Freight Agents have the sole responsibility to ensure goods and cargo are transported to the right place at the right time. With all the responsibilities they have to manage, it is only natural that mistakes can occur. Here are just a few of the common mistakes Freight Agents make and how to avoid them.
1. Narrow Carrier Base
Relying on one person or group is dangerous and can cause you to make desperate decisions when faced with challenges. Strive to create lane density when possible, especially on your core routes. Even with tightening capacity, it is still necessary to make certain your Carriers are meeting your expectations. When an underperforming Carrier threatens consistency and quality customer service, let go of familiarity for the sake of your business and reputation.
2. Excessive Overhead
In addition to a narrow carrier base, another common mistake is excessive overhead. The overhead expenses of a Freight Agent can very quickly spiral out of control. Remind yourself you only need the necessities. Consider whether the cost of anything extra is worth the expenditure. There are times to invest in yourself and your company, but you should minimize frivolous costs as much as possible.
3. Failure to Evolve as Needed
While the first two mistakes may seem obvious, it is often easy to overlook this common mistake. Sales skills are considered essential for top-performing Freight Agents. It’s also important to remember sales is not the only skill required to manage a successful business. Leadership is an extremely important function in business. It helps maximize efficiency which can help achieve the overall vision and goals of your business. Strong leadership is vital to your success and motivates people to a higher level of performance. Through effective leadership, challenging goals will be achieved, fast and decisive action will be taken when needed, the competition will be outperformed, and you will inspire others to perform at their best at all times. Invest in leadership training and accelerate your success!
Learn And Move On
Customers are looking for consistency and need to know they will receive the same quality service with every single transaction. Focus on limiting errors and avoiding these three common mistakes: narrow carrier base, excessive overhead, and failure to evolve. This will not only make your job as a Freight Agent easier but will also strengthen your relationship with your customers. Here’s to your success!
Are you an Independent Freight Agent interested in Kopf’s Agent Program? APPLY HERE – or – contact Jeanie today at 574.349.5600.
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Awesome tips‼️
We are thrilled they helped!