When building a freight strategy, put information technology first

Much of the truckload business, and an increasingly large part of the less-than-truckload sector, is handled by freight brokers, third parties that match shipper loads with available capacity, set the prevailing rates, and keep tabs on the goods from end to end. Connecting multiple parties working in the vast and complex U..S. freight network with the right information at the right time demands the very best in technological capabilities. There may be places for your business to cut corners, but technology is not one of them.

The good news is that the freight industry, which was never a first-mover in technology adoption, is playing a serious game of catch-up. The industry is being flooded with new and innovative systems that promise user-friendly, hyper-functional hardware and software. For example, companies using our systems know that we seamlessly connect shippers, brokers, drivers, trucks and end users with real-time information that can be tracked in mapping format from any device. It is remarkable that we take for granted that a shipper in Phoenix can view, up to the minute, the status of freight picked up in Shreveport, La. for a move to Des Moines.

Just as important, we keep everyone in the loop. As consumers, we all know how frustrating it is not to have real-time visibility of an order, and not be aware that a problem has occurred that might delay the delivery or require a contingency move. Whether we ship and haul freight for a living, or are a consumer of delivered goods, we know that mistakes happen. What we want is to be notified of the problem and the work-around. It may sound counter-intuitive, but one of the best ways to drive repeat business is for a customer to have transparency about a problem and any changes in delivery schedules. What they don’t want is to be blind-sided.

The days are long gone of shippers, brokers and consignees waiting for their freight without any visibility into its status. Amazon.com has conditioned everyone in its world not to accept the old way of delivery. That mindset is extending into the freight industry.