Finding the Right Carrier
Here’s a problem brokers run into – they settle for finding A carrier to move their freight, when they should be looking for the RIGHT carrier to move their freight.
What do I mean by that?
A Carrier
Let’s be honest, it’s not that hard to find a carrier to move a shipment. Here’s what you do:
- Pull open a search on your favorite load board
- Call five carriers
- Offer them an above-market rate per mile
I guarantee one of them is going to take your load.
That’s an extreme example to illustrate a point, but this comes up all the time. Think about the carriers you’re using – are they actually a good fit for your freight or were they just the first carrier to agree to your rate?
The RIGHT Carrier
Your goal should be to find carriers where your freight is a good fit for their network:
- For owner ops, maybe this is freight that helps you give them a re-load to keep them moving.
- For mid-sized carriers, maybe this is backhauls or other desired lanes.
- For larger carriers, maybe this is freight that helps them restore network balance.
The point is that certain freight is going to be a better fit for certain carriers, and THAT is the match you should be looking for.
Why Bother?
Brokers: But, my freight is getting moved either way – who cares about this “mutual fit” nonsense?
You should care.
Mutual fit is one of the biggest drivers of effective carrier relationships because it fosters long-term relationships, rather than transactional ones. By working with carriers that are a better fit for your freight, you’ll see a host of benefits, including: more consistent capacity, improved service levels and more consistent pricing.
Sync Logistics Training
If you found this interesting, check out what we’re building at Sync Logistics Training. We cover this topic and more in our coursework on Carrier Sales.
Reach out to nick@synclogisticstraining.com for more information.
