pricing
- Custom surcharges (fragile, express, packaging)
- Tax calculations based on item type
2. Inflexible Invoicing
In contrast, default systems like Perfex CRM are not built for shipping-specific billing needs. Additionally, they do not support custom price calculations for weight-based or volume-based pricing by default. Furthermore, they lack flexibility in handling unique shipping charges, making it challenging for shipping companies to generate accurate invoices according to their business model.
3. No Real-Time Rate Calculation
Without dynamic integrations, there’s no way to fetch real-time courier rates, which results in inaccurate invoicing.
4. Limited Customization for Shipping Business Needs
Default software does not provide the flexibility to accommodate the complex invoicing requirements of shipping businesses. Moreover, shipping invoices need to automatically calculate duties, insurance, and VAT, as well as apply specific surcharges based on the type of shipment, which most default systems cannot handle.
How Perfex CRM customization Solves Shipping Invoice Challenges
To address these challenges, we at APIxpert.in have developed a shipping CRM by customizing Perfex CRM for small shipping and courier companies. Here’s how Perfex CRM customization can help streamline and solve invoicing challenges:
Centralized Shipping CRM Dashboard
- Complete customer and shipment database
- Auto-fill frequent addresses and shipping routes
- Custom pricing profiles per client or service zone
✅ Advanced Freight & Invoice Automation with Perfex CRM Customization
- Define custom freight logic (weight-based, volume-based, fragile surcharge, etc.)
- Auto-calculate charges including duty, insurance, and VAT
- Generate GST-compliant shipping invoices with full breakdowns
- Send invoices automatically in PDF format via email to customers
✅ Built-In Payment Collection and Management
- Integrated payment gateway (Razorpay, Stripe, etc.) for online payments
- Invoices include a Pay Now button
- Additionally, offline payment modes (cash, cheque, bank transfer) can also be recorded.
- Automated invoice payment status tracking
✅ Margin and Expense Reporting for Shipping Operations
- Add courier partner rates vs. your selling prices
- Calculate and track margin per shipment
- Log expenses (packaging, pickup, fuel, re-attempt fees)
- Real-time profit/loss per shipment or customer
✅ Smart Shipping CRM Reports
- Daily/monthly revenue, unpaid invoices
- Customer-wise profit analysis
- Shipment volume and cost analysis
- Tax and GST summary reports
✅ Customization and Future Expansion with Perfex CRM
We can upgrade your CRM with:
- Shipment tracking integration
- Third-party courier API connections for real-time rate fetching
- Branded client portal for self-service
- Custom modules as per your shipping workflow
Why Choose Perfex CRM Customization for Your Shipping Business?
By opting for Perfex CRM customization, your shipping or courier business can not only automate invoicing but also enhance billing accuracy and improve overall operational efficiency. Moreover, Perfex CRM customization ensures a tailored solution that evolves with your business needs. As a result, it helps you stay competitive in an increasingly demanding logistics market.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Perfex CRM customization
Conclusion: A Smarter, Scalable Way to Run Your Shipping Business
“In many cases, small shipping companies lose money due to poor systems—not poor service. However, by adopting a customized shipping CRM built on Perfex, you can finally take full control of your billing, freight logic, profit calculation, and client communication. As a result, you won’t need to invest in expensive ERP software to achieve efficiency and accuracy in your operations.”
Ready to go digital with a CRM tailored for your logistics business? Contact APIxpert.in and we’ll build a cost-effective, scalable CRM that matches your shipping operations perfectly.