Having an issue with a reputable broker

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by gokiddogo, Jul 17, 2018.

  1. gokiddogo

    gokiddogo Road Train Member

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    Did 2 loads for this place. Large US broker. Most of the time I receive my money in 6-7 weeks from the date I email them invoice/pod.
    They owe me for 2 loads. Both are produce. There were no issues on loading, delivery, temperature, anything like that.
    Load 1: billed April 9.
    Load 2: billed May 7.
    Call on June 14 and am told that both loads have been paid on one cheque, and it is to be sent out June 15. A little annoyed I am now waiting for the older invoice, but I can live with it. It usually takes the mail system no more than 2 full weeks to have something delivered from USA. The latest was one marked picked up by US postal service July 9 and arrived July 16 (5 business days). July 6 I call and ask where my money is. I get the reply "if your money hasn't arrived by July 15, call us and we will reissue a cheque." I call today, July 17, after checking the mail and finding nothing. She tells me "sometimes it takes 4-6 weeks for Canadian cheques to be delivered." I tell her that is not true, their usual payment is 6-7 weeks and I have made peace with that. I ask her to cancel the lost cheque and send a new one. She insists I am making a mistake, but complies with my request. I ask when the new one will be sent out. "It takes 3-5 business days to make sure the sent out one wasn't cashed and then to reissue payment." Such BS.

    I don't think I can file on their bond, being it is produce = exempt commodity. These loads work well for me into my current lanes. I would like to continue doing them. I am frustrated with them, to put it lightly. I know who the customer is, the buyer of said produce, they are like a 45 min from where I live. What I would like to do is just haul it directly for them. I am hesitant since it is long haul inbound, and would be the last loop from my outbound broker work. They bring probably 15x the number of loads I could possibly even handle. Meaning if I do business with them, as a one truck guy, there is going to be a lot more "sorry, unavailable" rather than one call-business as usual-the way my outbound works. I cover easily 50% of my other [broker's] customer's loads going west. The only time I don't get them all is when there are too many loads going at the same time. It is a customer I'd like to target should I expand. It wouldn't really be a big deal if I got on this broker's bad list. This is the only account that really works into my current plan.

    When I get paid, or depending on what advice I can glean from here will determine the reveal of the brokerage house. For now I will just say it is a large one, payment not usually an issue (other than a bit slow) and is not one of the 3 letter ssa hats.
     
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  3. RedForeman

    RedForeman Momentum Conservationist

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    Story of my life. The best offers come from the biggest deadbeats. There's a reason for that: nobody wants to do business with them at any rate.

    On the one hand, you could shore up the payment situation on your end. If they're as big as you say, I'm surprised there isn't an ACH payment solution. Alternatively, open a US bank account with a drop box for payment deposits. Or at a bank where a family member or trusted friend lives, who will walk the checks into a local branch for deposit.

    Alternately, pay for a better (trackable) method to get the payment to your Canadian address. USPS Priority Mail is at least trackable. Or an overnight service. It's paper and flies right through customs. Or a comchek or the like. If the business is that valuable, maybe it's worth a small fee to get payment in hand more promptly.

    Don't take this the wrong way. You're creating part of the problem by expecting others to act right. They never do. Either solve the problem yourself, or offer your services to someone else.
     
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  4. gokiddogo

    gokiddogo Road Train Member

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    I am leaning towards offering my services to others. Or just go right to the buyer and tell them what I am offering and why. If they don't want to deal with me I'll find other options.
    It is the 3rd leg of a western Canada to west coast USA then to home. I am growing tired of doing the long stuff as it is. It is an easy money maker and I like running it, but I'd like to stay closer to the house. That loop accounts for probably 1/2 to 2/3 of my yearly revenue.

    This customer has never before been slow. The only slow part is they put the money in the mail probably at day 25 and it takes a while to get to Canada. I can't fault them for the postal service being slow and I don't care for giving up any % for quick pay or com check or any of that nonsense. I do have someone pickup my mail when I'm away and deposit cheques for me if I will be away for a while. Opening a us account would just make more headaches than it would be worth.
     
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  5. RedForeman

    RedForeman Momentum Conservationist

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    PS: Don't let the size of the broker shade your decision making process. I do not accept loads from Coyote. Period. We used to do a bunch of business with them, until they used payment on a $2000 invoice as leverage to get me to eat $230 in lumper reimbursement. At 60 days I filed on their bond. Five days passed until the claim was approved, then it took them less than 5 minutes to issue payment in full.

    I won't do business with Coyote to this day because of that. Maybe I've missed a lot of opportunity? So what. If they won't act right on that matter, why should I trust them with anything else related to a future load offer? For every one like that, there's a dozen more brokers that value your service enough to pay right.
     
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  6. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    I have exported or imported things to and from Canada among other Nations via ebay years ago and being a US Customer vs the exchange rates and the CA import duty etc is not a issue. Payments were handled by Paypal with is a form of banking that is similar to the Fed SWIFT System (Sending money by wire which goes out three times daily)

    Important mail that cannot and must not be lost go registered here in the US Postal System. At that point what happens it means that particular parcel, box or envelope is given white glove treatment to the locked vault or safe within the post office by the Postmaster only and is issued to the particular letter carrier by hand at the last moment when carrier is ready to go out and deliver to me. I used to ship Bullion this way, small amounts. No issues at all. Insured too. They wont believe it but that was done flawlessly. (Make sure the coins DO NOT CLINK or make noise)

    I would go ahead and begin to disconnect from that broker who apparently can instantly fill god only knows how many trucks today but cannot do a simple payment in three months. If they were truly that bad, the utilities would have been over due for months cutting their power due to non payment. Or the employees quit due to no payroll.

    YOU sir apparently is just one truck. You don't have that much weight with them. You can squeak all you want about where is my money. Pay me. And it's a few minutes annoyance to them easily forgotten after a trip to starbucks or something later in the day.

    I hate to be difficult. But get that money paid and move on to something else. Trucking has one big big big benefit. Mobility. If you aint taking widgets anymore from A to B that you have done last two years, you will be going to C to learn a new shipper to deliver to D somewhere else far away. Maybe that will be the fast paying jackpot you seek. Change can become really hard to those who get too comfortable.

    Don't get too comfortable. Stay light.
     
  7. gokiddogo

    gokiddogo Road Train Member

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    Ontario Canada
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    That's the beauty of being a one truck operation. I can change lanes way faster than a big carrier with dedicated accounts and lanes. The downside is I cannot serve a customer who wants to hear more yes, available then sorry, not available.
     
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  8. Trucking in Tennessee

    Trucking in Tennessee Road Train Member

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    A wire transfer is $10. Well worth it. The check is in the mail went out with the dog ate my homework.
     
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  9. Ruthless

    Ruthless Road Train Member

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    International wire transfer I did last month to Canadians was $55 on my side, 2 months ago I got wired money from Canada from other Canadians, cost me $35.
    Just some perspective.
     
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  10. Jazz1

    Jazz1 Road Train Member

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    Wire transfers are too expensive. I use E-Transfers through my bank @$7.00 as a last resort if credit card or PayPal cant be accepted.
    OP probably has Canada Post to blame for delay JMHO
     
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  11. DSK333

    DSK333 Road Train Member

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    I'm curious why they don't do ACH. Checks are dinosaurs and a great way for brokers to stretch out their time to pay while blaming everything under then sun for why you haven't received it. No direct deposit? Find another Carrier Mr. Broker. I'd be back soliciting in a heartbeat if I were you. They've already breached the contract since they've failed to pay on time. No holds barred now.
     
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