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I'm curious if anyone else has a list of companies that seem to habitually call for rates only and what approach you use. I've tended to assume they're looking for cheap only.
Question about "rate shoppers"...
- Thread starter noproblembuddy
- Start date
10
We have a lot of "shoppers". I have a mental list that if we haven't received any work from a company (or at least a call back) after 10 - 20 quotes we usually decline quoting further shipments. I know you can't win them all but sometimes companies are just not a good fit for us.
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My list so far consists of:
Crossdock
Kelron
Tri Star
and oddly enough, Meyers
I figure a carrier should know it's own costs won't be too far off of how other carriers will price a move.
Crossdock
Kelron
Tri Star
and oddly enough, Meyers
I figure a carrier should know it's own costs won't be too far off of how other carriers will price a move.
10
rates
We no longer give out rates to anyone unless they can give us a ball park figure relating to what they are looking for.
If they claim that they have no idea, they are simply fishing for the lowest NON RESPONSIBLE bidder. We no longer shoot ourselves in the foot!!!
We no longer give out rates to anyone unless they can give us a ball park figure relating to what they are looking for.
If they claim that they have no idea, they are simply fishing for the lowest NON RESPONSIBLE bidder. We no longer shoot ourselves in the foot!!!
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Sunrunner
JMC Ventures
Whatever Marty Chartrand calls himself this week
LLI
Alegro
Dynamic Connections
Roadshark
Let me see if I can get that for us seems to be the new how low can you go!!!
I have never found Meyers to be rate shoppers but I do not look for much outbound so that may have something to do with it.
JMC Ventures
Whatever Marty Chartrand calls himself this week
LLI
Alegro
Dynamic Connections
Roadshark
Let me see if I can get that for us seems to be the new how low can you go!!!
I have never found Meyers to be rate shoppers but I do not look for much outbound so that may have something to do with it.
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Any experienced freight broker should have a general idea of what current rates are, both TL and LTL. They should also have a general idea of who goes where and how often. Having said that, I think we can all agree, that brokers should try to keep current as to where rates are going, so that they don't get stuck trying to move cheap freight (it's embarassing and very unprofitable). If a broker is quoting a new customer or a new lane for an existing customer, call the carriers you currently are using for rates. When it comes to specialized moves, call everyone you can think of because now you're fishing in a real small pond.
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Shakey
Site Supporter
30
Sorry - been off truck side for 6 months. Don't see Traffic Tech - stopped calling - they can use your rate then call back with their margin off to see if you will do it??
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Same here alwys get
KELRON-TRAFFIC TECH-CHR-EVEREST-LOGISTICS DYNAMICS-TROTTEX-RELIABLE-MOTHERLOAD-LOZ-TRIDENT and ETS before they closed the doors and ripped a bunch of guys of for a lot of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. I typically give them snap quotes at $5.00 a mile on legal loads and to my surprise have gotten a couple of the loads.
KELRON-TRAFFIC TECH-CHR-EVEREST-LOGISTICS DYNAMICS-TROTTEX-RELIABLE-MOTHERLOAD-LOZ-TRIDENT and ETS before they closed the doors and ripped a bunch of guys of for a lot of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. I typically give them snap quotes at $5.00 a mile on legal loads and to my surprise have gotten a couple of the loads.
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Yep. They make you compete against your own rate when the freight comes up. Tri Star tries to do that but they tend to call back and beat you down.
Parisite
Site Supporter
10
Anytime a carrier says to me, "so and so also has that posted" I immediately remove it from our board and cease working on the move...clients want to shop that much don't realize that if they call 3 companies to move their freight, we're all fishing in the same pond so to speak, so soon as I'm in a rate war I stop, better to spend my time prospecting new clients, there's more money in it. BUT, I don't think it's possible to keep up to speed on rates these days, I move several jobs regularly and the numbers vary so much day to day, you can't keep up.
Fuel increases are easy days to read, it's the other days, rates take a spike one way or another. I think I'd qualify as an experienced broker but it's not possible to stay abreast of all the factors in play right now. If I ask for a rate I'm not neccesarily looking for the cheapest, I'm looking for a truck, timing, and rates. I don't quote anything I don't intend on being able to move if client says go. When I go to a client with a price I got to be able to back it up with a piece of equipment or what's the point ? To quote without a clue how you're going to move the load, means the rates perpetually go down. Say I quote $1000 but I got nobody to haul load. Next guy wants the job so he says I'll go $950. He still doesn't have a truck either but the rate being offered is lower then I started. All I'm saying is that just because I might ask a couple guys for rates doesn't mean I'm tryin to look for a bargain. ALSO, if I post "rates", I might just be looking for see if there's even any trucks in a particular area before I start to tell client what I can or can't do. I try not to leave these postings on for more then a couple minutes. I wish the "just looking" and "test" guys would get the hint...
I can do a search for equipment in specific area or lane, but those postings are never very current...It ain't easy
Fuel increases are easy days to read, it's the other days, rates take a spike one way or another. I think I'd qualify as an experienced broker but it's not possible to stay abreast of all the factors in play right now. If I ask for a rate I'm not neccesarily looking for the cheapest, I'm looking for a truck, timing, and rates. I don't quote anything I don't intend on being able to move if client says go. When I go to a client with a price I got to be able to back it up with a piece of equipment or what's the point ? To quote without a clue how you're going to move the load, means the rates perpetually go down. Say I quote $1000 but I got nobody to haul load. Next guy wants the job so he says I'll go $950. He still doesn't have a truck either but the rate being offered is lower then I started. All I'm saying is that just because I might ask a couple guys for rates doesn't mean I'm tryin to look for a bargain. ALSO, if I post "rates", I might just be looking for see if there's even any trucks in a particular area before I start to tell client what I can or can't do. I try not to leave these postings on for more then a couple minutes. I wish the "just looking" and "test" guys would get the hint...
I can do a search for equipment in specific area or lane, but those postings are never very current...It ain't easy
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I see good points on both sides. Are there some players out there that just call for rates over and over again with no freight? Sure.
Are freight rates a moving target lately? Darn right they are.
I think that a broker's need to call for rates has much to do with how they are selling to the client ... if you're selling to the client as 'spot' for every move, then you're stuck doing that. If you are selling a longer term solution, then not so much ... although you may do your own RFP with core carriers when you have an RFP to do.
There's no easy solution ... though personally I know that if I have a client that I get into this with on every load, I eventually stop serving them so well.
Are freight rates a moving target lately? Darn right they are.
I think that a broker's need to call for rates has much to do with how they are selling to the client ... if you're selling to the client as 'spot' for every move, then you're stuck doing that. If you are selling a longer term solution, then not so much ... although you may do your own RFP with core carriers when you have an RFP to do.
There's no easy solution ... though personally I know that if I have a client that I get into this with on every load, I eventually stop serving them so well.