Hiring carriers such as Cowtown express for example ensure better delivery performance. However, for the partnership to benefit all the people involved, the levels of services must be aligned. Here we present some guidelines for hiring the ideal carrier for your business.
- Evaluate The Existing Types Of Cargo Transport
There are different types of cargo transport, some of which are more suitable for each situation:
General cargo transport – is conventional transport for cargo that does not require distribution, storage, and delivery specifications.
Full-load transport is when the company uses the entire vehicle space to transport its goods exclusively.
Transport of fractional loads – most commonly used in e-commerce, where more than one company can use the exact vehicle to make deliveries.
Another point to consider is that in the case of transporting fractional loads, it is possible to work with lower freight rates and ensure more flexibility in deliveries to consumers. In this sense, the transport of fractional loads ends up being the most interesting option for e-commerce.
- Look For References From Transport Companies
Before starting the quotes, try to find out which are the most used carriers by other companies, preferably in the same field of activity. This helps to create a list of providers that know the particulars of your niche market. If possible, contact the people responsible for the logistics management of these companies and ask for references about the carrier service. Search the internet and seek the opinions published – both from those who hire and from end customers, to identify their perspective on the service provided.
- Observe How The Carrier Communicates
During the contact and approach phase, understand how the service is and if it is in line with the level of service offered by your business. Delays in responding to emails, returning phone calls, or asking questions can be a big sign of quality problems in the relationship with carriers.
If the company already has problems at this stage, which should win your business as a customer, it may not be the ideal carrier for your needs.
- Analyze Prices
The “price” factor is highly relevant at the time of negotiations. However, it should not be considered in isolation, as it is related to the quality of the service. The highest price is not always synonymous with excellence in operations, in the same way, that lower values do not represent low quality. However, be wary of very cheap freight and see if the company such as trade show shipping companies can present some differential that justifies when the charge is more expensive than the competitors.
