If you own a business, you know how important it is to surround yourself with reliable partners. Whether you work diligently to find the best candidates for open positions or ally yourself with business partners that have the same goals, it’s best to consider the company you keep if you want to achieve meaningful success in virtually any industry. That’s why you need to look at more than just cost when adding to your team. If you’re interested in hiring a freight broker, let C&M Transport help you understand just what to look for.
What Is a Freight Broker?
The world of logistics is complex and can be difficult to navigate. That’s why business owners turn to freight brokers or freight agents to help manage these affairs. These truck brokers work as facilitators and negotiators between your business and the carriers that will help move your goods around the country or the globe. They offer dependable communication and take on many roles that business owners will be glad to pass off, including:
- Helping your company find sales leads
- Gathering data related to your company’s goods
- Negotiating prices for you
- Preparing quotes and collecting payments
- Identifying, verifying, and commissioning a carrier
- Managing and tracking shipments and updating the shipper on their progress
- Handling any unexpected events that disrupt the shipping process
- Provide customer support to both the shipper and the carrier
- Completing deliveries
- Creating important shipping documents
- Sending necessary documents to the carrier
Why Choose a Broker You Can Rely On?
Running a business is hard enough. If you have an opportunity to find a reliable partner, most business owners will jump at the chance. Choosing a trustworthy freight agent has some special advantages, such as:
Confidence
Working in logistics can result in a lot of numbers and complicated puzzles. This can be too much for many shippers to deal with, which is why they enlist the help of freight brokers in the first place. But a broker you can trust to get everything right takes the burden off, especially knowing that if anything urgent comes up, they’ll be ready to handle it. Feeling confident in your partner allows you to focus on making great products and coming up with innovative ideas.
Saving You Money
Part of a broker’s job is negotiation. Brokers that know how to strike a deal will help save your company money. Reputable brokers can help get you affordable rates because they work with so many carriers and can figure out which ones best align with your needs.
Communication
Trucking brokers that have made a name for themselves are likely great communicators. This means that you’ll get consistent and timely updates on shipments, hear important details from the carrier, and more. They’ll even help you understand changes in the industry, including rising or falling freight and fuel costs and new and amended state and federal regulations.
Liability
While it isn’t required for brokers to have cargo insurance, reputable brokers will have such coverage. Some freight brokers aren’t properly insured or don’t have enough coverage for more expensive shipments, which can create problems should anything happen.
Look for Your Freight Broker at C&M Transport
At C&M Transport, we have a team of dedicated and attentive freight brokers ready to help your business reach its potential. We have over 30 years of experience, helping us create a reliable reputation in the industry. While we are headquartered in the Cleveland, OH, area, we have 17 locations across the country, so we’re always nearby. If you are considering working with a freight agent or have any questions about our services, contact us today.