M&A Without the Mayhem: Best Practices for Freight Bill Auditing and Continuity
- Evan Baschko
- Oct 5
- 4 min read
The Freight Challenges of Integration
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) create growth opportunities, but they also introduce complexity across freight and logistics. Combining carrier networks, aligning billing practices and integrating reporting systems can quickly create friction.
Industry research shows this risk is real. While the perception has long been that 70% of mergers fail, newer data tells a different story. A recent article from Forbes noted that nearly 70% of mergers now succeed, but success depends heavily on the quality of integration. In fact, 83% of failed deals were attributed to poor integration strategies, not flawed deal structures. That insight applies directly to freight operations.
Even when the financial side of an M&A looks strong, if logistics teams can’t integrate carrier contracts, invoice validation processes and payment systems effectively, disruptions follow. The result? Duplicate payments, compliance gaps and delayed onboarding that can stall the entire transition.
That’s why best practices in freight bill auditing during M&A focus on standardization, scalability and continuity. The most successful integrations don’t rely on ad hoc fixes. They follow a repeatable framework that allows new acquisitions to be onboarded quickly, with minimal disruption to operations.
Companies that invest in clear invoice validation processes, robust reporting and consistent team oversight can maintain visibility and service quality throughout the transition, with clients onboarding acquisitions 25% faster with ITS.
How ITS Traffic Systems Ensures a Smooth Transition
1. Standardize Invoice Validation Early
One of the biggest risks during integration is inconsistent invoice handling. Each acquisition may have its own formats, including EDI, paper invoices or voucher files, that don’t align neatly. Without a consistent validation process, errors multiply, disputes rise, and cash flow slows.
Industry studies noted that errors occur in up to 10% of freight bills, most often in the carrier’s favor, according to the National Shippers Strategic Transportation Council, cited by Supply Brain Chain. The most common mistakes include duplicate charges, incorrect rates and unauthorized accessorials. Left unchecked, these errors can add up quickly.
The National Transportation Institute estimates that a comprehensive freight bill audit can save shippers 2%-5% of total transportation costs. On average, ITS saves customers more than 9% of their total transportation costs, higher than the national average.
That’s why best practice is to establish a single, standardized validation framework at the start of integration. This ensures:
Accuracy: Discrepancies are flagged before payments are made.
Efficiency: Teams spend less time on manual reconciliation.
Continuity: New entities can be brought into the process without disrupting existing operations.
At ITS Traffic Systems, this approach is part of what we call a seamless onboarding framework. It is a repeatable, scalable process that allows acquisitions to be integrated quickly and efficiently. While every client’s network is different, the principle is the same: minimizing disruption and creating a reliable foundation for growth.
2. Map Carrier Networks Carefully
When two organizations merge, carriers often overlap. A proactive review of contracts, service levels and performance benchmarks helps identify redundancies and ensure continuity.
This isn’t just about cutting duplicate contracts, it’s about maintaining visibility. Detailed reporting and clear performance tracking make it possible to see where overlaps exist, which carriers are most reliable, and where consolidation makes sense without disrupting service.
As part of this process, ITS reviews every contract, verifies the most advantageous terms and provides support to customers in their contract negotiations.
By combining reporting with a structured review process, companies can ensure that carrier networks remain efficient and resilient throughout the transition.
3. The ITS How: Prioritize Secure, Scalable Systems
Technology is the backbone of accurate freight bill auditing during M&A. Systems should be flexible enough to onboard new entities quickly and secure enough to handle sensitive financial data. System and Organization Controls (SOC)-compliant processes, automated discrepancy detection and real-time reporting are all considered best practices.
Equally important is scalability. Whether an organization is integrating one acquisition or ten, freight invoice management systems must expand seamlessly without sacrificing accuracy or service levels. In-depth reporting capabilities also play a critical role in freight invoice management, helping companies maintain spend visibility and stay audit ready, even during periods of rapid growth.
In fact, clients maintained 100% reporting visibility across multiple acquisitions with ITS, demonstrating the system’s ability to scale without compromising control.
Balancing security, scalability and reporting is what allows freight bill auditing to keep pace with M&A strategies, ensuring growth doesn’t come at the expense of control. ITS emphasizes this balance as part of helping clients navigate integrations with confidence.
4. Keep People at the Center with a Dedicated Team Approach
Even the best technology can’t manage the nuances of an M&A transition on its own. Freight bill auditing during acquisitions isn’t just about systems—it’s about people. A dedicated team that understands your business ensures exceptions are resolved quickly, institutional knowledge is preserved, and both finance teams and carrier partners feel confident throughout the process.
One manufacturing client noted that having the same ITS team across multiple acquisitions meant carriers never experienced a missed payment or communication gap, helping them achieve a smooth transition during a stressful acquisition.
Continuity through people builds trusted relationships and maintains stability across multiple acquisitions. It is one of the most important safeguards against disruption and a practice ITS has emphasized for decades.
Integration Done Right
M&A transitions can feel overwhelming in theory, but what does success look like in practice? Consider the experience of a global manufacturer that integrated several acquisitions within a short period of time.
By following best practices such as standardized invoice validation, proactive carrier mapping, and dedicated oversight, ITS helped the company maintain uninterrupted payment cycles and preserve strong carrier relationships. Reporting visibility also stayed intact, giving leadership confidence that freight operations were supporting, not slowing, growth.
This example highlights three outcomes that matter most during M&A: confidence in growth, efficiency at scale and a trusted partnership to guide the process. When those elements come together, freight bill auditing becomes a source of stability rather than disruption.
The Competitive Edge: Future-Proof Your Operations for What Comes Next
Freight bill auditing and payment isn’t often the headline in M&A, but it often determines whether integrations run smoothly. Standardized validation, careful carrier mapping, scalable systems and dedicated teams reduce disruption and help companies realize the value of their deals.
These practices also create confidence in growth, enable efficiency at scale and build trusted partnerships. Most importantly, they prepare freight operations to support future acquisitions and the increasing complexity of global transportation networks.
Are You Ready for a Merger or Acquisition?
Want to learn more about freight bill auditing best practices or how other companies have approached integration?
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