Meet the People Who Help You Ship Smarter: Taresa

01/20/2023 — Leah Palnik

If you’ve ever wondered who keeps the wheels in motion at PartnerShip, look no further than Taresa Gannon. As a Senior Key Account Specialist, she prioritizes caring for our customers above all else. She may quote, schedule, and track shipments, but her role is so much more than that. It’s her reliable communication and problem solving skills that make her invaluable to the shippers who work with her.

Something you should know about Taresa
She loves dogs! Taresa and her husband James have a full house with 5 of their own. She even hopes to open a dog rescue shelter someday.

Expert advice
Taresa’s favorite part of her job is all of the challenges. And she’s an expert at navigating them. We asked her to share some things she’s learned along the way.

• What industry trends are you seeing that you think shippers should be aware of?
  Production delays, staff shortage/labor issues, and lack of warehouse space/scheduling availability.
• If you could give customers one piece of advice for smart shipping, what would it be?
  Keep an eye on demand, plan ahead, and entertain flexible options such as drop trailer service.

How to apply these tips to your freight
It’s clear - planning is essential if you want everything to go smoothly with your freight. Wondering where to start? A quality freight broker can help. If you’re curious how, we have a couple of great resources:

• Five Important Reasons You Should Be Using a Freight Broker
• Five Freight Broker Benefits You Can't Afford to Pass Up

Taresa also brings up a good point about entertaining flexible options. There are several ways you can do that, and if you need some ideas, we have you covered:

• Drop trailer programs
• cross-docking vs transloading
• Partial truckload vs volume LTL
• Consolidating freight
• Regional freight carriers

If you’re ready to discuss your options with a freight expert like Taresa, contact us today. 

Meet the People Who Help You Ship Smarter: Dillon

10/05/2022 — Leah Palnik

Above all else, at PartnerShip we value the relationships with our customers and partners. Keeping them happy and ensuring their freight is managed properly is the backbone of what we do. Our Association Program Manager, Dillon, is a prime example of that. He is the main point of contact for our college bookstore associations and is the go-to resource for many of our customers - a role that is as unique as he is.

About Dillon
If you get the chance to speak with Dillon, be sure to congratulate him - he recently got engaged to his longtime girlfriend! They have lived together in their beachfront apartment in California for 6 years and enjoy everything the oceanside life offers. When he’s not working, you can find him enjoying a nice meal with his fiancé, playing beach volleyball, or biking down the beach path.

Expert advice
Dillon has earned his chops as a Certified Transportation Broker (CTB) and sits on the board for the California Association of College Stores (CACS). Between that and his 7 years of experience at PartnerShip, he’s in a solid position to help our customers ship smarter. We asked him to share some advice.

• What industry trends are you seeing that you think shippers should be aware of?
  The most obvious industry trend that I can identify is transit times being affected by the demand on the system. You can easily avoid this issue by taking extra time to communicate with your broker, specifically on how early you should order your product and what your realistic expectation for delivery should be.


• If you could give customers one piece of advice for smart shipping, what would it be?
  My major piece of advice for customers is to communicate with your logistics broker. Many problems can be avoided or instantly fixed when a customer and their broker communicate to understand any shipping issues that may arise.

Taking it a step further
Communication is key in Dillon’s eyes and for good reason. A quality freight broker can be your advocate when issues arise with carriers, you’re dealing with deadlines, or have unique needs. But that open dialogue is essential for your broker to do their job right. Curious about the benefits of working with a broker? We’ve got you covered:

• 5 Freight Broker Benefits You Can’t Afford to Pass Up 
• How to Select a Freight Broker: Top 8 Factors Shippers Should Consider 

Dillon also hits the nail on the head when it comes to challenges with transit times. If you want to understand what’s happening in the freight industry and how to tackle the resulting issues, there are a couple resources you might find useful:

• The Current State of Freight: What You Can Expect 
• 6 Surefire Ways You Can Overcome Freight Capacity Challenges 

Without question, having someone like Dillon on your side to manage your freight is essential these days. If you’re interested in finding out more how our team can help, contact us today. 

Meet the People Who Help You Ship Smarter: Amanda

08/30/2022 — Leah Palnik

If you’ve ever wanted to know more about the people who help keep your freight moving, you’re in the right place. It takes creative problem solving and years of experience to expertly navigate the world of shipping. At PartnerShip, we’re proud of our team members who use their expertise to help our customers ship smarter. One person who fits that bill is Amanda Bixler.

Get to know Amanda
As the Customer Service Manager, Amanda helps her team and our customers ship smarter by staying current with issues in the industry and sharing what she learns. Assisting her team with handling difficult customer situations, creating shipment quotes, scheduling shipments, and running shipping analyses are all in a day’s work for her.

Outside of work
You can’t keep Amanda away from the water. When she’s not kayaking, you can find her walking the beaches to collect Lake Erie beach glass for making jewelry. She also loves spending time with her family. She’s happily married to her husband of 10 years, Trevor. She also has two daughters - Autumn and Alexis, and two Grandbabies - Lillyana and Xavier.

Some shipping wisdom
Amanda has been with PartnerShip for 7 years, and her team is often the first call when a shipping issue arises. As a Certified Transportation Broker (CTB) she is well versed in what to look out for and how to keep your shipments running smoothly. We asked her for her thoughts on a couple of key questions.

• What industry trends are you seeing that you think shippers should be aware of?
  The demand for shipping continues to increase daily. There is more freight than there are drivers to move it. The freight is often being put on the rail resulting in longer transit times. I proactively inform my customers of these potential issues so there aren't any surprises.


• If you could give customers one piece of advice for smart shipping, what would it be?
  I often tell our customers to package their freight in a manner in which it can be identified easily in the event it is lost/damaged.

How to apply these tips to your freight
Amanda’s insights touch on one of the most pressing issues in LTL freight shipping today - longer, more unpredictable transit times. This has become an unfortunate reality of the business. While much of that is out of your control, the best thing you can do is plan ahead and work with a quality broker so you have an advocate in your corner. If transit times have been a pain point for you recently, we have some resources you may be interested in:

• The Top 4 Reasons Your Freight is Late 
• The Current State of the Freight Industry and What You Can Expect 
• 5 Freight Broker Benefits You Can’t Afford to Pass Up 

Another reality of the business that Amanda mentions is dealing with missing and damaged freight. If a carrier loses or damages your freight while in transit, it can feel like so much is out of your control. However, you can take some precautionary measures and educate yourself ahead of time on the actions to take if you need to file a claim. To get you started, check out these resources:

• Everything You Need to Know About Freight Claims 
• Logistics and Legal Rights: Where Do Shippers Stand? 
• Your Guide to Proper Packaging 

The benefits of working with a knowledgeable team are undeniable. If you could use a freight expert on your side, contact us today.

Meet the People Who Help You Ship Smarter: Dante

07/22/2022 — Leah Palnik

You might be familiar with PartnerShip and how our organization helps customers ship smarter. But we’re more than a freight brokerage business. The people behind PartnerShip and our collective expertise are truly what make the difference. First up, we’d like to introduce you to Dante Donofrio.

How you might know Dante
As one of our Senior Account Representatives, Dante helps our customers move their freight. He works hard to collect all the important info about your shipment so he can match it with the best carrier for the job, at the most competitive price. Understanding all your specific needs - from required equipment to receiving hours - he leaves no detail unchecked to ensure everything goes smoothly.

Some shipping wisdom
Dante has been with PartnerShip for over 4 years and has witnessed first-hand what shippers are dealing with in these times of disrupted supply chains and unprecedented freight demand. We asked him a couple questions to share what he’s learned.

• What industry trends are you seeing that you think shippers should be aware of?
  In the less-than-truckload (LTL) market, if you've shipped recently then you know that transit times are not what they were. Carriers are more often than not, NOT able to make their estimated arrival times and, unfortunately, there's not discounts for late shipments. Also, carriers are taking every opportunity to re-weigh, re-measure and even re-class your freight so it just comes back to accuracy and making sure you have the right classification, weight and dimensions. Our team does a great job of helping with freight class so that surprise rate increases from reclassification can be avoided.


• If you could give customers one piece of advice for smart shipping, what would it be?
  Try to tell us more than we want to know about your freight. Small details can be important so don't be afraid of giving too much information. I love thorough customers who give us lots of information. That said, if you don't do that, be prepared for me to come at you with lots of questions but it's all in the name of getting your freight there and controlling cost!

Something you may not know about Dante
Dante played guitar in a high school garage rock band but quit when he was working and attending night school. After a bit of a hiatus, he took it up again about 5 years ago and now even has a collection of guitars hanging up on his office wall. When asked if his life was made into a movie what the title would be, Dante says it would be “Shipper Guitar Hero”.

