When it comes to establishing truckload freight quotes for customers, it is essential to use automation to get the most accurate results and offer the most competitive freight rates. Transportation networks rely on timely rate estimates that are competitive while also being profitable. Creating quotes the old-fashioned way opens supply chains to several problems that can affect bottom-line profits and customer satisfaction. Since the industry is heading towards near-full automation and digital transformation, automated freight quotes will naturally lend themselves to improved back-office management. To that end, let’s take a closer look at the value of truckload freight quotes that use automation.
The problems that trucking companies face when providing manual truckload freight quotes include long response times, hold and wait times, slow email, voice mail delivery, and human error. Along every step of the shipping process, there can be wasted resources and misused time. It doesn’t seem like much, but most shipment quotes will require multiple verifications, check-ins and troubleshooting. And obviously, it’s not completely manual, relying solely on faxes and the phone. But it does carry the stress of reviewing rates and trying to figure out the best rate for a given quote request. It can quickly accumulate into hours of wasted time. That can even happen on a good day where things go as planned; on a bad day, it can be devastating.
It is important to remember the most common issues and delays that trucking operations face will happen across the entire fleet. Each day, every truck and potentially every order can experience delays and issues of some kind. Supply chains, while redundant, are prone to risks and delays. Even when all operations line up just so, it can still fall apart. For brokers and carriers, freight is literally their business and automated processes are essential. The key to reducing issues and overcoming the obstacles is to automate the process of managing truckload freight quotes. According to Transport Topics, “Automation isn’t just for trucks. There was plenty of evidence at the Transportation Intermediaries Association Capital Ideas conference and exhibition that [automation] is also going to change shippers and the ways third-party logistics companies manage freight.” And as automation makes its way through the industry, all delays should decline.
Streamlining the process of generating quotes and estimates avoids hiccups and builds out additional benefits. A few leading ways that automation improves freight quote accuracy every day include:
Times are changing, and competition is getting fiercer throughout the transportation industry. Staying current with automated truckload freight quotes is essential to staying ahead of the game. And it all goes back to the need to connect the full supply chain, aggregate and analyze data, and apply actionable insights to increase freight quote accuracy. Request a FreightWaves SONAR demo online today to see how it can help you get the edge in the shipping and transportation game.