As players in the transportation industry, shippers and brokers should be aware of certain techniques that can help you as a broker or carrier develop a lasting partnership with one another and make a big impression in trucking.
Attitude is key
Good attitude: In the world of customer service having a good attitude can go a long way. Many people make.gif "Savannah 3PL")
this fatal mistake in turning off a customer by being rude or too aggressive with the other party. This is most certainly true when it comes to the transportation industry. Being in logistics people will have the pleasure of listening to a lot of drivers and carriers talk about how rude this industry can get. By putting the other party first in your mind as the broker and or carrier, you can start to ensure that you will start to have no problem picking up freight and getting it delivered because you have started to develop a good partnership between you as the carrier and the broker or reverse. As you both need each other to survive in this industry, this foundation can solidify that.
Communication
Just like a team need good communication so does this partnership between the broker and carrier. From start to finish there needs to be nothing left out that is tied to a shipment order detail. Often carriers are left in the dark when certain things are changed or discussed between a broker and a shipper. This leads to a blown delivery time and or late pickup neither of which is good for the end goal making a profit. To ensure that nothing is left out an email or paperwork from the shipper to the broker ending in the hands of the carrier needs to take place so no detail is left out and the broker and carrier are error free on their part. This will also help to keep tensions down as shipments are being processed.
Paying on Time
Everyone loves to get paid, but there’s one thing that we love even more: Getting paid on time. When people don’t get paid on time, they get frustrated because they already had to go through a hard week only to find out there was a delay of payment! This is another big problem in the transportation industry. The broker must make sure that if he or she is promising a 30-day window, then the carrier should be seeing it day 29 at the latest. This will ensure a solid partnership between broker and carrier.
Leaving a good impression
A good impression is always a plus no matter where you are or who you are. The transportation industry is an excellent place to practice. This is largely due to the fact that a broker needs the carrier and vice versa in a lot of cases. So why not butter your bread while you are making a good partnership? Make sure from time to time, whether you are the carrier or the broker that you send each other a gift basket to keep good rapport. It’s like making a fire and not adding any wood. The fire will slowly go out. As the broker or as the carrier give each other a reason to keep one another at each other’s fingertips because in this industry you need to be able to work together. There is nothing better than a strong partnership between the broker and carrier.
Investing time
Definitely in the trucking industry. If it’s already hard to find a carrier or a broker, then the best thing to do is find out how to help each other out. “What is it that I can do to help you?” Should be the question because if you are helping to solve a problem, then you can set yourself as the carrier or broker to be in business next time.
All of these techniques can help ensure a long healthy partnership between the carrier and the broker. In this industry having a strong partnership can set both parties up for a successful career in this industry. When others are falling apart, you and your Savannah 3PL partner can thrive and run the board when it comes to the trucking industry.