LTL 101:Delivery Appointments vs Notifications

This blog we will discuss the difference between an appointment and a notify before delivery.

Delivery Appointments:

  • Appointments cannot be set until the freight arrives at the destination terminal.
  • Contact must be made with the consignee to deliver.
    • LTL Carriers will always make appointments, we cannot make the appointments for them. However, if they cannot get a hold of the consignee we may assist them.
    • We can’t stress enough how important it is to contact the consignee even if they are not your customer in order to understand their appointment process.
    • It is best practice to then get with the carrier to insure they are not having trouble setting up an appointment and causing further delays.
      • It is not the carrier’s responsibility to understand every consignee’s appointment process.

A great example of the above is Grocery Warehouses: If the carrier needs to book an appointment online or reference PO#s in order to get the freight delivered then we need to put this info as clear and concise as possible on the BOL. This info must be entered on the “special instructions” section under the carrier tab in BTMS.

  • Appointments can sometimes delay transit by 1-2 days with the freight sitting on the dock.
    • Don’t forget that LTL drivers depart from their terminals early in the morning and if an appointment cannot be set prior to their trailers being loaded, your freight will be left behind.
    • Regardless if “THE FREIGHT MUST DELIVER TODAY” the drivers will not go back to the terminal once they have dispatched for the day.
  • A few things to keep in mind with appointments:
    • Specific delivery windows can cause a driver to take an inefficient route which has a domino effect on all shipments for that day.
    • Some consignees may have Drop Trailer schedules set up with certain carriers.
    • Some consignees may have standing appointments set up with certain carriers.

 

Notify Before Delivery:

  • Your shipment does not have to deliver at a specified time and may arrive any time between the standard LTL hours of 8am and 5pm local time.
  • This is typically used when shipping to residences, storage facilities, or even businesses with limited dock space.
  • Drivers do not call ahead to the shipping location. This is done by a dispatcher or clerk at the destination terminal and sometimes even at the corporate offices of the LTL carrier.
  • This can cause a delay in transit while the freight sits on the dock until the consignee can be notified.
    • Due to the high amount of volume in LTL and depending on the size of the terminal, there could be multiple, even hundreds of shipments that need to be notified for the day.
    • If the consignee cannot be reached on the due date of delivery after multiple attempts, it is highly possible that the freight will be held at the terminal until contact can be made.

 

Remember: If you’re looking to set up a Delivery Appointment you’ll need to select that particular service. But if you’re just looking for a “head’s up,” then Notify Consignee is the accessorial you’re looking for.

0 comments

LTL 101:Billing Accuracy

Many shippers have expressed concern about accuracy of billing by LTL carriers. Having pushed the LTL carriers to be more vigilant with making corrections for weight and other aspects of shipments for proper revenue capture, SJ Consulting researched the validity of such perception by conducting an extensive survey with several large LTL shippers, 3PLs, and freight audit and pay firms, with particular thanks to Williams & Associates. The freight charges on LTL shipments by these companies exceed $8 billion over a 12­ month period, representing 22 percent of the total industry revenue. For decades, the LTL industry has relied on an honor system for shippers to provide true characteristics of their shipments, required to accurately bill the customers for their shipments.

The survey found range of billing accuracy was 94 to 99 percent depending on the carrier, with the average being 97 percent. The most interesting revelation of the survey was that what shippers perceive as a billing error actually is due to shippers providing an estimated weight or freight class for dimensional attributes of their shipment that are corrected on more shipments as more LTL carriers deploy scales and dimensional machines. Given that about 50% of bills of lading have errors in weight or description of the shipment, it’s no surprise that a correct invoice from a LTL carrier can get perceived as a billing error.

Despite shippers’ perception, the LTL industry has an impressive record in billing accuracy, and it is finally converting rapidly from an honor system.