Your freight
With all the current challenges in the shipping industry, working with an expert like Dante is imperative. Reach out to our team to start controlling your freight costs and ship smarter. In the meantime, check out these resources that help you determine what details are important when you're preparing your shipment, like Dante advises:

• [Tool] Find Your Freight Class
• [Article] Why It's Never a Good Idea to Fudge Your Freight Dimensions
• [Article] For Good Measure: How to Avoid Freight Reweighs

Welcome to Our Newest Employees!

06/16/2021 — Jen Deming

What do you like to do in your free time?

I collect tropical houseplants and have a vegetable garden. I also spend a lot of time making macrame art, sketching, reading and going hiking.

Do you have any nicknames?

All of my friends call me Bea.

What is your favorite 90s Jam?

Say It Ain't So - Weezer

What's the best vacation you've been on?

Every few months my partner and I drive to Asheville, NC to go hiking. It’s my favorite place, so it’s always the best to get away in the mountains.

What do you like to do in your free time?

Walk the park with my dog Bella and visit with my grandbabies.

Do you have any nicknames?

Yes, Grace.

What is your favorite 90s Jam?

Don't have one.

What's the best vacation you've been on?

Visiting my grandbabies in West Virginia.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I spend my free time having fun with my two daughters. I also enjoy collecting really old books and doing activities outside around the bay.

Do you have any nicknames?

Rae Rae

What is your favorite 90s Jam?

Alice in Chains – Man in the Box

What's the best vacation you've been on?

Best Scenery: Lake Louise (Banff National Park). Most Fun: Italy/New Orleans/Key West

What do you like to do in your free time?

I race Motocross, play guitar, play with my dogs Ryder & Sophie and try out new recipes

Do you have any nicknames?

JT is a nickname that was given to me when I was about a week old. My full name is John Thomas but my Dad’s name is also John. A week in my parents realized that calling me John would be confusing and John Thomas was too long so JT was what they settled on and I’ve gone by that since.

What is your favorite 90s Jam?

One Headlight - The Wallflowers

What's the best vacation you've been on?

Waikoloa Hawaii. Such a beautiful place with great beaches, volcanos to explore and amazing food.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I like to catch up on my reading in my free time.

Do you have any nicknames?

No nicknames.

What is your favorite 90s Jam?

Return of the Mack - Mark Morrison

What's the best vacation you've been on?

Dominican Republic - when I was married.

What do you like to do in your free time?

Spend time with my children.

Do you have any nicknames?

No.

What is your favorite 90s Jam?

Wonderwall - Oasis

What's the best vacation you've been on?

Universal Studios.

Employee Spotlight: the Hardman Blanket Drive

12/18/2019 — Jen Deming

It's the season of giving, and this time of year we like to celebrate those who go above and beyond to help those in need. At PartnerShip, we have two employees we'd like to spotlight for their commitment to spreading the spirit of the season, as well as touch on their own personal experience with an extra special cause.

In spring of 2011, Brian and Nicole Hardman welcomed their first child, Lucas, into the world. Lucas was soon diagnosed with a severe form of Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), a rare and painful genetic disease that affects the connective skin tissue, resulting in extremely fragile skin that can blister or tear at the slightest touch. There is no cure for EB, and often the disease is debilitating or in the worst cases, lethal. Wound care, pain management, and preventative bandaging are currently the only options for those afflicted.

Unfortunately, Lucas passed away about a month after his birth. Nicole and Brian are dedicated to raising awareness about "the worst disease you've never heard of" and participate in fundraisers and other benefits working with debra of America, the only U.S. nonprofit providing support to the EB community through funding research and providing free resources. 

Every holiday season, Nicole and Brian organize a baby blanket drive in memory of Lucas, for those babies currently in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital. In a time of great fear and uncertainty, the baby blankets provided by the hospital offered comfort and joy to the Hardmans while Lucas was admitted. So, in his honor, the Hardmans collect monetary or blanket donations from those who would like to support families in need. 

The hospital is grateful for any blanket donation, as long as it's new and still within it's original packaging. This is the ninth year that the Hardmans will be hosting the drive, with the total baby blankets collected running over a thousand. Each and every year Nicole and Brian are moved by the generosity and love shown by those willing to donate to a cause that is so very close to their hearts. 

"The blanket drive has become such a special holiday tradition for our family. The kindness and generosity that these blankets represent help keep our son's memory alive during a time of year when we miss him so much. We know in our hearts that helping other babies and families is the best Christmas present we can give to Lucas. While a blanket may not seem like much, we know first-hand how much comfort it can bring, even if only for a brief moment. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has donated in our baby boy's memory." -Nicole Hardman, December 2019

To learn more about EB and how you can help, visit the Love for Lucas Facebook Page.

It's a Throwback PartnerShip Holiday!

12/17/2018 — Jen Deming

It's the time of year for good cheer, gift giving, and family get-togethers. One of the best parts about bringing everyone together for the holidays is flipping through old albums and boxes of family photos to relive memories from holidays gone by. We wanted to share some of our team's favorite throwback holiday photos with you, and wish everyone the happiest of holidays from our family to yours!

It's Customer Service Week at PartnerShip!

10/05/2018 — Jen Deming

It's Customer Service Week and the time of year we like to especially celebrate our front line shipping specialists. Day in and out, these guys are making sure PartnerShip is giving the very best experience to every single customer. This year's Customer Service Week theme is "Excellence Happens Here" and it's a team value our reps demonstrate every single day. We played up the idea with a fun pirate spin for this weeks celebrations, because 'x' marks the spot for excellence at PartnerShip. And let's be honest--who doesn't love pirates?

In an effort to celebrate our PartnerShip Customer Service team, we've asked a few of them to share a bit about what inspires them to lead every day and what they've learned since they've joined the team!

What does a "good" customer experience mean to you?

• Helping customers in an efficient and effective manner while maintaining a professional disposition and considering the company's bottom line. -Amanda B.

What is the most important skill to have for a career in customer service?

• Excellent communication. -Andrea
  

What about customer service appeals to you?

• Working with a lot of different people to help solve issues. -Vince
  

What is the best way you can help put out a customer service fire?

• Listening, being empathetic and letting the customer know you understand their concerns. Follow up with the customer. -Amanda S.
  

How do you demonstrate that you are a team player?

• Being there for my co-workers when they ask me for help. I try to offer help when I notice others may need something. -Amanda S.
  

What's the best customer service experience you've given?

• A customer was leaving a tradeshow and failed to get a quote and shipment scheduled for the move- out. The customer called in a panic because the freight was going to be forced out and they were going to have to pay a very high rate. We were able to walk the customer through completing the material handling form and scheduled/arranged an emergency pick up. The customer was very pleased with the service and thankful for the discounts. -Amanda B.
  

What are you better at today than you were this time last year?

• Everything! Every day in Customer Service I learn something new about shipping from my management team, customers, and co-workers! -Amanda B.
  

PartnerShip has a passionate team of Customer Service specialists who are an indispensable resource to both customers and other members of our organization. Though this week is dedicated to recognizing all that they contribute to our business, we know that these guys go beyond expectations every single day to elevate the customer experience and help customers ship smarter. Thank you all!

Introducing Our PartnerPets!

08/27/2018 — Leah Palnik

For many of us at PartnerShip, we work hard during the day and love coming home to our furry companions in the evenings. These PartnerPets brighten up our lives and probably know us better than anyone else. If you’ve ever been curious about the people you talk to over the phone or email, here’s your chance. Get to know our team by meeting the pets who love us!

Bailey Bear Patterson
Her top skill: Sitting and giving paw
Who loves having her a part of the family: Paula Patterson, Account Representative

Riley “Monkey” Shields
Fun fact: He thinks he’s a person
Who he makes laugh on a daily basis: Mandy Shields, Truckload Customer Service Representative

Duke and Annabelle Mounts
Duke’s not-so-hidden talent: flooding the bathroom and waking everyone up at 3am
Annabelle’s party trick: managing to be everywhere at once
Who puts up with their shenanigans: Alayna Mounts, Account Representative

Freya O’Hara
Special ability: climbing up slides and running into things
Who puts food in the bowl: Alecia O’Hara, Account Representative

Onyx Samples
Superpower: napping and getting into things he’s not supposed to
Who dresses him in awesome costumes: Dean Samples, Account Representative

Yoshi and Tobias Deming
Why Yoshi’s a good boy: He finds discarded human snacks on every single daily walk
The superior skill of Tobias: Beating his brother to the punch while playing fetch - too slow, Yosh!
Who lets them live their best life: Jen Deming, Marketing Associate

Gigi “the Gig” Korhely
Her strengths: letting every dog have it when they walk past the house…from the comfort of the window
Who takes her to the beauty salon on the regular: Keith Korhely, Senior Program Manager

Mocha Magazzine
The top skill on her resume: picking her own beans in the garden
Who she turned into a dog person: Karen Magazzine, Revenue Services Representative

