Maintaining and managing carrier relationships is essential to any successful logistics business. Freight agents can be a great asset in helping you build long-term relationships with carriers, while also providing access to competitive rates and better customer service than what you may find on your own. Let’s explore the role of a freight agent and the benefits of working with one:
The Role of a Freight Agent
A freight agent acts as an intermediary between carriers and shippers. They provide easy access to a network of reliable carriers, allowing them to quickly book transportation services without having to search for the best deal themselves.
Benefits of Strong Carrier Relationships
There is a range of benefits to kind of strong and productive carrier relationships that a freight broker can help you build, including:
Increased Loyalty
A freight agent can help you establish relationships with carriers that are mutually beneficial. This will increase loyalty between you and your carrier, leading to more repeat business in the future.
Timeliness
Strong carrier relationships are key to ensuring that shipments arrive on time. With the help of a freight broker, you can ensure that your shipments remain within the delivery timeline you set for yourself. Open communication between you and your carrier is essential to ensure that shipments are not delayed, and having a sound freight broker can help facilitate this.
Cost Reduction
Working with a freight agent can help you reduce the cost of your shipments by negotiating better rates with carriers and helping you find more efficient routes for transporting goods. This will not only save you money but also give your business a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Improved Negotiation
Negotiating the best deal for you is easier when your freight agent is well-connected in the industry, as they will know which carriers to go to for what shipments. The enhanced trust built through strong relationships also gives your freight agent more leverage in negotiations.
Enhanced Service
By having solid relationships with carriers, your freight agent can often get you preferential treatment when it comes to service. This could be getting priority on the loading dock or having access to additional services like inventory management and bookkeeping.
How Brokerages Can Find Good Carriers?
There are a number of ways to find reliable carriers. Freight agents usually have an established network of carriers to work with, and they can use that as the starting point for finding good ones. Good freight brokers also take time to contact other agents in their industry or attend trade shows or conferences to meet new carriers.
One of the significant benefits of working with a freight broker is their carrier portfolio. By having access to a variety of carriers, the broker can select the best option for each shipment based on its needs.
At Somerset Logistics, we have an experienced team of freight agents who have established relationships with many top-tier carriers in the industry. This means that our customers can benefit from access to reliable carriers and competitive rates.
Our agents are also committed to providing excellent customer service and communication, ensuring that you’re always in the loop with your shipments.
Work with the Experts at Somerset Logistics
We strive to provide superior customer service, so you can have peace of mind knowing your shipments are taken care of in the most efficient manner possible. Our experienced team of freight agents is dedicated to helping you manage and grow your carrier relationships.