With more than 90,000 freight forwarding brokerages and agencies in operation in the United States, freight brokerage is more competitive than ever — and that isn’t expected to change any time soon. The global freight brokerage market is expected to hit $90.7 billion by the year 2031 and the U.S. freight brokerage market alone is projected to hit nearly $14 billion by 2028. A driving force behind the growth of the brokerage market is technology. Freight brokers and 3PLs that can leverage technology to its fullest advantage have a competitive advantage when it comes to winning the business of shippers.
Check out these three ways you can become a broker of choice with shippers.
1. Get Digital Access To Small Carrier Capacity
Technology-based solutions like Trucker Tools’ digital freight matching platform provide freight brokers like you with instant, digital access to flatbed, reefer, auto, power only, dry van and other types carrier capacity, including small carrier capacity. Why does access to small carrier capacity matter so much, you may be asking? Smaller carriers make up most of U.S. truckload capacity and also are more likely to be able to accommodate special handling and requests from shippers. Trucker Tools’ capacity network includes nearly 2.5 million drivers and 315,000 carriers, most of whom run five trucks or fewer.
2. Leverage Digital Tracking Data To Augment Shipper Service
Digitizing load tracking provides you (and your shippers) with real-time tracking data, from the time freight leaves the shipper’s facility until it reaches its final destination. With digital tracking, you never have to wait for a call back from a driver or carrier dispatcher or need to worry about waking up truckers when they’re sleeping. When you can provide your customers with real-time tracking data, you instantly become a more attractive partner. Here’s why: when shippers have access to real-time tracking data, they can better serve their customers and distributors. Real-time visibility also helps shippers better manage and understand their own operations. A bonus benefit of digital tracking is that it often eliminates or at least reduces manual check calls to carriers, which ultimately makes you more efficient.
3. Meet Shippers’ Capacity Needs Faster with Digital Freight Matching
Digital freight matching software platforms such as Trucker Tools’ Smart Capacity automate many of the time-consuming manual tasks associated with traditional capacity sourcing. Rather than dialing for diesel and making multiple manual phone calls to carriers to inquire about capacity, you can use a digital freight matching platform to locate both in-network and out-of-network capacity in a matter of seconds. Smart Capacity’s matching algorithm will automatically display capacity matches for all of your uncovered loads, which means you’re able to cover your shippers’ load faster and with greater efficiency. You can up the ante even more and use automated booking technology like Book It Now® with your carriers to digitize load booking and reduce the time and resources you devote to negotiating and securing carrier capacity.
Read “Moving Beyond ‘What’s Your ETA?’ To Improve Supply Chain Resiliency.”
Schedule a free demo of Trucker Tools’ tracking, matching and automated load booking.