Ginger Arnold
Favorite hobbies: conducting squirrel patrol watch and eating earplugs
Who lets her hog the couch: Josh Arnold, Programmer Analyst

Tucker, Channing, and Kiwi Laudato
Channing’s top skill: squirrel chasing
Tucker’s bff: Channing, of course
Kiwi’s amazing ability: to look like a dinosaur
Who keeps the family together: Vince Laudato, Customer Service Representative

Tyler Kuntz
What he does in his free time: talk (yes, talk!) to the birds that visit the feeders outside the window
Who still feeds him even though he tries to trip him: Aaron Kuntz, Account Representative

Andy McManamon
How he likes to find trouble: jumping over the fence to swim with the ducks in the neighbor’s pond
Who lets him believe he’s a lap dog even though he’s 65lbs: Tim McManamon, Freight Brokerage Sales Manager

Smokey Gamble
How he let’s his hair down: playing catch and going for rides in the car
Who rewards him for not making “accidents” in his cage: Justin Gamble, Senior Account Representative

Meiko Palnik
Redeeming quality: being the official bug spotter (and sometimes killer) in the house
Who puts up with him tearing up the furniture: Leah Palnik, Marketing Manager

Buster Brown Hardman
Why he’s known as a Romeo: he loves snuggling, giving kisses, and sleeping in front of the fireplace
Who hooks him up with the best tuna fish: Nicole Hardman, Senior Carrier Procurement Representative and Brian Hardman, Senior Account Representative

Hank Bowers
Guilty pleasures: sniffing everything, chewing rawhides, and watching Mr. Ed
Who makes sure he’s always ready to celebrate: Joe Bowers, Account Representative

Zion and Marley Horst
Most important duty: Keeping watch for the local wildlife and singing the songs of their people
Who rescued them 7 years ago: Allison Horst, Senior Carrier Procurement Representative

Harry Pupper Maye
What he’s really good at: forcing you to pet and love him
Who is more than happy to pet and love on him: Brenden Maye, Account Representative

Charlie Rinaldi
What makes him happy: eating everything he’s not supposed to and going for rides
Who lets him take the wheel on the RZR: Andrya Rinaldi, Account Representative

Canelo Villela
How he likes to roll: by playing with the kids and neighborhood police officers at the park
Who loves this little escape artist: Damaris Villela, Customer Service Representative

Jovie and Bella Hammersmith
How Jovie likes to chill: with her friends Sammy the squirrel, Manny the chipmunk, and Hopper the rabbit
How Bella spends her free time: by cuddling and being a love bug
Who spoils them: Jennifer Hammersmith, Customer Service Manager

Chunky Diamond
Super skill: Destroying chew-toys
Who thinks he’s really good at cuddling: Tyler Diamond, Account Representative

Leroy Brown Schramm
Claim to fame: running up to 13 miles with his mom and stealing food off of dinner plates
Who is happy to put a roof over his head: Laura Schramm, Office Manager

The “Centa Farm” – Frankie, Bobbi, Ozzie, Cribbs, Dudley, and Jonah Centa
Cribbs’ special skills: swatting at the dogs, drinking water from human cups, and being the namesake of the great Joshua Cribbs
Bobbi’s (very) hidden talent: rarely being seen by anyone
Ozzie’s favorite way to get around: in Dudley’s mouth
Dudley’s M.O.: counter surfing for food and stealing hotdogs from children
Jonah’s claim to fame: being the bark-o-matic 5,000 because he barks at anything and everything
Frankie’s prize winning talent: being a prize from the county fair and being named after the great Francisco Lindor
Who had the genius idea to name them all after Cleveland sports legends: Harry Centa, Senior Program Manager

Looking for a rewarding career that will make your pet proud? We're hiring!

Ask a CTB: Your Shipping Questions Answered

08/21/2018 — Jen Deming

A freight broker is someone who assists shippers with finding qualified carriers to haul available loads, and works within a 3PL (third party logistics) organization by outsourcing shipping and logistics services. These individuals facilitate the relationships between the carrier and the shipper, and will negotiate rates with carriers, arrange the transportation, schedule pick-ups, provide follow-up on tracking, and will often offer claims assistance for loss or damage on behalf of shipper. A freight broker should serve as a shipper's strongest advocate, and is a great resource for expert shipping advice.

There are many advantages to working with a 3PL, such as cost and time savings, additional expertise, and flexibility. A knowledgeable freight broker can custom fit shipping options based on the specific needs of your business. 

Next up: what's the difference between parcel shipping and freight/LTL? Small package shipments are typically under 70lbs but can go up to 150lbs, and are often shipped in your own boxes or carrier supplied packing materials. The packages are shipped singularly and should not be in excess of 108 inches in length. Small package shipments are subject to dimensional weight pricing, which can get expensive, so it may make more sense to ship via a freight service.

LTL or less-than-truckload shipping usually consists of multiple boxes or containers stacked on pallets and are over 150lbs. LTL shipments can utilize multiple modes of transportation such as rail or motor truck, and are sent with other shippers' freight to reduce cost. Depending on the length of the shipping lane, often these shipments are loaded, unloaded, and reloaded at multiple stops throughout transit. If you have multiple pallets (6 or more), need shortened transit time, or require enhanced security, it may make sense to use a truckload service instead of LTL.

Furthermore, what's the difference between LTL and TL? TL (or FTL/Full Truckload) refers to booking a dedicated semi-truck for your shipment, that will not be hauling other cargo along with yours. This option is most economical for shippers who have a very large shipment with multiple pallets, on that requires a lot of space, a high-value and fragile shipment, or one that needs to move at a faster pace. If your business requires strict pick-up windows or appointments for delivery, it may also make sense to work with a dedicated carrier. In the past, I've worked with customers who required set arrival times for pick-up, and though they may not necessitate the ENTIRE space within a 52 ft truck, appreciated the reliability of a dedicated truckload service over an LTL common carrier. Booking a dedicated truck also gives you the option should you need specialized equipment such as a flatbed truck or refrigerated van.

What is an NMFC/ freight class? How do I know which to use for my shipment? You'd be amazed at the variety of customer's freight shipments that I've worked with. From toy makers to hospital supply distributors, I've shipped the craziest stuff, and they all have a specific freight class or NMFC assigned to the category of shipment. The NMFC, or National Motor Freight Classification, can be rated as low as 50 and as high as 500. The higher you go, the higher the rate for your shipment. And details matter! Whether your work table is wood or plastic, assembled or broken down, each factor can affect the class of the freight. So it's important not to guess or mark whatever class you think may save you a few bucks. Freight reweighs and reclassifications are very real, and you don't want to have a $2,000 bill when you have $200 built into the budget. Your freight broker can be a good resource to determine your shipment's correct class - cutting down on costly errors in the long run.

What are these "accessorial" charges on my bill? Can I avoid them? My own customers brought me questions about the unanticipated service charges on their freight bills more often than anything else! Accessorials are fees a carrier charges for additional services. Common examples of these include lift-gate services, residential deliveries, inside pick-up/delivery, oversized freight charges, and limited access pick-ups or delivery. The difficulty with these is that the cost of the fees varies by carrier, and while one may determine one location "limited access", a different carrier may not. Your best bet? It's smart to do your research about every service your require before you get your rate quote. Find out if the pick-up location has a dock and a forklift. Know for certain whether your customer's delivery location is a place of business or their own home. Be accurate in your measurement of your shipment's dimensions and weight. Finally, consult your freight broker for any questions you may have about what incurs charges and what doesn't - they are your best advocate!

Just when you think you have this freight shipping thing figured out, carriers can throw you a curveball. It pays to be vigilant and ask questions of the experts so YOU can be sure you are shipping smarter and staying a step ahead. If you have any questions about your shipping practices, or how the shipping experts and PartnerShip may be able to improve your efficiency and lower your costs, email sales@PartnerShip.com or call 800-599-2902.

PartnerShip Year in Review

12/22/2015 — Matt Nagel

With 2015 coming to a close, PartnerShip looks back on an amazing year that was highlighted by great people, customers, and carriers! Below is a snapshot of what went into 2015!

5 white papers developed
Valuable, free information designed to help you navigate the complicated world of shipping.

6 potlucks
The crockpots would be too many to count…

10 association programs created
Adding to our over 150 other association programs, PartnerShip brought on 10 new association partners this year – helping their members save on shipping!

13 new employees hired
Tony, Robert, Amanda, Tyler, Larry, Zoey, Chelsea, Kim, Dillon, Jen, Jim, Kelly, and Stefanie were brought on board in 2015. Contributing to an already unique culture and helping customers get their important shipments from point A to point B.

20 Cleveland playoff plates awarded
Yes, it's as strange as it sounds.

45 tradeshows
As you can see, PartnerShip employees spend a good amount of time on the road exhibiting at the tradeshows of our association partners.

