Wednesday, March 4, 2020
By Eric Skiba
Competition is the biggest issue faced by independent freight brokerage agents today. Every day, there are more entrepreneurs entering the business, looking to find success as freight broker agents. This makes the challenge of finding, working with and maintaining customers unavoidable. Add in the constant ebb and flow of logistics and it is clear why one of the top skills for logistics is the
ability to see the big picture. Even when it seems like business is swirling, successful freight broker agents stay focused on what's important. They've put a plan in place and built a support system that helps them make smart decisions when the work comes flooding in. At Nationwide Logistics, our job is helping agents succeed, and we've developed some essential tips that will position you to thrive.
- Document your business plan and include a financial forecast. Be prepared and arm yourself with the right knowledge and tools to succeed. You are a small-business owner and you are going to need to stand out from the pack. A financial forecast and a business plan will document your vision and specific goals for the future, so you can strengthen your long-term viability. It will also help prepare you for one of the more challenging - but essential - parts of your job: projecting growth.
- Staff up when the time is right. At Nationwide Logistics, we frequently see agents find a couple of steady customers moving a lot of freight. While it might seem to them at first that everything is running well, they begin to struggle with the amount of business that is coming in. This can lead to service failures, loss of additional business, and an overall lack of free time. They find themselves in the position of digging out a hole. But, if they had been looking ahead and projecting growth, they would have identified a benchmark for hiring additional team members.
- Work with a partner whose support you can count on. Freight brokerage agents who succeed do so because they know how to avoid the common mistakes that derail others. That's why the agent programs and support systems we offer at Nationwide Logistics are designed to provide a path to growth and success. We provide back end support and cover much of the intial and future expenses that moving freight involves, so you can focus on customer relationships, sales and dispatching - and growing your reputation and your business.
Partnering with Nationwide Logistics requires just a small percentage of your profit and diminishes many of the risks involved in starting and managing a business. With a team of experienced leaders in 24/7 logistics, we can handle carrier onboarding, custom billing, collections, and claims management, so you can have the freedom to truly operate as the small business owner you are, building something you are proud of and preparing for the time when you'll need to expand your operation even more. Learn more about how Nationwide Logistics sets independent logistics agents up for success at
nationwidelogistics.net/agents.