We have some customers (like all of you) that would like steady rates all year on a lane. We win some, we lose some but they need to plan their expenditures and the rates are reviewed every so often to make sure they are fair for all parties.
We do have some customers that say "here's what your competition quoted us, but we prefer to work with you can you go to market and see if you can match the rate"? When volumes are down, we have to try and get some of this business also literally to try not to lay anyone off (we haven't yet). We post it, offer a price and sadly once we obtain carriers for the rate we hoped for and we tell the people calling in that it's booked, some, not all, on the other end of the line say "what did you book it for, I'll do it for less". Guys, let's be serious here, when we say it's booked it's booked. We don't set the rates (brokers), shippers and carriers do, we just need to figure out what the fair rate is based on the information given by shippers and carriers. No one gives me their 'fair and best' rate just because I asked them to. Even though I'm such a nice guy.
Remember, when this health scare is over, the ships will all come to the ports in North America and produce will be moving too, the rates will be higher than we've ever seen. Mind you, my crystal ball could be broken and I may be way off base. Time will tell.
Keep well, keep healthy, we'll get through this
Mike