72 blog posts
Counting this post, that’s over 70 tips, trends, and opinions to keep you informed on the world of shipping.

594 claims resolved for our customers
PartnerShip prides itself on being a true partner to our customers. That’s why we’re very proud about successfully resolving almost 600 claims with carriers in our customer’s favor!

614 white papers downloaded
The aforementioned white papers were downloaded over 600 times!

775 carrier partners added
That’s 775 vetted and reliable carrier options for your shipments!

3,824 pens given away at tradeshows
The PartnerShip pen is an important accompaniment to any event or tradeshow.

17,048 customers served
Just over 17,000 customers saving on every shipment they send and receive!

2,202,950 shipments sent
Whether small package or freight, thank you for using PartnerShip for your shipping needs!

Thank you for another great year! If you haven't already, take a look at our holiday schedule to plan out your shipping operations for the next couple weeks. As always, feel free to contact PartnerShip at sales@PartnerShip.com or 800-599-2902 if you have any questions! Have a great 2016!

Everyday Heroes - Karen and Amanda

10/09/2015 — Leah Palnik

“When the customer comes first, the customer will last.” –Robert Half

Our customer service professionals know this to be true and always make our customers their top priority. Every day they strive to provide our customers with the best service possible by working hard and being personable.

Our everyday heroes featured today for Customer Service Week know how to treat the customer the way they’d want to be treated. Following the Golden Rule comes naturally to the members of the PartnerShip customer service team. That’s what makes it so easy to celebrate each of them during this special week. Read below to find out more about our last two customer service heroes.

Customer Service Hero: Karen Magazzine
Superhero Identity: Scarlet Witch
The Scarlet Witch can really get in your head. She has an amazing strength of the mind that allows her to control events and connect with people she encounters. Karen connects to customers by being friendly and energetic. She can talk to anyone and knows how to turn a situation around when need be, making her a strong asset to the team. 

Customer Service Hero: Amanda Bixler
Superhero Identity: Agent Maria Hill
Shield Agent Maria Hill handles and processes massive amounts of information and is very skilled at directing several operations at once. Amanda exhibits the same ability to stay on top of her work. Being responsible for inbound calls, she's very efficient at organizing information for each customer she works with. Just like Agent Maria Hill, she's an important part of the team. 

If you’re looking to save money on your shipping and you appreciate working with professionals that make you a priority, PartnerShip is for you. Click here to get a free shipping analysis from one of our everyday heroes.

Everyday Heroes - Shauntá and Tyler

10/08/2015 — Leah Palnik

At PartnerShip, we’re celebrating Customer Service Week because we value positive customer experiences. Our customer service team is the front line of our business and we know how important their hard work is to the success of our company.

Did you know?

• 78% of consumers have bailed on a transaction or not made an intended purchase because of a poor service experience. 
• It takes 12 positive experiences to make up for one unresolved negative experience. 
• 3 in 5 Americans (59%) would try a new brand or company for a better service experience. 
• Almost 9 out of 10 U.S. consumers say they would pay more to ensure a superior customer experience.

(Source: Help Scout)

Those powerful statistics prove that the quality of your customer service can make or break your business. The customer service representatives we’re featuring today understand that and work hard every day for our customers.

Customer Service Hero: Shauntá Dennis
Superhero Identity: Black Widow
Black Widow is a quick and smart secret agent who often takes on missions by herself. Shauntá holds down the fort in our Cleveland office by herself during the late shift to support the California office. She’s also quick to adapt and learn new situations, making her incredibly valuable.

Customer Service Hero: Tyler Diamond
Superhero Identity: Quicksilver
Quicksilver has the ability to propel himself into the future. He is extremely speedy and can even dodge bullets. Tyler is a quick learner and has propelled his knowledge since starting here last month. He dodges issues by doing everything he can to help, all while still learning our business.

Want to chat with one of our customer service heroes about your shipping needs? Click here to contact us and see their super strengths hard at work.

Everyday Heroes - Briana and Kim

10/07/2015 — Leah Palnik

This week we’re honoring our everyday heroes for Customer Service Week. We know how important a quality customer service professional is to an organization. Our customers tell us all the time what our level of service means for them; and we have our customer service team to thank for that.

Today we’re featuring a couple of our best and brightest customer service heroes! We appreciate everything they do for PartnerShip, and most importantly, our customers.

Customer Service Hero: Briana Zajac
Superhero Identity: Captain America
Captain American plays a very important role in the Avengers. He makes sure each superhero is getting their job done while also fighting his own battles. Briana is organized like her superhero counterpart, and knows how to get the job done – and does it well!

Customer Service Hero: Kim Overy
Superhero Identity: The Hulk
Everyone knows the Hulk for his super strength and intelligence. He’s also incredibly fast and can run and leap at super speed. Kim is one of the newest members of the customer service team. She’s been a fast learner and doesn’t hesitate to jump into her work, showing her true strength as a customer service professional.

Your experience with PartnerShip and our customer service team is important to us. To see what other customers are saying about us visit our testimonial page!

Everyday Heroes - Julieann and Robert

10/06/2015 — Leah Palnik

This week is Customer Service Week, an event that is near and dear to the heart of PartnerShip. We pride ourselves on our ability to meet the needs of our customers with exemplary customer service and support from friendly, knowledgeable staff. Our team of customer service professionals constantly goes above and beyond for our customers and we appreciate everything they do to make this company great.

In 1992 the U.S. Congress proclaimed Customer Service Week a nationally recognized event, celebrated annually during the first full week in October. The theme this year is Everyday Heroes, which is very fitting for our team. To help celebrate, we’ll be featuring a couple of our everyday heroes each day this week. 

Customer Service Hero: Julieann Fox
Superhero Identity: Hawkeye
Similar to Hawkeye, Julieann is focused and exact to the point. This superhero watches from afar and calls out where help is needed. When Hawkeye shoots his arrow, he doesn’t miss – and Julieann is the same way with her work.

Customer Service Hero: Robert Wirt
Superhero Identity: Iron Man
Everyone knows that Iron Man is witty and business oriented and Robert is the same way. He always sees the big picture, but also wants to understand how all the moving parts work and how they come together, making him an essential part of the team.

You can always expect personalized attention and unparalleled service when you work with PartnerShip. We’re fun, we’re personable and we’re totally committed to helping you and your business be a success. Want to learn more about our staff? Check out our employee directory!

Meet Your PartnerShip Team – Laura

07/17/2015 — Leah Palnik

Laura has been working for PartnerShip for over 17 years. As one of our most seasoned staff members, she’s seen it all and knows how to make sure everything runs smoothly. Want to get to know her? Read on to see what she has to say.

What do you do for PartnerShip?
I am the Operations Manager at PartnerShip. I am responsible for the management of services and processes that support the core business of the organization, as well as management of all events and meetings for employees, vendors and visitors and making sure all events and meetings run smoothly.

Tell us about your family.
My husband and best friend, Steve, and I are high school sweethearts. We met in High School and have been inseparable ever since. We have three amazing, gorgeous, intelligent, and all around fantastic children! Gabby is a junior at The University of Akron and plans on being a lawyer. Tyler is a sophomore in High School who plays the Tuba in the marching band, runs track and cross country. Hannah is in 7th grade and is a cheerleader. We are also raising our nephew, Robert, who is a freshman in high school. We also have two dogs, Leroy and Missy....who are just as much part of the family as everyone else!

What do you like to do in your free time?
I love hanging out with my family and friends, watching my kids in their extra circular activities and running. We like to have a weekly “family night” where we just hang out at the house with the kids and play games or watch movies.

What’s your favorite 90s jam?
Anything New Kids On The Block!

If you could have dinner with anyone alive or dead, who would it be?
My sister, Kym. She passed away 5 years ago and I would love the chance to sit down and just talk with her again. Tell her everything that has happened since she passed and let her know how her son is doing.

If your life was made into a movie, what would the title be?
Life is a present, appreciate it!

What is one of your proudest accomplishments?
My children, of course! Also, last year I ran my very first (and last!) full marathon. It was pretty hard, but definitely worth it.

What was the best vacation you ever went on?
My first trip to Vegas. It was with my husband for our anniversary.....and it was the most amazing vacation we’ve ever had. We spent every day seeing the sights, walking, talking and just spending quality time together. The entire week was perfect in every aspect.

What do colleagues say is your best quality?
I’m a very good listener. I like to think I give pretty good advice, too!

What do you like the most about working at PartnerShip?
The people! We have the most amazing group of people at PartnerShip, who truly care about each other. It is like having a family away from your family!

Meet Your PartnerShip Team – Julieann

07/02/2015 — Leah Palnik

Julieann has worked at PartnerShip for over a year as one of our customer service representatives. When a customer calls in needing help, Julieann is there to the rescue! She’s a great member of the team and we’re glad to have her. Check out what she had to say.

