“Should I utilize a freight broker?” is a frequently asked question among shippers. Before we get into the five main reasons why you should utilize a freight broker, let’s first define what a freight broker is. A freight broker facilitates freight shipping between a carrier and a shipper. In exchange for arranging the transaction, the broker receives a tiny commission. That is how freight brokers make a living.
So, why should you utilize a freight broker? Efficiency. A freight broker increases the value and flexibility of your supply chain, giving you a competitive advantage. Concentrating all of your focus on what you do best provides you an advantage and keeps you competitive. Unless shipping is your specialty, you should consider hiring a freight broker to handle your shipping and logistics.
Big companies grew by focusing on what they did best. In reality, third-party logistics services such as freight brokers are used by 85% of Fortune 500 corporations. That is not a coincidence; it is the result of a cause-and-effect relationship. Every money saved on shipping goes directly to the company’s bottom line.
Consider the following five significant benefits of utilizing a freight broker:
1. Conserve time, resources, and money. With a freight broker as a strategic partner, you get the benefit of having your own dedicated shipping department without the expense. You can save time by not having to deal with invoicing, audits, or training. Using a freight broker allows you to focus on your business.
2. Greater adaptability and scalability. As your firm goes through its natural cycles, a freight broker partner can give you more or less capacity. So there’s no need to be concerned about seasonality, erratic spikes, or unexpected troughs in your business.
3. Shipping knowledge. Shipping is what freight brokers excel at, and collaborating with one gives you access to their knowledge of best practices and real-world experience. It also gives you access to cutting-edge technology for shipment reporting and logistics visibility.
4. It’s not just about what you know, but also about who you know. Freight broker partners have extensive carrier networks, which offer numerous advantages over an in-house shipping department. They have purchasing power and can provide volume discounts, cutting your delivery costs. They can also provide access to capacity that might otherwise be unavailable or prohibitively expensive for an internal shipping department.
5. It’s a collaboration. Your freight broker works for you and will prioritize your needs because when you succeed, they prosper, and when your business develops, theirs grows as well. That is the definition of a partnership: mutual benefit.
If you’re interested in learning more about shipping with Get Loaded and Rolling, now is the best time to get started. Sign up with Get Loaded and Rolling today.
