Shipping Network Optimization Strategies: Why Modeling Comes First

It started with one facility falling behind.

Orders were piling up. Transit times were slipping. And despite the team's best efforts, the once-reliable delivery network was starting to crack under the pressure of shifting demand and rising transportation costs. Sound familiar?

For many shippers, moments like these are the wake-up call: the network that once worked… doesn’t anymore.

But what if you didn’t have to wait for the cracks to show? What if you could see the impact of network changes—before you make them?

That’s where Intelligent Audit’s Network Optimization Tool comes in. Built for shippers who want to stay ahead, this tool lets you test, simulate, and validate network decisions with real-world data—so you can move forward with confidence, not guesswork.

Smarter Planning Starts with the Right Model

Understanding how changes across your network will affect cost and transit time is critical—but often difficult to see until it’s too late. Intelligent Audit’s Network Optimization Tool is designed to help shippers evaluate the impact of change before making strategic decisions.

With this tool, you can simulate different distribution scenarios and evaluate how adjustments—such as adding or removing distribution centers or adjusting your carrier mix—may influence performance. It allows shippers to identify trade-offs, visualize outcomes, and make decisions that align with business goals.

Rather than relying on assumptions, the tool provides a structured approach to evaluating multiple options and ensuring the changes you make are both intentional and informed.

The Power of Simulated Scenarios

With this tool, shippers can simulate various distribution scenarios and assess how changes affect key operational metrics like cost and transit time. The tool empowers users to determine how different carriers, locations, and service levels impact overall performance—before a single shipment moves.

Want to know if shifting a portion of your volume to a different facility will reduce last-mile costs? Curious if changing your carrier allocation will improve delivery speeds in certain zones? These are the kinds of questions the Network Optimization Tool helps answer.

Real-World Results from Smarter Network Planning

When shipping networks start to feel the pressure—whether from rising expectations, operational inefficiencies, or cost constraints—shippers need a clear path forward. Intelligent Audit’s Network Optimization Tool has played a key role in helping companies rethink their approach.

For a leading apparel retailer, meeting fast delivery expectations without overspending was the priority. By exploring changes to its transportation network, the company introduced 1–2 day shipping across the U.S.—while cutting costs by 27%.

Petco sought to improve transit performance without increasing logistics spend. Through a more strategic approach to its network, the company improved time-in-transit by 18%, maintaining service while staying cost-efficient.

CVS, one of the largest pharmacy retailers in the U.S., turned to Intelligent Audit to uncover opportunities across its shipping network. With deeper insight into performance and spend, CVS achieved a 7% reduction in annual shipping costs.

These outcomes didn’t happen by accident. They came from thoughtful evaluation, informed by the right data and tools—before putting new strategies into motion.

Making Decisions with Confidence

At the end of the day, every supply chain decision impacts your customer experience and bottom line. The Network Optimization Tool offers the clarity you need to make those decisions with confidence. It’s all about giving shippers the power to test, model, and plan smarter—before making costly, hard-to-reverse changes.

Learn more about how Intelligent Audit’s Network Optimization Tool can support your network strategy.

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