So, how important is 'schmoozing'?

I think its very important expecially if its a broker you deal with on a daily basis.If you asked how are the kids and show genuine concern i guarantee when that 6.00 per mile load comes in your the first person that broker calls,but at the same time if its just some random broker its not neccesary because you dont really have that relationship yet.Its no different than a stranger you meet your not gonna asked about kids and family but if its someone you have contact with all the time you will ask.I think people treat you as you treat them plain and simple.

 

I think it's extremely important that you stroke my ego and show me pictures of your self proclaimed hot ex-wife! (only you will get that!)

In all seriousness though. If you work with someone on a regular basis, I believe it's extremely important to get to know them. Sure I'm busy and my phones are ringing off the hook, but when I do have slow times I try to spend a few minutes on the phone and talk with guys like yourself. You and I have a common background, so we can talk shop a little bit and have a common interest. You also sound somewhat professional, so I have a sense of security knowing you're not going to show up to deliver a load in sweatpants with 5 day old beef gravy stains and a t-shirt with more holes in it than swiss cheese. I'm more likely to call you for my high priority loads and loads that pay better than others because I know you're not going to jack me around and you'll do a good job.

It's also nice to know someone is genuine and is more than just a person on the other end of a phone line. We're all human, and we all have that need to belong or be associated with others. It never hurts to build relationships in this business.

 

Depends on how busy the day is. If its just a call to say hi, try to do that in the afternoon. If you are looking for freight, brokers/agents love to have the "one call" contacts. Makes life easier and its great to have dependable contacts. If it ends up being a reliable and friendly carrier that the lanes match up, I have always tried to pony up a few extra dollars on the load to them. Benefits both parties and we can both do our jobs quicker.

 

I'm not a broker, but I think the golden rule applies. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. As an O/O I do get sick and tired of brokers trying to sell me on bad loads, but I also realize that brokers get sick and tired of truckers who don't make appointments or who don't perform professionally. We need to give the best service that we can and appreciate the brokers who give us the tools we need to do our jobs effectively. And then we can all play this stupid game of how much can you pay now, how much can you pay later, yada, yada... etc... lol