Many people in the commercial transportation industry are drawn to become a freight broker, serving as an expert third party who can bring together those who have freight to ship, and those who are equipped to carry it. Longtime drivers and others are drawn by the lure of independence, better hours, and potentially exceptional pay.
If you want more money, flexibility, back-office support and freedom to thrive, and are ambitious with a hard-working approach, becoming an independent freight agent could be the best move you ever make. Whether you’re a longtime veteran of the freight industry or a potential newcomer looking for fresh beginnings in a fast-paced field, here are several reasons you should become a part of the freight broker business with Freight Tec:
There’s no end-all, be-all answer to the question of how to get freight from shippers — especially considering the constantly changing technology and culture around us. To enjoy sustained success, freight agents must be familiar with sales techniques that have worked in the past and ready to integrate new tools at a moment’s notice.
Not every load can be that highly sought, top-paying “big fish.” Even so, it takes a fairly consistent stream of well-paying loads to build a career as a thriving freight agent. Too many inefficient loads will keep your business spinning in circles rather than moving forward.
It takes a well-thought plan to find loads that pay well. Here are several ideas for how to make it happen:
Freight agents don’t physically hand their customers a product, and in many cases they don’t even get the chance to meet them face to face, but that doesn’t make their customer service any less important. In the shipping industry, thoughtfully crafted customer service is often the difference between a loyal clientele and constant, frustrating turnover.
So many online freight agent job postings, so little time. A professional agent looking for his or her next job can quickly become lost in a virtual sea of seemingly wonderful online opportunities. They always sound so great, right?
Before jumping into a new position, it makes sense to consider what to look for in a freight agent opportunity. There are many brokers to choose from, but no two options are created equal.
Here are several tips on how to select the best freight agent opportunities:
Becoming an independent freight agent isn’t for every single person in the industry. However, if planned well, the move from internal account representative or logistics coordinator to independent agent can be an incredibly liberating experience, giving you the freedom to concentrate on what you do best: find and cultivate leads into customers.
Finding freight brokers is easy. But finding freight brokers you can trust? That’s a much more difficult task — although not impossible. Some freight brokers out there won’t utilize the unfair tactics that many of their competitors embrace.
If you’re a freight agent, it’s worth a little extra time in the selection process to make sure you find a broker who enables you to rest easy. Pinpointing the right broker is much easier if you enter your search with a good idea of what to look for, such as:
Peace of mind is one of those precious commodities that’s difficult to come by and even harder to guarantee. In the world of freight brokers, agents, shippers and carriers, peace of mind can serve as a welcomed constant amid a flurry of variables.
If you’re considering working with a freight broker, getting the company to sign an iron-clad non-compete is one of the best ways to find peace of mind in a sometimes tumultuous industry. Protecting your clients should be a priority not just for you, but for your broker as well.
A non-compete, non-disclosure document such as this one is simple yet powerful, stating the purpose and details as clearly as possible and emphasizing the interests of freight agents.
Compared to the few minutes it takes to review and sign a non-compete document, the impact is substantial. The benefits of a well-crafted non-compete include:
Unwillingness by a freight agent or brokerage to adhere to guidelines such as those listed above raises questions about their intentions and integrity. Respect should go both ways in any relationship — and the agent-broker bond is no exception.
At Freight Tec, we sign a non-compete every time we partner with a freight agent. It’s a small but important component of building peace of mind.
One of the very top values at Freight Tec is Family.
We believe in trying to find a different load for a Carrier, who wants to be home for the weekend to spend time with his family… Taking care of some of the extra headaches for a Shipping Manager so he can spend more time with his family… or making sure our Agents and Employees get the time they need to spend with their own families. We consider each of these part of the our Freight Tec Family as well.
This article – Myths about the Trucking Industry – is about Truck Drivers in general, and it really struck a chord with me as I read it this morning.
Quoted from the article:
“Next time you see a semi-truck on the road, think about the driver behind the wheel, and realize he—or she—is a person just like you, working toward a goal, delivering goods you depend on, and looking forward to getting back home to family.”
If you get a chance, be sure to thank a Truck Driver – and at the very least, respect what they do and the part they play in keeping this country rolling.
Are you an Agent or Broker interested in joining the Freight Tec Family?
