One thing about transportation economy is that it is huge. There is so much freight moving around this country that if you care about customer service and work hard there is a huge need for you. Transportation is strong. Freight Brokers and small carriers are a great match for this industry. Both are small business that need one another. The smaller freight broker typically pays more then the large carrier and still offers the customer a better price then the large brokerages.
There is always a need for transportation. The smaller freight broker typically aligns themselves with customers in a way that no large broker could ever compete with. They provide a virtual employee to manage a huge part of a customer’s business. The smaller freight broker is able to build a business relation that centers around a customer operation and manage it like it is their own.
It is incredibly easy to hang your shingle as a transportation entropnenur. One of the best ways to research the industry whether you are thinking of buying a truck or starting up a freight brokerage business or both; is to use Trulos.com free load board to check out what is going on. You can easily search for any type of freight and use the truck forecasting tool to figure out where to start looking for trucks or searching for freight.
A free load board is a great way to put numbers to a new business plan also. Check you area and look for customers near by or in a destination where you going.
Freight is a tough competitive marketplace but what a lot of people forget is that freight brokering is a personal business and the expertise is appreciated from customers. The relationships brokers have with carriers is also great. Everyone is working to make a living and carriers will always work with brokers. The freight broker is an extension of a carriers business as well. A single carrier is not able to offer the customer service that a broker is able to offer. A good carrier is like gold to a broker. It is a business relationship that gets built up like any other but have a go to carrier for a lane is the best tool a broker can have and they are able to sell to the carriers needs.
Both truckload carriers and freight brokers need a good software system to manage the business. Invoicing, Load Management and Customer management are huge pieces. Technology doesn’t really make a big difference in customer service but it definitely makes it easier to get out of the office and still keep a firm grip on your business. Dispatch and freight management software is all web based and very inexpensive. There are free versions available like AscendTMS (www.TheFreeTMS.com) and great paid load posting services like DAT. DAT Offers a free trial
Small Freight Brokers are going to remain a strong and profitable industry. The software available definitely makes it easier to grow and become more efficient. The key to software is to find one that you enjoy using. It has to look good to you and be easy to use. You are going to be on it a lot so if it is hard and the screen layout is not what you like then find another one. There are definitely plenty to choose from.