NAVIGATING CAPACITY WITH HEART

A Recap of the TIA Whitepaper

The TIA recently published a whitepaper called “Critical Imbalance: Navigating A Capacity Crisis That Won’t Go Away” which is available to TIA members. This was an insightful article about the value of relationships in the transportation brokerage industry. This whitepaper hits home for us here at Simple Logistics because it touches on the heart of what we value… the importance of relationships!

There are certain skills and resources that are critical to being able to handle the unique market landscape we are currently facing. Carrier relationships top the list on necessary resources.

“If you’re an intermediary, you’re uniquely positioned to deal with the fluidity of the market. You have to build those carrier relationships so you can buy the capacity needed for your customers,” said Mike Riccio, Chief Marketing Officer at Leonard’s Express and 2021-2022 Chairman of the Transportation Intermediaries Association. “Those who have strong carrier programs and treat their carriers well, who treat them as true business partners, they’re going to benefit.” Janson, at SanMar, a global clothing wholesaler and distributor, added “the winners [in 2022] are going to be the ones that can develop deep and meaningful relationships.”

We could not agree more with these statements! That’s why we provide a single point of contact with 24/7 freight oversight to develop long-term relationships with our customers and carriers while nurturing the growth and development of our employees.

“Pick the right partners and try to help them be successful. Communicate to them and ask them to communicate to you the needs, wants, and expectations. And then you can work together to make each other better,” said Jon Meier, former vice president of warehousing and transportation operations at Cargill, a major food distributor.

For brokers in particular, there should be an emphasis heading into 2022 on cultivating a network of carriers built on strong and mutually beneficial relationships. The only way to meet capacity needs right now is to draw on the long-term relationships that have been solidified over the years with trusted carriers. That means communicating with carriers and trying to understand their preferred lanes, working to find backhauls, and positioning yourself as a trusted source for regular loads. We do the heavy lifting and simplify transportation management for over 2.8K customers and carriers.

“It’s surprising how willing carriers are to partner with a 3PL based on them having access to customers and loads that fit their network. They’re more open to working with those 3Pls because they’re the ones who can provide loads for them and keep their trucks rolling. That’s a strategy that’s worked really well for us.” – Mike Mikulik, vice president of sales and operations at SPI Logistics

We count on our carriers to deliver for us and they count on us to not abandon the relationship with them. And that’s exactly why our carriers like to work with us. We strive to partner with qualified carriers for the long haul and treat them with respect to earn their trust! We believe in being straightforward with our customers and carriers and keeping them in the loop every step of the way. That’s why we offer 24/7 access to personal customer service personnel, online portal access for carriers, regular lanes, and quick pay options.

Though relationships and partnerships were cited as the most important component in navigating this crisis and others like it that may loom, new logistics tech — and money to fund that tech — has been pouring in, explained TIA. The TIA believes that we need to take the inefficiencies out of shipping and delivery, because that’s where capacity can be found.

“Visibility is a function everybody wants,” said Riccio. “Everybody wants to know where their trucks are, where the load is, and I think that’s going to continue to ramp up” in 2022.

We believe in being the supportive and available transportation broker our customers and carriers rely on. We stand out with our extensive technology, clear communication, and relentless support. Simple Logistics uses powerful technology that keeps customers connected to their freight. Not only are we proactively communicating with our customers on their shipments, we are also keeping them informed on important industry updates. That way they aren’t surprised by market and pricing changes.

Simple Logistics streamlines your logistics management. We invite you to experience our commitment to round-the-clock standout service. CONTACT US today to speak with a member of our team.

SOURCE: https://www.tianet.org/