Friday, January 24, 2020
The biggest issue today’s independent freight brokerage agents face is simple: competition. There are more entrepreneurs looking to find success as freight broker agents in the market everyday. This makes finding, working with and maintaining customers an unavoidable challenge. Add to that the constant ebb and flow of logistics and it becomes clear why one of the top skills for logistics is
the ability to see the big picture.
Successful freight broker agents stay focused on what’s important even when it seems like business is swirling. They have a plan and a support system in place so they can make smart decisions when the work comes flooding in. Our job is helping agents succeed, so we’ve developed some quick tips to ensure you are positioned to thrive.
#1 - Write a business plan with a financial forecast. Consider yourself a small-business owner. In order to stand out from the pack, you need to be prepared and arm yourself with the right knowledge and tools to succeed. This includes a
financial forecast and a business plan. Without a documented vision and specific goals for the future, you’ll be at risk of damaging your long-term viability. Because of this, one of the more challenging — but also essential — parts of your job are to project growth.
#2 - Look at opportunities to staff up. At USL, we hear too often from agents who find a couple of solid customers moving a lot of freight. Although everything seems to be running well, they can’t keep up with the amount of business that is coming in. This often leads to service failures, loss of additional business, and an overall lack of free time. They quickly find themselves digging out of a hole. Projecting growth and having additional team members to help cover freight and dispatch loads becomes crucial.
#3 - Find a partner who can give you reliable support. A freight brokerage agent needs to escape a lot of common mistakes in order to be successful. That’s why agent programs and support systems like
those we offer at USL provide a solid path to helping 3PL agents continue to grow and succeed. We can provide back end support and cover much of the initial and future expenses that moving freight involves, while allowing you to focus on customer relationships, sales and dispatching — so you can grow your reputation and your business.
In exchange for a small percentage of your profit, partnering with USL as an entrepreneurial freight broker agent can diminish a lot of the risk involved in starting and managing a business. Our team of experienced leaders in 24/7 logistics can handle carrier onboarding, custom billing, collections, and claims management, giving you the freedom to truly operate as the small business owner you are, building a business you are proud of and preparing for the day when you’ll need to expand your operation even more.
Learn more about how USL helps independent logistics agents succeed at
uslfreight.com/agents.