#148. Finding Loads: Building Relationships

If you want to hear about the worst experiences I have had with a repair shop, listen to this episode. All I can say is never take your truck to the Freightliner Northwest in the Seattle area. As time goes on, I get more and more comfortable dispatching. One of the best parts of dispatching is the relationships I have been able to build. Relationships is one of the biggest keys to being successful finding loads.

What To Expect From Episode 148

Anyone can find loads, it is a lot more difficult to find loads that are profitable and keep drivers happy. The biggest difference between finding just any load and finding consistent, good paying loads is building good relationships. When I first started dispatching, I was getting all of my loads, that weren't direct shipper loads, off load boards. Last month I booked 41 loads through brokers, I only got 20 of them came from a load board. The other 21 were all via a few broker relationships where I was able to reach out directly to the broker and get a load before they had posted it.

The meat and potatoes of this episode covers some of the things I have been doing to find and build those relationships. This may seem like a simple thing, but it's not easy. It takes time, commitment, compromise, and a good attitude. Doing it right can have one of the biggest positive impacts on your trucking company. Like many hard things, it's worth the time and commitment it takes. Being willing and able to do hard things is one of the biggest factors that separate the successful from the unsuccessful.

THE CHECKLIST Whenever I book a load with a new broker I...

1. Make sure I communicate well throughout the entire load
2. Do everything they ask
3. Follow through with what I commit to them
4. Send a follow up email thanking them for the load.
5. If I think they are someone I would want to do more business with, I follow up with a phone call:

5a. Try to guage if we are a good fit for each other. Common lane, are their rates good enough

5b. Make regular contact

5c. You might have to take a load that fills a need for them, but might not be the best for you