Ainsworth Fairchild Limited Consultation Services
Due to significant demand from our industry partners, subscribers, and internal network, Ainsworth Fairchild Limited LLC is expanding our capabilities with a dedicated Consultation Services division.
Companies are turning to us for clear, unbiased intelligence through the AF Index. As our audience has grown, so has the need for direct expert guidance, support that goes beyond data and into actionable solutions.
Our team includes operations managers, service center leaders, pricing experts, packaging specialists, and compliance professionals with real-world experience across LTL, parcel, truckload, and specialty freight environments.
We are now offering structured consultation services designed to reduce cost, improve operational precision, prevent errors, and strengthen the customer experience at every step of the supply chain.
Hazardous Materials (HazMat) Guidance & Compliance
HazMat shipping requires precise compliance with federal regulations, carrier restrictions, and safety standards. Our consultation ensures organizations ship hazardous materials safely, legally, and efficiently.
Areas of Expertise:
Hazard Classification Review: Verification or guidance on correct hazard class, packing group, and UN/NA identification.
Approved Packaging Requirements: Recommendations for the correct packaging performance level (UN/PG) and handling specifications.
Marking & Labeling Compliance: Ensuring all required labels, markings, placards, and orientations are accurate and up to date.
Documentation Accuracy: Step-by-step guidance on shipper’s declarations, emergency contact requirements, and proper BOL execution.
Carrier-Specific Requirements: Aligning shipments with individual carrier policies and restrictions to prevent rejections or delays.
Safety Process Review: Ensuring your team is following best practices to avoid penalties, incidents, or compliance gaps.
Ideal For:
Any business dealing with chemicals, batteries (ion-lithium), aerosols, cleaners, coatings, or products containing regulated components.
Depth Expansion Opportunity:
• Full compliance program development
• HazMat SOPs and workflow creation
• Monthly or quarterly compliance reviews
• Employee training and certification support
Packaging Review, Optimization, & Strategy
Packaging is one of the most important, and most overlooked, factors in freight performance. Our goal is to help clients protect their product, reduce damages, improve density, and streamline operations.
Areas of Expertise:
Material Selection Guidance: Recommendations based on product type, fragility, weight, and environmental sensitivity.
Damage Prevention Engineering: Identifying common failure points and recommending structural reinforcements.
Palletizing & Load Stability: Best practices for wrap, strapping, stacking, and weight distribution to minimize risk.
Dimensional Optimization: Ensuring packaging supports cost-efficient billing, cube utilization, and transit handling.
Custom Packaging Solutions: Support for unique freight — oversized, irregular, high-value, or fragile commodities.
Sustainability Considerations: Options that reduce waste without compromising protection.
Ideal For:
Manufacturers, distributors, and shippers facing high damage ratios, rework costs, or recurring carrier claims.
Depth Expansion Opportunity:
• Full packaging redesign services
• On-site packaging audits
• Training for warehouse teams
• Pack-out SOP creation
Labeling, Classification & Document Consulting
Inaccurate labels and documentation are top contributors to billing errors, delays, reclasses, and carrier disputes. Our consultation ensures your internal processes meet industry expectations and carrier standards.
Areas of Expertise:
Bill of Lading (BOL) Review: Ensuring accuracy across description, class, NMFC item, weight, accessorials, and special instructions.
NMFC Classification Guidance: Support in determining proper class based on density, handling, stowability, and liability.
Label Placement & Best Practices: Establishing clear guidelines to prevent misroutes, non-scans, and exceptions.
Barcode & Tracking Optimization: Improving scannability and updating label formats for higher visibility.
Workflow & Process Cleanup: Identifying gaps in who creates what, when, and how — and simplifying for efficiency and accuracy.
Ideal For:
Teams experiencing incorrect reclasses, high rebills, or freight routing issues.
Depth Expansion Opportunity:
• Custom documentation SOPs
• Full workflow redesign
• Ongoing document audits
• System integration recommendations (TMS, WMS, ERP)
Pricing Strategy & Cost Optimization
Pricing in transportation is complex, and small errors can lead to large, recurring losses. Our pricing consultation is designed to help clients understand the full picture of their cost structure and take control of their pricing outcomes.
Areas of Expertise:
Rate Structure Analysis: Comprehensive review of your current rates, lane mix, minimum charges, and discount schedules.
Accessorial Management: Clear explanations of how accessorial fees influence total cost and how to reduce unnecessary charges.
Margin Optimization: Identification of underperforming accounts, lanes, or service categories.
Customer-Specific Pricing: Development of pricing approaches tailored to customer behavior and freight characteristics.
Negotiation Readiness: Guidance for contract renewals, RFP participation, and carrier-shipper negotiations.
Benchmarking Against Market Trends: Using our AF Index insights to align your pricing strategy with real market movement.
Ideal For:
Shippers seeking to reduce spend, carriers looking to strengthen profitability, and any organization that needs better clarity around pricing decisions.
Depth Expansion Opportunity:
• Follow-up analysis packages
• Custom pricing models
• Quarterly pricing audits
• Training for internal pricing or sales teams
Custom Operational Consulting
Every operation has unique challenges — and our experts have seen nearly all of them. We help companies strengthen their internal processes, reduce friction, and improve service consistency.
Areas of Expertise:
Service-Center Operations Review
Account Management & Customer Relationship Strategy
Carrier–Shipper Communication Frameworks
Exception Management Process Improvement
Inbound/Outbound Dock Optimization
KPIs, Scorecards & Performance Measurement
Ideal For:
Organizations experiencing recurring operational issues, customer complaints, inefficiencies, or inconsistent service standards.
Depth Expansion Opportunity:
• Full operational health assessments
• On-site process evaluations
• Organizational structure recommendations
• Ongoing consulting retainers
