Few questions for brokers

This is basically how I operate as well. We operate a motor carrier also, so I see both sides of the coin. It is due to this that I try to be different than other brokers, I know how they operate and I know most of them are snakes.

1.) I leave notes in my system of carriers that I use. Both positive and negative notes. If a carrier communicates well with me, I note it. If they cancel last minute on me, I note it.

2.) I set my rates based on lane history and market fluctuations. I have a certain percentage I like to average but we all know how that goes.

3.) Once I book a load with a carrier, that load is covered. It doesn't matter if the next caller begs to do it for half of what the booked carrier is doing it for. I made a deal with the booked carrier and that deal will stand barring any issues.

4.) Most of the lanes I run, I have established relationships with good carriers that have done them for me in the past. I rarely have to post loads. For me, making 10% while using a good guy that I know will do a good job is far more important than using a shady character and making 20%. I believe that is rare in most brokers, most of your big name guys are going to go with the cheapest guy. In my experience on the carrier end, brokers will put you in bidding wars 9 times out of 10, and that pisses me off. I'll tell them I don't want their load that bad.

5.) My big customers use their own FSC programs that are automatically updated every week. My smaller customers are all-in handshake type deals.

6.) I have not run into this very often, but it does happen.

6.) New vs. old carriers does not matter to me as far as rate. One of my best, most reliable carriers is a new guy. I tend to make more of a character judgement call over the phone.

7.) I always pay my carriers for the detention that they deserve. Here again, having a carrier operation as well, I know how frustrating it is to hear from a broker that the customer did not approve the detention even though you followed the policy perfectly. I do like the way it was stated here though, it is a 2 way street. A carrier running 3 hours late is just as much of an issue for a shipper/receiver as it is for a carrier being detained for 3 hours.