What do you do for PartnerShip?
Customer service! Quote and schedule all your shipments!

What do you like to do in your free time?
Enjoy time in the outdoors with family! Workout!

If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
Lion, because I am a savage!

What’s your favorite 90s jam?
Unbelievable by EMF!

If you could have dinner with anyone alive or dead, who would it be?
Abraham Lincoln because the Civil War intrigues me!

Tell us about your family.
My son, 7 years old and in first grade, is my reason for being! He is an outdoors kid who loves to measure flowers, dig for cray-fish, play catch, lift weights, run mini 5k’s and the list continues. He is joyful young man.

Do you have any nicknames?
Oh yea - Fox, Jules, Mom, Mommy, Mommy Mo

What is one of your proudest accomplishments?
Finishing a 5k!

What was the best vacation you ever went on?
Mini vacation to Put n Bay with my son who is 7 years old. He loved the boat ride to the island and we got a golf cart and ventured around the island and got ice cream and had a blast! Just him and I :)

What do you like the most about working at PartnerShip?
The people are amazing! Co-workers and customers are great!

Who would win in a fight between Spiderman and Batman?
BATMAN!

If your life was made into a movie, what would the title be?
Prepare yourself!

What do colleagues say is your best quality?
I get things done!

Meet Your PartnerShip Team – Barbara

06/19/2015 — Leah Palnik

Barbara just celebrated her four year anniversary with PartnerShip as our graphic designer. This New York native brings a lot of great laughs and spirit to the culture here. You’ll see why when you read her answers to our questions. Read on to learn more about Barbara!

What do you do for PartnerShip?
I’m the Graphic Designer. I design the print and web products for PartnerShip.

What do you like to do in your free time?
I love to garden, and have a large veggie garden in the summer. This has given me an abundance of produce, and I can some pretty awesome pickles (if I do say so myself – and I did!) and salsa.

Once I get my studio/office/crafts/sewing room ready, I’m going to start painting again. I feel it’s time to crack out the paints and oil of cloves!

I also love to read! Science Fiction and Fantasy are my favorite genres.

If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
A human being. It’s what I’m best at.

What’s your favorite 90s jam?
Orange marmalade, but that’s a classic for all time.

What do you like the most about working at PartnerShip?
I like so many of the people that work here. It’s the first place that I felt “at home” after moving to Ohio from New York. I’ve made real friends here. That’s special.

What is one of your proudest accomplishments?
Being able to understand when people speak with an Ohio accent.

If your life was made into a movie, what would the title be?
Doctor Who and the Search for a Mets Win

Tell us about your family.
I’m from a relatively small family on Long Island. 3 siblings. Mom and Dad. That was the sum of my family. I married a man that has 9 siblings. In the stroke of an “I do,” I went from having 2 nieces to now having 17 nieces and nephews and 20 great nieces and nephews. I’m Super Aunt!

I met my husband/best friend/soul mate on the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy – Earth Edition website. Two geeks that passed in the night, but turned around and decided to stay together forever.

What do colleagues say is your best quality?
I make people laugh … maybe at inappropriate times … but that’s what I do!

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go?
It’s a toss-up between Florence, Italy and Paris, France and the reason to go to either place is for the same thing: Art. Can you imagine spending a few days just wandering through the Louvre? Or seeing David up close and personal? I’ll get to both places one day!

What is the funniest thing that has happened to you recently?
Just the other day I was panicking because I couldn’t focus properly on the computer monitor. The longer I worked, the worse it got. Then I realized that I had my reading glasses on. Okay, that wasn’t funny, that was just lame. Forget that.

Cleveland Playoff Plates - A PartnerShip Tradition

06/11/2015 — Matt Nagel

From fantasy football leagues to Super Bowl squares to NCAA brackets, there seems to be additional gaming around every major sporting event. Most of these games have a potential payday that makes the added stress all worth while, but those winnings often end up parlayed into other sports bets...so why not play for something with true meaning that you'll treasure forever - like a carefully decorated Styrofoam plate? 

That's right, a plate has been the sole object of many PartnerShip employee's greatest desires over these past 2 months or so (right behind an NBA championship, of course). With our Cleveland Cavaliers in the midst of a historic postseason, we guess scores of each game and award the plate to the employee with the closest guess. The employee then proudly displays the plate outside of his or her workspace as a constant reminder of how much smarter they are than everyone else. In the event of a tie, the “PPGB - PartnerShip Plate Governing Board” has full authority to determine the winner via foosball match, rock-paper-scissors, or other measures. As you'd expect, the competition is fierce with this kind of prize at stake.

You may be asking yourself how such a sophisticated contest came about. Like many honored traditions, it had humble beginnings. The playoff plates were started back in 2007 when both the Cavs and Indians made postseason runs. Employees began guessing scores and, with a need to keep track of those scores, a plate was the only item to write on in reaching distance. From then on, the plate became a coveted and indispensable part of Cleveland playoff life at PartnerShip. 

The next question you're probably asking yourself is how the fantastic plate designs (like the one pictured in the upper right corner) are achieved. We caught up with Harry Centa (which was no easy task during "plate season" as he refers to this time of year), who holds the title of Playoff Plate Creative Director, and we asked about his artistic process when designing the plates.

"The keys to a good plate are symmetry, style, and symbolism, also known as the 3 S's of plate design." Harry went on to say, "I can't take all the credit, though. I receive help and input from many plate enthusiasts in the office."

Harry also made note of another important aspect of making a plate, saying "Very careful consideration must be lent to the player theme of each plate. We’ve had a Kyrie Irving tribute plate, a Kevin Love tribute plate, Tristan Thompson, and even whole team themes. The office favorite has to be the Matthew Dellavedova (Delly) plates, he’s a cult hero and there are a number of great directions and subtleties you can apply to the overall design of a Delly themed plate."

When it comes down to it, the plates add something a little extra to the already special experience of watching the hometown Cavaliers battle for a championship. Part superstition, part team-building, part bragging-rights, the playoff plate benefits are many and the fun is never-ending.

Meet Your PartnerShip Team – Hector

06/05/2015 — Leah Palnik

Hector is one of our senior account representatives and he’s worked at PartnerShip for over a year and a half. Hector helps to hold down the fort at our California office and is a valuable member of our team. We asked Hector a few questions and he was kind enough to indulge us. Here’s what we learned!

What do you do for PartnerShip?
Securing new business and maintaining customer relationships with the purpose of providing high levels of customer satisfaction.

What do you like to do in your free time?
I enjoy playing cards and listening to underground electronic music.

Do you have any nicknames?
Sirak, which is my middle name.

What was the best vacation you ever went on? Why?
“Studying” abroad in Spain has been the best vacation I’ve had since I barely studied, met my girlfriend, and traveled around Europe for 3 ½ months.

NSYNC or Backstreet Boys?
Backstreet Boys all the way.

What do you like the most about working at PartnerShip?
I like the work hard, play harder environment.

If your life was made into a movie, what would the title be?
No Nintendo.

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go? 
South America, more specifically Argentina so I can try their Mate tea.

What reality show would you like to be on? 
Big Brother because it’s a fascinating game of strategy, with a lot of drama.

Meet Your PartnerShip Team – Laurie

05/21/2015 — Leah Palnik

Laurie has worked at PartnerShip for over four years and she’s passionate about helping our customers. She has a similar passion for life and has a very inspiring story to share. Read more about her and her story.

What do you do for PartnerShip?
Senior account representative – I sell!

What is the most interesting thing you’ve helped a customer ship?
I’m not sure how politically correct this is, but I had a customer quote a shipment of teat wipes with us. Those are moistened towelettes to clean off cow udders.

What do you like the most about working at PartnerShip?
I like the fact that no 2 days are alike. The shipments may range from musical instruments, to farm equipment, to toys and novelties and other items. I love TV shows like Shark Tank and The Profit so it makes me happy to know that we are helping small-medium sized businesses achieve success.

Tell us about your family.
I have been married to George for just over 13 years. We have the crazy cat lady starter kit of 3 cats (Whiskers, Grey, and Ali) and 1 goofy dog (Daisy).

Tell us something interesting about yourself.
I am donating a kidney to my husband George on May 26th. He is my best friend, and I am so excited that I can help him with the gift of life. It’s absolutely amazing to me that I am the perfect match in more ways than one. With that being said, he will never be allowed to pick out a paint color or couch ever again :)

Do you have any nicknames?
My husband kiddingly calls me Pita – pain in the *ss.

