| The current economy has provided the | | | | times are, few and far between, in today's market. |
| Transportation Industry with an influx of new | | | | 4) Follow Up- If the Carrier doesn't get back to you |
| companies that are looking to try to break into | | | | in a timely fashion, or forgets altogether, then you |
| Shipping Freight. These companies are smart, because | | | | definitely want to reevaluate your choice of vendors. |
| they are not looking to compete with the Big Boys, | | | | Whether it be your sales rep, or your customer |
| like the Fedex, UPS, and Conway's of the world, but | | | | service agent, poor follow up runs through the |
| they are looking to fulfill a niche market. | | | | company typically. |
| They hire a cousin to be the driver, and a friend to | | | | 5) Operations- Grumpy operations personnel make |
| work the books. They acquire all necessary licenses | | | | for poor service all around. If you ever feel as if "you |
| and pay the fees that need to be paid and their in | | | | are bothering your operations representatives" then |
| business. From this point on many of them proceed | | | | you definitely need a new company. In freight you |
| to the market place to offer, not value, but cheap | | | | might be dealing with employees who have been in |
| rates, thus dropping the Industry market value down | | | | the business for over 30 years, and really don't like |
| considerably. So with this in mind, a typical shipper | | | | their jobs- they often take it out on the customer. |
| probably has, at the least, 15 knocks on their door | | | | Don't fall into this trap! |
| from potential new shipping vendors who say they | | | | 6) Technology- We are in Y2K!!! If a company is not |
| want an opportunity to bid on their Freight. | | | | able to provide you with online capabilities and up to |
| Most customers at this point take the rate sheet, or | | | | date information on your shipments then this might |
| at the least, take the sales reps card to perhaps give | | | | be a sign to look for another company. Please |
| them a quote opportunity. The issue that faces a | | | | understand, there are many shippers that prefer to |
| warehouse Manager is that every sales rep that | | | | have a live person than use online technology, and |
| enters the door is talking about 1 thing, and one thing | | | | that's fine, but the Freight carrier needs to be able to |
| only- cheap rates. It's not a wonder why Warehouse | | | | back that up with online technology for quick reports |
| Manager's are at their wits end with Sales Calls. This | | | | and a more efficient Distribution system. |
| article consists of some general guidelines that a | | | | 7) Customer Service- We've all had those bad |
| shipper should consider when looking to hire a freight | | | | service experiences going out to dinner with our |
| carrier. This list is compiled from consulting with many | | | | spouse, a rude customer service operator, so I'm |
| clients in the industry, as well as several Operation | | | | sure you can relate to this topic. Never settle for |
| Managers. | | | | rudeness because of cheap rates, you'll end up |
| 10 Areas That a Shipper Wants To Examine Prior To | | | | regretting it in the long run-guaranteed. |
| Hiring a Freight Company: | | | | 8) Ease of Engagement- This speaks for itself, |
| 1) Service Commitment- Make sure to ask questions | | | | because it should always be easy to get a hold of |
| directly concerning the destinations that you ship. | | | | your Sales Person or the Operations Team. |
| Often times carriers will list transit times and | | | | Companies that are good in this category do things |
| destinations that they might not serve directly, but | | | | like, answer the phone within 3 rings; follow up with |
| may have agents working for them their. Don't get | | | | emails/phone calls the same day; take a proactive |
| me wrong, there's nothing wrong with an Agent | | | | approach to service rather than reactive. |
| relationship, but this is something that you want to | | | | 9) Recoverability- I coined this term a few years |
| make sure you ask the carrier. | | | | back. When something bad happens, the good |
| 2) Accountability- If a carrier promises you something | | | | companies get right on it and maintain solid |
| make sure you hold them to it...Freight is not an | | | | communications with the Shipper and all necessary |
| exact science, so many things can come into play | | | | parties. We all know that things happen, but it's how |
| with regards to shipping- weather, load factor, | | | | Carriers respond and recover that make them |
| mechanical issues, the list goes on and on... Make sure | | | | GREAT.Often times mishaps are what help solidify a |
| carriers take ownership of their promises and | | | | Customer-Carrier relationship- ironic. |
| guarantees. | | | | 10) Gut- More important than all of the other topics |
| 3) Price- I list this 3rd on the list because, believe it or | | | | combined is to make sure you use your gut instinct. |
| not, price is not as big as people want to play it out | | | | If you don't feel right about the carrier, or if you |
| to be. You see, if your product doesn't make it's | | | | can't seem to find anything good about them other |
| destination safely and in good transit time, it won't | | | | than price then you might need to take a mental |
| matter if you received a dirt cheap rate because you | | | | note and look deep at their company because the |
| will have a very unhappy customer. At times | | | | GUT is usually right on the money. |
| customers can live with a long transit time, but those | | | | |