What is so special about freight finder procedures? And how can it help you make more money? Well both are really good questions and both go hand in hand, but you need to look a little deeper, scratch below the surface to find the best answers.
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Like everything I write about in my previous articles, there are several key points I often stress. They tend to revolve around better business practices and saving money and/or cutting costs. Some are obvious:
- Safety (maintaining a proper safety rating)
- Maintenance (maintenance for fleet)
- Accountability (keeping good records)
- Cost Saving (keeping expenses down)
Well they are of course all important, but now I want to touch more so on the last point, cutting cost and saving money. There are several ways which you can do this and I have spoken extensively about things like fuel savings, reducing maintenance cost, and even cost effective or free truck driver’s schools and training options. All these are great regardless if you’re a driver or the owner of the company.
Source: www.paragonrouting.com
But freight finder procedures and related duties are more the office, and perhaps the dispatcher’s, responsibility. Of course it all depends on the size and scope of your operation. You might have an entire sales team to assist or it might be the business owner him/herself that handles all the sales calls.
The great thing about the world today, it doesn’t matter about the size of your staff. You can have all the same tools at your fingertips, regardless if your fleet is ten trucks or five hundred. The only difference is a larger organization might have more people processing the information, but it is readily and equally available to everyone.
You just need to know where to find them and how to use them to their best benefit. This is of course based on the size of your operation and the type or types of freight you transport. The internet is your strongest ally and research is your first tool. From there you can find good loads and brokers and even drivers to haul your freight.
So to the first point…
Source: www.autotrainingcentre.com
What Are Freight Finder Procedures
Freight finder procedures are what you implement in the company to find freight loads. When doing this there are several things to consider. Time and destination are important; can you get to where you need to be in the allotted time? Did the dispatcher assign a driver with the proper endorsements? Does he/she have the proper trailer (you’ll need a reefer to haul ice cream).
But there is something that often gets overlooked, especially in new businesses. Is there a load for the return trip? You never want a truck and trailer on the road empty. That is one of the key responsibilities of a good dispatcher. This is also one of the reasons for having good freight finder procedures in place. Know them and follow them, because the life of your company depends on keeping your trucks not only moving but hauling loads.
Another key point about freight finder procedures is that they are a plan, a road map of your future goals and intents. They can act very much like a business plan. Using them you can plan ahead the company’s future goals, such as what kind of freight do you want to be your main focus? What part of the country do you want to be your area of operations? And what are your projected growth rates in the coming years?
Source: www.trinitylogistics.com
All this helps keep your company focused on the long term goals. It also helps your team when trying to find clients. If you see that something is working you have a baseline to adjust from. Perhaps narrow your territory or broaden your freight categories that you’re wanting to transport.
Once you have your freight finder procedures in place, make sure your team is aware of what is expected. You will find that people work better when they understand why they are required to do or perform tasks a particular way.
Remember the best way to get your staff to follow your plan, is if it is kept clear, concise, and you as the manger maintain a higher level of expectations that you have for your staff. That way they will try to match and hopefully surpass you. But keep your staff expectations and goals realist. If you have a fleet of five trucks, I wouldn’t plan any runs to Mars, if you know what I am trying to say.
Source: www.record-run.com
How To Set Up Freight Finder Procedures
So what’s next? You need to set up your freight finder procedure’s process to make it happen. But how can you do this? What about the competition? How can you possibly find enough clients to keep all your trucks loaded whenever they are on the road?
Well first off, relax. Remember technology is your friend and this is the age of everything right at your fingertips. You have several options readily available to better assist you with setting up your freight finder procedures. The best part about this industry is as your business grows so will your customer base, eventually they will come looking for you, but until then hands on lab and work your way!
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So remember, your reputation is the key. Just like you need to have your drivers on time and to be professional, so should your office staff. Actually your sales team and dispatcher must be ten times more so. Because they are not only a reflection of the company they are the first contact most new and existing customers will have with your organization. (Make sure you stress this in your company’s freight finder procedures manual).
Your staff need to be very knowledgeable about every aspect of the company; available drivers, trailers, endorsements, everything. They need to have instant access to the location of every truck in the fleet. So, when they speak with a customer nothing is left to chance.
Source: www.freightpros.com
One good trick that has been done for years are prewritten scripts. Just like in a movie, they help the actor stay on point, so do sales call scripts. Some are written out verbatim while others are keynotes and talking points. One of the main issues to remember is that they should never be read while on the phone. The staff member needs to sound as natural and normal as possible, while at the same time keeping on topic.
Another great tool, actually the best one there is going online and researching the numerous freight locator sites and online load boards that are available out there. These have already pulled together the companies in need of a transportation company services, and are in constant update throughout the day. Some are pay for service, while others charge the client.
Another great option are the brokers. They make the connection between trucking companies and those in need of their services. They charge a fee depending on many factors; the load, the distance/destination, and even the overall value of the freight. The good thing about them, it’s their responsibility to find you a clients.
Source: www.freightbrokertrainer.com