What was the best vacation you ever went on? Why?
Puerto Rico is our favorite place to vacation. It’s warmer than Cleveland, we can drink the water, the beaches are gorgeous, the food is tasty (our favorite is lechon – roast pig), there’s lots of history (Christopher Columbus sailed into San Juan harbor in 1493) and the people are the nicest I have ever met on vacation. There is so much to do there – from rainforests to deserts – beaches to mountains – the snorkeling is unbelievable! And they make mean mojitos!

If you could have dinner with anyone alive or dead, who would it be? Why?
My mom – she just passed away on May 13th, and I’d give anything to know she’s OK and that she met up with my grandparents in heaven.

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why?
We would go to Thailand and Angkor Wat, Cambodia. Angkor Wat is one of the largest temples in the world at one mile from end to end. They are still finding smaller temples in the jungle. It was featured in Lara Croft Tomb Raider. We love Thai cuisine and would like to visit some of the famous markets and temples there, ride elephants, and their beaches are gorgeous!

What is one of your proudest accomplishments?
My proudest accomplishments are my many happy customers. When they provide referrals to me, it shows how much they trust and appreciate my efforts.

Meet Your PartnerShip Team – Jennifer

05/08/2015 — Leah Palnik

Jennifer is our Customer Service Manager and she is a joy to work with thanks to her positive attitude and outgoing personality. She’s been with PartnerShip for 9 years and she’s worked for the NACS family since 2000. In her time here she’s proven to be a great leader to her team and a big help to our customers. Learn more about her from the questionnaire below!

What do you do for PartnerShip?
Help our customers with all their shipping needs. I help my team provide quotes, schedule shipments, create bills of lading and problem solve for our existing customers!

What is the most interesting thing you’ve helped a customer ship?
Pizza stones to Steve Job’s personal chef for Christmas dinner.

What do you like to do in your free time?
Trying out new craft ideas, I really enjoy making jewelry.

If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
Dog because they are always so happy to see people and make new friends.

What’s your favorite 90s jam?
First song to pop in my head is Mmm mmm by Crash Test Dummies or Every Morning by Sugar Ray.

If you could have dinner with anyone alive or dead, who would it be?
Talk show hosts. I would ask them the questions and get to hear all of their fun stories.

Do you have any nicknames?
J-fer

What is one of your proudest accomplishments?
Graduating from Kent State University.

What was the best vacation you ever went on?
My honeymoon in Disney. Disney is magical and creates happiness.

What do you like the most about working at PartnerShip?
My co-workers. I enjoy working with people who make me want to come to work.

Who would win in a fight between Spiderman and Batman?
Spider-Man because I’m a Marvel fan!

Tell us about your family.
I have a loving supportive husband Dave and we have one Harry Baby (Big Hero 6 reference), a kitty named Caroline.

What do colleagues say is your best quality?
Being happy and positive...on most days :)

What reality show would you like to be on?
Nickelodeon Guts or Family Feud (a break room lunchtime staple).

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Ireland or Scotland because of the castles and the rolling green countryside that dramatically drops into the blue ocean.

Meet Your PartnerShip Team – Harry

04/24/2015 — Leah Palnik

Harry has spent the last 9 years working at PartnerShip and we’re lucky to have him on our team. As one of our senior program managers he does a great job keeping our association partners happy and representing the company at tradeshows around the country. This road warrior was kind enough to answer some questions for us. Check them out below.

What do you do for PartnerShip?
I am a senior program manager and work with our association partners to help maximize the exposure of their shipping programs to their membership. Another main focus I have is prospecting, developing and launching prospective new association programs. I also help facilitate quarterly reporting, and help coordinate shipping analyses, issue resolution, and other special requests as needed.

What is the most interesting thing you’ve helped a customer ship?
Gongs… we used to help a musical instrument importer out of Nebraska named “Gongs Unlimited” ship gongs of all shapes and sizes all over the world.

What do you like to do in your free time?
Taxi kids around to activities across NE Ohio including soccer, dance, football, cheerleading, and festival pageants… When that’s completed I enjoy cooking, baking pies, grilling, golfing and attending sporting events.

If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
An eagle so I could fly and swoop down to steal the scraps; and because they represent the beauty and freedom of the USA.

What’s your favorite 90s jam?
Too many to name… Alive by Pearl Jam

If you could have dinner with anyone alive or dead, who would it be?
My Mom and Dad, as they have been gone over 20 & 12 years now, and would love for them to get to meet my wife & family.

Do you have any nicknames?
Daddio, Har, Har Dog, Ster, HC, Fuzzy Penny, and Hank to name a few…

What is one of your proudest accomplishments?
I once bowled a 300 game (no-tap rule in effect) at Bowl For Kids Sake in Wichita, KS.

What was the best vacation you ever went on? 
Honeymoon in Puerto Rico with my wife, so much to do and see…

NSYNC or Backstreet Boys?
NSYNC, I’m a JT fan.

What do you like the most about working at PartnerShip?
The people, flexibility and empowerment to do your job.

Who would win in a fight between Spiderman and Batman?
Batman, just because he’s Batman…

If your life was made into a movie, what would the title be?
Old School meets the Brady Bunch meets the Goonies.

Tell us about your family.
I’ve been married to my wife Maureen for 10 years. We have 6 Kids: Chanse 20, Nicole 19, Angel 16, Cory 15, Treyson 9 and Caralina 7. We have 3 dogs and 3 cats too: Percy (Corgi), Jonah (Lab), and Dudley (Great Dane), and three tabby cats – Ozzie, Bobbie & Cribbs.

What do colleagues say is your best quality?
Team player and hard worker, willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.

What is the funniest thing that has happened to you recently?
My 9 year old asked me if I could go to school for him (3rd grade), and get him straight A’s on his report card…

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Mediterranean Cruise – hit all the destinations in Europe in one trip.

What reality show would you like to be on?
The Apprentice – It would be fun & challenging to work on the different projects and have the opportunity to live in NYC.

Meet Your PartnerShip Team – Alex

04/10/2015 — Leah Palnik

Alex has been working here at PartnerShip for almost four years and she’s a sales rockstar. If you've ever had a freight shipping need, you may have had the pleasure of getting to know her. If you haven't, you’ve come to the right place. Check out what she has to say!

What do you do for PartnerShip?
I am a Senior Account Representative who handles LTL, truckload, and tradeshow shipments.

If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
I would be some kind of bird so that I could fly.

Tell us about your family.
My husband’s name is Jim, our son’s name is Hayden and he is 4 years old. We have 3 cats, Molly, Abbey, and Zoi.

What’s your favorite 90's jam?
This Is How We Do It, 1995

What is one of your proudest accomplishments?
Everything my son does & getting my college degree.

NSYNC or Backstreet Boys?
NSYNC

What do you like the most about working at PartnerShip?
The employees.

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Ireland. I want to see my heritage.

Meet Your PartnerShip Team – Nicole

03/27/2015 — Leah Palnik

Nicole is a valuable member of our truckload team, the newest department at PartnerShip. With her help, our truckload business has been steadily growing and expanding. She’s been working here for a year and a half and is one of the friendliest people you will ever meet. We asked Nicole a few questions to help you get to know her. Check them out below!

What do you do for PartnerShip?
I am a carrier procurement representative for our truckload team. I find carriers who can move full and partial truckload shipments and negotiate the best price possible for our customers. I track the truckload freight to help ensure a smooth shipment and also help establish new truckload carriers on a daily basis.

What is the most interesting thing you’ve helped a customer ship?
I have helped a customer ship customized cardboard caskets. They are true works of art and definitely a very unique product.

What do you like to do in your free time?
I’m very much an outdoors girl. I love camping, hiking, and biking. Every summer we go on as many camping trips as we can. I love to watch the sun set while sitting around a campfire with family and friends.

If you could have dinner with anyone alive or dead, who would it be?
I would have dinner with my Grandfather. He passed away before I was born. He came to the United States when he was 17 years old from Yugoslavia. He had spent 4 years in a refugee camp and could barely speak English when he arrived in the US. He worked hard and went on to become a doctor and build a life for himself here. I would love to learn more about his story and our family culture.

Do you have any nicknames?
Nic. Everyone in my family calls me Nic and always has.

NSYNC or Backstreet Boys?
Backstreet Boys. No contest.

What do you like the most about working at PartnerShip?
My coworkers make me laugh every single day. There is a definite sense of teamwork here at PartnerShip and we are always there for each other, no matter what. My colleagues have become a second family to me.

If your life was made into a movie, what would the title be?
Happiness Is Being With The Ones You Love.

Tell us about your family.
I am married to my best friend Brian, who also works here at PartnerShip. We have a beautiful, silly, happy 2 year old daughter named Callie. We also have two cats, Buster Brown and Gypsy. I feel very grateful to have the wonderful family that I do.

You Can Do Anything. We Want You to Do It Here.

03/12/2015 — Leah Palnik

At PartnerShip, we believe in working hard and having fun while doing it. Our employees enjoy a rewarding career, robust benefits package, bonus opportunities, and other perks. If you’re a positive, creative individual ready to put your exceptional problem solving skills to use we want you to join our team.

