What is every broker's pressure point/biggest problem?

Offering profitable rates to carriers ? just a thought, I've noticed just a couple brokers struggle with this, I'm sure none of the ones on this forum !

 

Communication-I don't have access to my e-mail or fax machine while I'm driving down the road. If it is urgent, call me and I will try to solve your problem or come up with an alternate solution.

 

If you fix #1 then you've solved the remaining 6. Problems arise when you change #1. It really is that simple.

 

Communication: The job of a broker would be a breeze if everything was communicated with honesty, clarity, and completeness from both the customer and the carrier. Because the customer and carrier are both humans; however, this is not always the case. Most of the time different issues can be resolved rather easily. Delivery address or appointment was moved? Freight was heavier than on rate confirmation? No one at the shipper? No problem. Just get in contact with me and we'll get it sorted it out.

The only time it becomes a problem is when one or the other link in the chain is missing. Delivery is late? Customer is pissed and wants to know where the freight is and when driver will be there? Dispatch doesn't know squat and driver won't answer the phone? Pressure point.

Along the same lines, if the carrier has encountered an issue and your customer contact is not available and no one else knows squat about your load that also becomes a major pressure point. Failing customers is bad, but failing carriers by providing no answers is just as bad.