How to increase efficiency of forwarding? Cooperation with carriers is the key
Ordering transport of a load entails searching for a carrier who will accept the freight on a particular route and under specific conditions. This is particularly troublesome when the shipper has to contact several or even more than a dozen companies – and not all of them respond to an offer immediately. Additionally, they have to be verified and rates may require negotiation. Read the article to learn how to simplify cooperation with carriers and make it more efficient.
Challenges of modern forwarding
The forwarder’s work requires meticulous planning, relevant relations and excellent communication with clients – both carriers and companies ordering transport. Any deficiencies usually entail losses and delayed deliveries. Thus, it’s worth focusing on activities based on a group of good operators, i.e. trusted and reliable companies.
Creating groups of own carriers
The Trans.eu Platform has a module which allows creating groups of carriers. Within this module the shipper can group his contractors according to the routes they travel and the vehicles they have at their disposal. It is not just about the size and capacity of a vehicle, but also the body type or additional parameters: coolers or truck cranes. All this allows you to immediately select carriers who can potentially accept a particular order. Savings in time and work in establishing contact with given companies can be enormous and the larger the scale of the business, the greater the profits. Any company can be invited to join the group, but it is useful to focus on those which we have good cooperation with. It is also possible to verify opinions and ratings, insurance policies, transport documents and quality certificates by viewing the potential partner’s profile on the Platform.
Communication with carriers on Trans.eu
Communication is facilitated by automated sending of requests to companies which have been selected by the forwarder or the shipper. It can be done directly on the Platform, without the need to send e-mails or make phone calls. Cooperation is established after selecting the optimal offer from the carriers who are ready to accept the order and whose price is satisfactory.
An interesting option which allows for cost optimization is checking the market prices for specific routes, assuming that similar cargo is being transported. Such comparison of prices as well as access to the history of negotiations with carriers allows you to make a quick and informed decision on cooperation. This makes it easier to select a carrier for a single order, but also to establish regular cooperation with a number of proven companies offering the best value for money.
Forwarder’s tools facilitating work
The platform gives additional possibilities for both carriers and companies ordering transport. One of them is the constant monitoring of cargo. Carriers can share the location of their trucks in real time, which allows the goods to be tracked without contacting the transport company. The option of informing about all obstacles and the very fact of entering the loading zone is also a very important function. All this makes it possible to automate transport management by reducing its costs and eliminating many organisational problems.
Using the Platform is also beneficial for the carrier. Thanks to the additional QuickPay service, the transport company can get paid for its services immediately and this, in turn, makes carriers more willing to carry out orders from a given forwarder.
Given that in the transport industry ease of cooperation, stability of settlements and lack of organisational problems are the basis for long-term cooperation, it is worth taking advantage of all the opportunities offered by the Trans.eu Platform.