Small carrier: How to get a direct customer & skip the broker.

Lovin the info! Anything that helps put more leverage back where it belongs in our hands! If people don't want to take the time to figure it out, they can keep working for the man.

 

Good info, but you haven't mentioned an important part of getting set up with direct freight. How do you compete with what that shipper is doing now, whether it's different carrier or broker that covers his loads. How will you entice him into working with you?
Sure your resume may look good on paper and those cookies you sent may thrill the workers in the break room, but the bottom line dollar will always be the most important thing they look at. So you have to undercut the guy they are working with at the moment. And that may be beneficial to the both of you until the next guy comes along and does the same. Which in today's market won't take long.
What do you do that will set you apart from the next guy that can do the same job for less money?

 

Don't assume low price is everything- fair price for your service and the shippers need is what you are after. A good business depends on good relationships, sometimes that good relationship has a higher price point- and good shippers know that. I'd say 90% of my discussions with potential customers start and end with "what's your rate", which is best for them and me. The others start with "here is what we need and will require from you, tell us about yourself and your business" and end with the rate negotiations. Someone else coming along and undercutting you? Happens every day with my customers: if you go in their office and hear "Hey! Good to see you! How do we get these #!&*% brokers to quit cold-calling us!" you are doing a great job for them, no worries.

 

I was just down in the shop and thought of something else to mention-

I moved a machine for one of my customers to a major manufacturer for a refurb- a place I would figure wouldn't be worth asking if they had any freight for little 'ol me. When I got there & was doing the paperwork the guy said: "This customer can't say enough about you and won't use any one else. We have some machines going out, do you want to take a look at what we've got? Let's get you set up & let us know the next time you are in the area." Left with a GREAT paying load.

Winner.

 

Although I'm leased on, I remember talking to a O/O in Ohio who lived in NY. He had a direct customer who payed him very well and always booked a broker/load board load back to NY. He said he pulled for a company in Texas back to NY and the shipping guy asked him his availability coming into Texas which was once a week. The shipper asked him if he could just work with him instead of calling different brokers looking for a truck in south Tex. Shipper said he paid the broker 4.00 for a stepdeck load going to NY. He showed me his previous rate con and his new invoice with the shipper. Broker was only paying the truck 2.50 pm out of 4.00 pm. He said he rode that wave until the job was over in NY which was a 3 month job. I think it's ironic how....... I don't wanna say desperate but eager a lot of shippers are with working direct with a carrier.

 

Decent info on how to approach a customer. How about a few things that will kill the deal right away.

Can't do the first load tendered.

Try to re-schedule first load.

Hit the customer up for more money because someone else has a load paying more.

Turn down the load because there is no freight coming back. Or tell them you need more because of that.

Driver come in with an attitude to shipper/receiver.

Quite a few more that I've heard over the years.

 

Becoming a member of your local Chamber of Commerce would help in making connections. Most of the large and small companies are members. It would be a good way for them to get to know you. And about your business.