Be part of a team
Your success is important to us and we know that when you work well together as a team, great things can happen. That’s why we’re always striving to support each other in any way we can.

Grow your skills
We’re a growing company and we want you to grow with us. There are always opportunities to develop your talents and continuously learn new things. Whether it’s through training or mentoring, we’ll help you reach your potential.

Have fun
We know that a good work-life balance leads to happy and productive employees and our company culture reflects that. When you need a quick break, jump on one of the games in our rec room. Have something to celebrate? You can bet that a potluck will be in your future. It’s little things like that add up to a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere – making PartnerShip a fun place to work.

If this sounds like a good fit, we’d love to talk to you! Click here to view a listing of open positions and apply.

PartnerShip at the Winter Fancy Food Show!

01/20/2015 — Matt Nagel

The 2015 Winter Fancy Food Show, held in San Francisco, has come and gone and our very own Harry Centa was in attendance. Harry is a Senior Program Manager at PartnerShip and has become a staple at both the Winter and Summer Fancy Food Shows presented by the Specialty Food Association.

"This show is always a great opportunity for exhibitors to showcase their products and for the retailers, restaurateurs, and distributors that attend to bring new, exciting, and unique items and ideas to their businesses," said Harry. "It's also an invaluable opportunity for PartnerShip to showcase its money-saving member benefit, the Specialty Food Association Shipping Program, which is available to all Specialty Food Association members."

As the west coast's largest specialty food and beverage event, highlights include: 14,000 exhibitors from 35 countries, 19,000+ industry professionals, and 30 emerging food entrepreneurs. The show also features new product showcases, 15+ educational seminars, and custom matchmaking for buyers and suppliers. These are just a few of the great opportunities offered by the Specialty Food Association through this show.

In addition to the above highlights, Harry also collected submissions for a drawing for a $100 Visa reward card. Congratulations to our lucky winner — Jared at Aloha from Oregon! 

Don't worry if you missed out on the winter show, as the Fancy Food Show comes not once, but twice a year in the summer and winter. 

"The Winter and Summer Fancy Food Shows are dates that are always circled on my calendar," Harry added. "The show always entertains, informs, and produces quality customer interaction year in and year out for PartnerShip....not to mention all the great food!"

Check out some of Harry's pictures from the event in the slideshow below.

Meet the PartnerShip Customer Service Staff

07/30/2014 — Scott Frederick

The PartnerShip customer service representatives (or CSRs) play an important role for our company and our customers. Through telephone conversations, emails messages, and online live chats, they are responsible for helping our newest customers setup FedEx accounts, get LTL and truckload rate quotes, create online accounts, track shipments, and answer just about any and all types of questions you can imagine.

Once a new customer is fully on-board, they work closely with our sales staff to ensure each customer is personally introduced to the dedicated PartnerShip account representative with whom they'll receive the next level of support and consultation for their freight shipping needs. A few of our CSRs have worked so well with our customers and our sales staff that we moved them over to our sales department where they can build even deeper relationships with our customer contacts. As a result, PartnerShip has some new faces in our customer service area, and they are a terrific bunch! So terrific, in fact, that I'd like to personally introduce you to each one of them.

Nicole Hardman

You could say Nicole is the "veteran rookie" of the bunch. Nicole joined PartnerShip as a customer service representative a little under a year ago. However, she was not entirely unfamiliar with our company at the time - her husband Brian has been a part of the PartnerShip sales staff for the past six years. When she's not helping PartnerShip customers, she enjoys spending time with her family, camping, reading, and watching movies.

Allison Passero

Allison joined PartnerShip nearly four months ago (on the same day as Julieann and Briana). Previously, Allison worked for Fifth Third Bank for five years where she held numerous customer service positions and was recognized for demonstrating Fifth Third Bank's Core Values and driving customer service results. Allison graduated from The College of Wooster with a Bachelors of Psychology. She enjoys crafting, music, hiking, and knitting.

Julieann Fox

As mentioned above, Julieann joined PartnerShip nearly four months ago. Julieann recently worked at Green Circle Growers as an Orchid Classifier and before that worked for Equity Trust Company as a Client Relations Manager. She is a graduate of The University of Toledo. Her outside interests include Zumba, parenting, outdoor adventures, weight training, Cleveland sports, and traveling.

Briana Zajac

Briana also reported for duty nearly four months ago.  Briana previously worked for Teletech for past six years as a Customer Service Representative helping clients with T-Mobile and Geek Squad. She also worked as an Inventory Control Administrator at Bonne Bell where she processed orders. She enjoys her family and friends, watching movies, doing Zumba, and attending parks.

Shauntá Dennis

Shauntá is our newest customer service representative. She just started with PartnerShip last week, so we're very excited to have her joining our team. Shauntá has worked for Teletech for the past six years. She started as a Customer Service Representative answering incoming calls from customers and assisted with general technical troubleshooting. Most recently she was the Technical Support Supervisor where she led a team of 30 agents and handled escalated customer interactions.

Jennifer Hammersmith

Of course, all of these new CSRs are managed by Jennifer, our outwardly friendly, but very professional, customer service manager. Jennifer has been with PartnerShip for eight years. She absolutely enjoys helping our customers, she is a student of shipping practices, and she directly manages one of our important shipping programs for a major non-profit organization. When she's not managing, training, and motivating her customer service staff, she enjoys spending time with her family, crafting, ironing (really?), and watching movies with her husband.

If you have a question for the PartnerShip customer service staff, they're ready and willing to do their best to help assist you any way they can. Just Contact Us and we'll take it from there.

By Scott Frederick

Congratulations to our new Certified Transportation Broker!

07/23/2014 — Scott Frederick

All of us here at PartnerShip would like to congratulate Polly Gordon, our truckload brokerage manager, on a very important achievement. This past weekend, Polly earned her certification as a Certified Transportation Broker (CTB) through the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA). Polly put in a lot of hard work and dedication into earning this certification. It will serve her well as we take our growing truckload brokerage services to an ever expanding customer base.

The CTB Program was developed by the TIA to increase the professionalism and integrity of property brokerage, meet the educational needs of brokers, and expand basic knowledge of the brokerage and transportation industry through a rigorous certification program. Certification provides an additional edge in the competitive transportation marketplace. It demonstrates to customers that you have the knowledge base, professional integrity, and professional commitment best suited to meet their transportation needs.  The CTB is considered one of the most valuable credentials you can earn in your brokerage career. Visit the TIA website at www.tianet.org to learn more.

If your reading this article and you are a shipper with truckload shipping needs, please let us give you a quote on your next full or partial, dry van, flat bed, or refrigerated truckload shipment. We promise that Polly and her team will find you the right carrier and the right rate to fit your need.

By Scott Frederick

PartnerShip is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year!

01/31/2014 — Scott Frederick

PartnerShip LLC is a leading shipping solutions provider to small- and medium-size businesses across North America, and we're celebrating our 25th anniversary this year! Founded in 1989, today PartnerShip develops and manages full-service shipping programs for over a hundred industry groups, representing thousands of customers across the U.S. and Canada.

PartnerShip was originally founded by the non-profit National Association of College Stores to help college retailers across the country save on their textbook shipping. The program expanded to include additional shipping services, such as general merchandise shipping, inbound shipping management, routing coordination, and consolidated invoicing. Due to the success of the program within the college industry, the concept was eventually expanded to other associations groups, the first of which included the American Booksellers Association and the National Association of Sporting Goods, but then followed by numerous others.

Building on the hallmarks of simple, worry-free shipping, outstanding savings, and exemplary customer service, the company enjoyed rapid growth from 2007 to 2012 in which it tripled in size and expanded operations to two new locations: One in northeast Ohio and the other in southern California. Leveraging its trade association expertise, and forging alliances with national, reputable carriers, such as FedEx, UPS Freight, YRC Freight, and Con-way Freight, the company was able to expand into dozens of new industries to help thousands of more businesses with their shipping.

Today, PartnerShip offers a wide range of shipping services including:

• Less-than-truckload (LTL) freight shipping
• Truckload, expedited and international freight shipping
• Small package (express and ground) shipping
• Exhibit shipping for trade shows and events
• Inbound/vendor shipping management
• Easy-to-use online freight management tools
• Storage, moving, packing, and crating services
• Discounted shipping supplies, and more

John Finucane, president and chief operating officer for PartnerShip, has been with the company for virtually its entire existence. John says the company has been fortunate to attract and retain high-caliber, dedicated people over the years. —Today, we have a staff of nearly 50 professionals that work hard to help our customers with all facets of shipping and logistics, each and every day,' said John. —Although we cater to small businesses, in our minds, there is no such thing as a small customer." John went on to add, —We're very proud of reaching this quarter-century milestone ... and in a very competitive and rapidly changing industry, we're looking forward to what the next 25 years will bring.'

