Accurate Price Quote Exam #1 © 2006 GPFC

Name:______Store:______Date:______

A minimum passing score of 90% or better is required in order to qualify for the certificate programs which mandate the completion of continuing education credits. 90% may seem like a high expectation of our franchisees, and it is. Our franchisees are the best trained folks in the shipping industry and they provide the best customer service. We strive to maintain that high level of proficiency and customer service at all Goin’ Postal stores, and this worksheet is one of the many ways in which we can assure that our GP store owners maintain this caliber of skill and service. We also encourage our franchisees to do research for themselves and to do problem solving to the best of their ability in all situations. Familiarity with the GP Operations Manual AND the Store Set-Up Manual and New Franchisee Primer is a vital aspect of your success, as are proficiency in the usage of GP Rate Pro and your POS, so this exam stresses the importance of knowing how to use your resource materials as well as using common sense and everyday skills that are required to operate a successful Goin’ Postal store. Selecting the appropriate size of box, knowing when both interior boxes and exterior boxes are required, estimating the weight and cost of packaging materials, estimating the total weight of a completely prepared package, estimating what to charge for your time to do a custom pack-job, and being able to whip up a price quote in a heartbeat with little more than a few facts is a real talent, but it is a necessary skill. Only practice and more practice will enable you to become proficient at this necessary skill. Should an applicant receive less than 90% on this exam, he/she can then submit the subsequent exam. Each exam is more difficult than the previous exam, and a minimum score of 90% is required regardless of the difficulty level of the exam. Submit this worksheet with your answers along with the application form and other required materials (see each cert. prog. for details). Keep a copy of all materials for your records, and send the originals to GPFC.

  1. Please list the mark-up rates (in %) that you CURRENTLY HAVE in your GP Rate Pro in order for your store to be competitive within your local marketplace .

Current Parcel Markup in GP RatePro
WeightRange DHL GroundFedEx GroundUPS Ground
0 to 10
10 to 25
25 to 50
50 to 100
100 to 150
WeightRange USPS Media Mail USPS Parcel Post USPS Priority USPS Express
*0 to 1
0/1 to 10
10 to 25

25 to 50
50 to 100
100 to 150
(*0-1 is only applicable for Priority Mail and Express Mail)
Current Letter Markup in GP Rate Pro

DHL 2nd Day

DHL Next Day 3 p.m.

DHL Next Day 12 p.m.

DHL Next Day 10:30 a.m.

DHL International Document

DHL International Priority

FedEx Express Saver

FedEx 2nd Day

FedEx Standard Overnight

FedEx Priority Overnight

FedEx First Overnight

FedEx International Priority

UPS 2nd Day Air

UPS 2nd Day Air A.M.

UPS Next Day Air Saver

UPS Next Day Air

UPS Next Day Air Early A.M.

UPS Worldwide Express Plus

UPS Worldwide Express

Notes:

  1. Please list CURRENT Fuel Surcharge for each of the carriers in GP Rate Pro.

CarrierFuel Surcharge %

______

______

______

  1. A customer brings in the following items which she wants you to pack in a box of your choosing (based on how you assemble the items within the box), and to ship to the address below:
  • a clothing set for a new baby: 14” x 8” x 1” weighing 13 oz.
  • a large, fluffy teddy bear that is 27” x 16”weighing 18 oz.
  • a set of baby bottles with a total measurement and weight of 11” x 8” x 4”, 10 oz.
  • a greeting card in a sealed envelope, 2 oz.
  • a large handmade lollipop with “Congratulations” on it measuring and weighing 32”x 1” thick x 9.5” wide at the widest point, 9 oz.
  • a mobile in a small box that is 12” x 12” x 12” and weighs 12 oz.
  • a “Baby Genius” CD measuring 6” x 5.5.” x 0.5”, 3 oz.

What size box will you select?

What is the approximate total weight of all of the items PLUS the box?

What are the price quotes that you can give the customer for Ground service through DHL, FedEx, and UPS with $200 insurance to a residential address in 84761?
______

What if she wants to send it 2nd Day Air?

______

What if she decides to only insure it for $100 and to send it via Ground?

______

What is she asks for a quote for sending the item via USPS? (Explain in detail and include price and insurance info you would share with her.)

4. A customer brings in

  • 4 law books (each weighing and measuring 10.25” x 7.6” x 1.75”, 1 lb. 3 oz.),
  • 17 CDs (each weighing and measuring 5.6” x 5” x 0.5”, 3 oz.),
  • and a fragile, glass ship in a bottle (11.5” x 4” x 4”, 7 oz.).

He wants to send them to a business address in zip code 04769 via Ground and wants to insure the entire package for $300.

Describe how you would package each item.

Law books:

CDs:

Ship in a Bottle:

If you would use an interior box for any of the items, what size would it be?

What size exterior box would you choose to ship all of the properly prepared items together (after you prepare them for shipment in accordance with the carriers’ guidelines)?

