| Mergers and Buyouts are swearing words in the LTL | | | | you will get overlooked. Whether you're using a 3PL |
| world. Recently we have seen several of these | | | | or direct with the carrier it doesn't matter at this |
| happening: Of course the most notable these days | | | | point because there's a good chance that you will get |
| are YRC- Yellow- Roadway- USF Companies; | | | | affected with any downfalls of the given merger-if |
| Dependable Highway has purchased Matheson Fast | | | | you allow it to happen. You see, it's not that Carrier's |
| Freight; and Roadrunner has purchased Bullet Freight. | | | | want to provide bad service, or fail their clients but |
| There is always a method to the madness for the | | | | most of the time when you merge entities, different |
| Carrier Company, but inherently the reasoning and | | | | cultures clash, it takes awhile for the "big wigs" to |
| logic behind the moves often times don't pan out | | | | come to grips with: |
| immediately, and can cause pain and heartache for | | | | 1) There's a problem... |
| the innocent by-products of these changes- the | | | | 2) The Depth of the Problem... |
| Customer. | | | | 3) And last but not least how to rectify the |
| I bring this point up because just yesterday one of | | | | problems. |
| my customers sent me an email stating that he had | | | | No one wants to admit that they made a mistake, or |
| sent several shipments with Dependable Highway, | | | | didn't allow for certain factors so people suffer. At |
| and since ALL the shipments were destined for | | | | the end of the day you have to understand that |
| customers not even 30 minutes from his location he | | | | there are personalities and attitudes at the other end |
| was expecting news of its delivery within 1-2 days. | | | | of the phone, behind the wheel of those trucks, and |
| Well it was going on the 4th day and his customers | | | | sending out your invoices. |
| had not yet received their products. Amongst the | | | | When all is said and done, you as the customer have |
| debacle were missed pickups, lack of communication | | | | to stay proactive on your knowledge of the industry. |
| on the carrier's part, and plain old bad service. I work | | | | I don't mean having to go to boring seminars or |
| with my clients on making sure they stay up to date | | | | getting on teleconference calls to hear the latest |
| on what's going on in the Freight world, and to stay | | | | minutes- that is cruel and unusual punishment. But I |
| active on their education and knowledge of what's | | | | do mean for you to subscribe to a periodical, |
| happening. Unfortunately, this particular customer | | | | magazine, or newsletter program that provides |
| missed out on my Newsletter update, and hadn't had | | | | relevant content. When I allude to "relevant content" |
| a chance to look in his newest logistic periodical. | | | | I am referring to things that will affect your |
| In the Transportation and Logistics arena the pace is | | | | company's success in the Logistics Department. In |
| fast, and furious. Carriers don't send notices out to | | | | shipping things happen no matter what you do, but if |
| their customer base announcing changes, but in fact | | | | you maintain awareness you can stay aware, |
| leave that to the customer's to figure out. Of course | | | | informed, and knowledgeable allowing for better |
| if you have a good salesperson that would be an | | | | follow up and continued efficiencies in your Logistics |
| added advantage, but if you're considered to be a | | | | Department. |
| smaller customer there's a very good chance that | | | | |