The company officially kicks off its 25^th anniversary celebration with a special, grass-roots exhibition and customer-appreciation event at CAMEX 2014, the college industry's largest trade show and educational event.  If you're a PartnerShip customer, carrier, or employee - or simply a fan - be on the lookout for additional news, promotions, videos, and other fun stuff throughout 2014 as we celebrate this milestone event in our company's history. But most importantly, thank you for your support of our great company!

PartnerShip Employee Goes to Olympics

01/24/2014 — Scott Frederick

PartnerShip LLC senior account representative Mike McLaughlin is looking forward to watching ice hockey games at the Olympics in Russia. But he won't be watching from his office in Westlake, OH; he will be in Sochi in person. Watch the FOX 8 Cleveland news segment for more details - or click here to read the article online.

PartnerShip Honored with 5th Consecutive NorthCoast 99 Award

09/19/2013 — Scott Frederick

NACS, Inc. (and PartnerShip as one of its subsidiaries) was officially honored yesterday evening with a fifth consecutive NorthCoast 99 award. NorthCoast 99 is an annual recognition program that honors 99 great workplaces for top talent in Northeast Ohio. The program was developed and is presented by ERC. ERC is Northeast Ohio's leading and largest professional organization dedicated to HR practices, programs and services.

Prominent Northeast Ohio organizations were honored at the Westlake, OH banquet last night, including some very familiar names such as the Cleveland Indians, Great Lakes Brewing Co., Majestic Steel USA Inc., University Hospitals, Avery Dennison, Panther Expedited Services, FedEx Custom Critical, and 15-time winner Shearer's Foods Inc. Joining representatives of these prominent organizations was a small, cross-section of NACS, NACSCORP and PartnerShip employees who proudly accepted the award.

Fifteen years ago, NorthCoast 99 was started to showcase organizations that understood that building and enhancing workplaces for top performers was the key to success. It has since transformed from a workplace competition to a movement - with more and more CEOs shifting towards a great workplace strategy. Here are some interesting facts about this year's NorthCoast 99 companies that were shared at the event:

• 99% sponsor fundraisers, charitable events and/or scholarships
• 50% coordinate an organization-wide day of community services
• 83% provide ongoing coaching and feedback to employees at least quarterly
• Fill open positions with internal talent 32% of the time
• Provided, on average, 47 hours of training and development to employees in 2012
• 86% offer wellness incentives to employees, and 83% conduct wellness challenges or competitions
• 76% of the leaders hold small/intimate group gatherings with employees at least monthly
• 89% offer financial planning assistance

To end the evening, Craig Keilburger, co-founder of Free The Children, gave a very inspirational speech. His message included examples of how one person can make dramatic, positive impacts on the lives of others - a message taken to heart by the NorthCoast 99 companies that strive each and every day to help their employees be successful.

Congratulations to all of this year's NorthCoast 99 winners. Thank you for all that you accomplish, and for building great workplaces along side NACS, Inc. in Northeast Ohio!

Scott G Frederick

PartnerShip Competes in the Cleveland Corporate Challenge

08/15/2013 — Scott Frederick

The PartnerShip staff (and friends) once again competed in the Cleveland Corporate Challenge. The 2013 games kicked off June 13 and officially ended August 8. The event is always a great team-building, summer activity that helps build pride and camaraderie among our employees.

This year's activities included the softball, mini golf, skeeball, kickball, volleyball, basketball, footgolf, cornhole, touch football, bowling, a 10K relay, tug-of-war, obstacle course, and 1 mile fun walk. Despite some scheduling issues that prevented PartnerShip from fully participating in every event, we still managed a 5th place finish out of 16 teams in the DIVISION 1 category (<79 employees). The video captures some of the photographic highlights that were shared at an all-staff meeting today.

Scott G Frederick

Happy 3-Year Anniversary to the PartnerShip Irvine, CA Office!

04/16/2013 — Scott Frederick

This past week, the PartnerShip Irvine, California office celebrated its 3rd anniversary! The office was opened in April 2010 as a way for PartnerShip to stay in close contact with its customers located in the West. The office also allows us to provide both live and live chat sales and customer support from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM ET (or 5:00 AM to 5:00 PM PT).

Today, the office is supported by senior account representatives, Dave Rehker and Sarah Conklin-Boone; account representative Anthony Abad-Santos; and customer service representative Brittnie Pham. Together this team provides personalized service to our customers located in the Southwest and Northwest.

Congratulations to our West Coast Team, here's to many more anniversaries in the future!

Minute To Win It - Employee Team Building Activity

03/13/2013 — Scott Frederick

Last week Thursday the PartnerShip employees at our Cleveland/Westlake, Ohio office participated in a fun, team-building activity. The event was organized by Brad Alflen, director of sales and customer service for PartnerShip. As part of the event, eight four-person teams competed in six "Minute To Win It" challenges. Each team was awarded one point for every team member that successfully completed a challenge. In the end, two teams tied with 10 points each and had to square off in a sudden-death elimination challenge.

Congratulations to Bryan, Laura, Lauren and Lexi for being the winning team in the competition!

Best Practices for Exhibiting at Your Next Tradeshow

08/20/2012 — Matt Nagel

A tradeshow is a great way to get in front of your customers.Managing shipping programs for over 100 associations means that PartnerShip attends its fair share of tradeshows and events. What we've gleaned from all of these tradeshows is that there is always something new to learn, and things are always changing. That's why we called on one of the PartnerShip resident tradeshow experts to share some experience and knowledge that he has gathered over the years.

Harry Centa, a senior program manager with PartnerShip, has attended over 100 tradeshows in his seven year career with the company. When asked why tradeshows are important to small businesses, Harry said, —Tradeshows are a great way to put a face and personality to your company. The face-to-face interactions and conversations you have at tradeshows go a long way in building relationships and solidifying leads for your company. That's why we take tradeshows seriously and invest resources in this valuable tool.'

We asked Harry for some tips on pre-show, at-show, and post-show best practices and this is the advice he had to offer:

• Pre-Show — —Decide on a plan of attack for the upcoming show. Establish what you want to accomplish, how you are going to accomplish it, and what tools you'll need to successfully carry out your plan. You can then start thinking about collateral, giveaways, and promotions leading up to the show. Determine if your booth will ship to the advance warehouse or directly to the showsite. Lastly, bringing your own table, chairs, modular carpet squares, etc. can dramatically reduce your exhibiting costs.'
• At-Show — —If possible, setup your booth a day in advance of the show start, that way you are not rushed, have plenty of time to make extra copies of your marketing materials, and deal with any emergencies that can arise from time to time. Take advantage of every networking opportunity, and be sure to track all leads. For larger shows, renting a lead retrieval scanner is a wise choice, and for smaller shows, taking notes on business cards works just as well."
• Post-Show — —Write down what you learned through your show experience — it will be valuable for future shows. Also, be sure to follow up with any leads you received at the show in a timely manner. Striking while the iron is hot will ensure you are fresh in the prospect's mind and you won't get sent to voice mail with the rest of the sales calls. Another best practice is to send a post show eblast and/or postcard to the attendees list (if offered) to remind them of your product or service.'

Additionally, Harry emphasized, —The most important aspect of tradeshows is getting your booth and show materials to the tradeshow on-time and in one piece. Without a booth or materials for customers, the tradeshow experience is hampered considerably.' Harry went on to say, —Shipping my tradeshow materials is one part of the tradeshow process I leave to the tradeshow shipping experts here at PartnerShip!'

Your booth is now at the show, you've followed Harry's pre-show rituals to a T — now, how do you drive people to your booth? —There's not much point in going to a tradeshow if your just going to stand there and shuffle your feet for 8 hours.' said Harry, —I use giveaways as a method for driving traffic to my booth, and once customers are there I use that opportunity to discuss PartnerShip and the services we provide. Tradeshows are constantly changing, but one idea will always hold true: People love free stuff - pens, pads or any swag in general!' Harry went on to stress that a consistent, inviting, and aesthetically pleasing display is an important tool in catching people's eye, getting your sales pitch out, and getting literature in a customer's hand.

Tradeshows can be an investment for your company, but when done right, tradeshows are one of the most useful tools in your sales toolbox. The PartnerShip goal is to make sure your booth is at a tradeshow on-time and you are prepared for a successful show. That's why we've developed some tradeshow specific information for our customers: The 411 on Tradeshow Shipping and our tradeshow helpful hints page.

If you have any additional questions about shipping to tradeshows, about tradeshows in general, or would like to quote a shipment to your next show — contact the PartnerShip dedicated tradeshow team at tradeshow@PartnerShip.com or call 800-599-2902. You can also contact Harry Centa at the above information.