List the costs through the 3 major carriers for Ground to a business in that zip code.
______

Is there another way to send the items that might save money for the customer?

If so, describe your solution in detail.

What would the customer be looking at cost-wise for your solution?

5. A customer comes in and wants to send his video game back to the manufacturer for repair. It is 73 inches x 35 inches x 26 inches and weighs 238 lbs. What would you suggest to the customer?

Obtain samples quotes for this shipment and work them up for a manufacturer WITH a loading dock and WITHOUT a loading dock.

  1. A customer brings in an antique amplifier (40” x 26” x 26”) and you need to build a custom crate for it. Describe the packing materials (how wide, what kind, etc.?), and how large the crate will be. For this problem’s sake, let’s assume that the amplifier weighs 14 lbs., and the materials for the crate weigh a total of 9 lbs. Consider all of the available shipping options for this scenario. Calculate the cost of shipping the crate to a business address in 55387 (there may be a variety of viable answers, not just 1 price).

Now calculate the cost of your time to create the crate, and add in $14 in materials as well.

What are the TOTAL ballpark figures that your customer could be looking at?

7. A customer brings in the following to ship to a residence in zip code 27909:

  • A picture frame 12.5” x 10.5” x 1.25”, 4 oz.
  • A globe 15” x 13” x 13”, 15 oz.
  • A phone 9” x 8” x 5”, 9 oz.
  • A candle in a glass container 7” x 4” x 4”, 8 oz.

Total insured value would be $100.

Describe how you would package each item (be sure to include the box sizes if you will use an interior box).

Frame:

Globe:

Phone:

Candle:

What size exterior box would you choose (to hold all of the above items once they are prepared in accordance with the carriers’ guidelines)?
Estimate the total weight of the packaging, box(es), and items, and then calculate the shipping quotes for Ground shipping via DHL, FedEx, and UPS.

Calculations for total weight of Packaging:

Box(es):

All items listed:DHL Ground ______FedEx Ground ______UPS Ground ______

8. A customer brings in the following and wants to send them to a residence in 73942, insured for $400:

a Bic SureStart child resistant utility lighter 11.5” x 2.5” x 1”, 3 oz.

a box of chocolates that is 6” x 6” x 6”, 5 oz.

a 4” x 6” x 8” box of ammunition, 1 lb.

a ship’s bell measuring and weighing 13” x 6” x 6”, 2 lbs. 2 oz.

Describe how you would package each item to prepare it for shipment.

Lighter:

Chocolates:

Ammo:

Ship’s Bell:

Estimate the total weight of the packing materials that you selected.

What size box did you choose for each item, IF you chose to use interior boxes?

What size box would you choose for the exterior box?

What is the total weight of the box (and its contents=packing materials and items within) that you will ship to the residence in 73942?

What items are inside it?

Write the price quotes for ground service insured for $400 here:

______

Include any information that you want to share about this shipment.

9. A customer wants to ship the following school supplies to AkwesasneFreedomSchool in the St. Regis Mohawk Indian Reservation in zip code 13655, and to insure the package for $100:

50 rulers, each measuring 12” (duh!) x 1.25” x 0.2” and each weighing 2 oz.

50 alphabet primer books, each measuring 8.5” x 11” x 2” and each weighing 4 oz.

50 silly animal erasers, each measuring 3” x 2” x 1” and each weighing 1.4 oz.

50 “learning is fun” sheets of stickers, each sheet measuring 4” x 4” x 0.2” and weighing 1 oz.

What is the total weight of the items for this shipment? (Show your calculations below.)

What size exterior box will you choose?

What is the weight of the box alone?

What is the weight of the total shipment (items and box)?

What are the rates for this shipment to go via Ground service through the 3 major carriers?

______

What would the rates be if she decides to send an identical shipment to the Ganienkeh Tribe’s school in zip code 12910.

______

10. The local Little League asks you to ship the following to a business address in 79936, and they want you to estimate the insurance value (DVC) for them:

12 team jerseys weighing 12 oz. each with an approximate folded-up measurement of 6” x 14” x 16”

5 team photo wall plaques (no glass, not fragile), each weighing 16 oz. and measuring 12” x 9” x 1.5”

3 sheets of 8.5” x 11” paper, each weighing less than 1 oz.

4 aluminum bats, each measuring 35.5” x 3.5” in diameter and weighing 1 lb. each

What is the total weight of the items listed above?

What size exterior box would you choose to ship all of the above items in one box?

What is the weight of the exterior box?

What is the total weight of the shipment (items, exterior box, any packing materials you might use----list all here to show your calculations)?

What would you recommend for a declared value coverage amount?

What would you say to the customer in regard to DVC?

What are the prices for Ground shipment via DHL, FedEx, and UPS?

______

Exam Taker’s Signature: ______Date:______

GPFC Examiner’s Signature: ______Date: ______