0 comments

LTL 101:Clean BOLs

When shipping LTL freight, you must make sure your BOLs are clean and precise prior to sending them to your shippers. Extra language in the special instructions section of BOLs only causes billing issues. Take a look at the below examples where the BOLs are very busy and not easily readable:

  • Let’s stop putting so much traffic in the special instructions!
  • PU# is fine, but not 3 times
  • PU instructions FCFS is not needed and does not protect you or the customer from charges
    • If the carrier is delayed due to the shipper you will be charged regardless
    • If they can’t get in timely or for another reason they will skip the pick-up
  • “No APT needed for LTL shipments” –  This is unnecessary information because if the consignee states appointment is needed it will be assessed
    • The carrier already assumes appointment is not needed.
    • This includes daily routines between consignee and carrier
      • If a consignee isn’t always open during regular business hours, some LTL carriers will have that particular address flagged for appointments no matter what we have on the BOL
  • Headings: “BOL SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS:” “PICKUP DIRECTIONS” “PICKUP NOTES” “PICKUP INSTRUCTIONS” “DELIVERY INSTRUCTIONS”  should be consolidated or removed all together

  • Again, “FCFS DELIVERY” is not needed and does not protect you or the customer from charges
  • “1000-1600” – By putting hours on the BOL, some carriers may flag the shipment for an appointment because standard LTL operating hours will always be assumed
    • If the carrier’s cut time from the terminal is 8am and this consignee is close to the terminal then this should be flagged because they would have to wait 2 hours prior to attempting delivery
  • “MUST CALL” – This verbiage may be mistaken for notify or an appointment because some LTL billing clerks may not catch the remaining portion due to the busyness of the BOL

  • “No additional accessorial will be approved without prior authorization” – This wording is irrelevant because the carrier will always charge based on their rules tariff and/or contract with the paying party

Now that you have cleaned up your BOL, you can’t stress enough to your customer:
“Make sure this BOL is handed to the carrier so that no additional charges occur!”

0 comments

LTL 101:Shipping Hazardous Materials

The U. S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has specific rules for shipping hazardous materials. SunteckTTS can help you determine the DOT hazardous class for your shipment and find contract freight carriers that meet DOT safety and transportation requirements.

Hazardous materials are defined by the U. S. Department of Transportation in accordance with the Federal Hazardous Material Law regulations. A DOT hazardous material classification is applied if a material, in a particular amount and form, poses an unreasonable risk to health, safety or property.

Below is the list of DOT hazard classes:

DOT Hazard Class 1: Explosives.

Division 1.1: Explosives with a mass explosion hazard
Division 1.2: Explosives with a projection hazard
Division 1.3: Explosives with predominantly a fire hazard
Division 1.4: Explosives with no significant blast hazard
Division 1.5: Very insensitive explosives
Division 1.6: Extremely insensitive explosive articles

DOT Hazard Class 2: Gases.

Division 2.1: Flammable gases
Division 2.2: Non-flammable gases
Division 2.3: Poison gases
Division 2.4: Corrosive gases

DOT Hazard Class 3: Flammable liquids.

Division 3.1: Flashpoint below -18°C(0°F)
Division 3.2: Flashpoint below -18°C and above, but less than 23°C(73°F)
Division 3.3: Flashpoint 23°C and up to 61°C(141°F)

DOT Hazard Class 4: Flammable solids, spontaneously combustible materials, and materials that are dangerous when wet.

Division 4.1: Flammable solids
Division 4.2: Spontaneously combustible materials
Division 4.3: Materials that are dangerous when wet

DOT Hazard Class 5: Oxidizers and organic peroxides.

Division 5.1: Oxidizers
Division 5.2: Organic peroxides

DOT Hazard Class 6: Poisons and etiologic materials.

Division 6.1: Poisonous materials
Division 6.2: Etiologic (infectious) materials

DOT Hazard Class 7: Radioactive material.

Any material, or combination of materials, that spontaneously gives off ionizing radiation. It has a specific activity greater than 0.002 microcopies per gram.

DOT Hazard Class 8: Corrosives.

A material, liquid or solid, that causes visible destruction or irreversible alteration to human skin or a liquid that has a severe corrosion rate on steel or aluminum.

DOT Hazard Class 9: Miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles.

A material that presents a hazard during transport, but which is not included in another hazardous freight classification.

ORM-D: Other regulated material.

A material that, although otherwise subjected to regulations, presents a limited hazard during transportation due to its form, quantity and packaging.

 

In order to avoid any issues while booking HAZMAT loads please contact your local SunteckTTS agent so that they can insure your BOL is set up correctly and you have classified your hazardous materials properly with the correct UN Number, Shipping Name, Description, Group, Class and Placard Type.

0 comments

Intermodal 101:Equipment Availability

Intermodal 101: Equipment Availability

In our last post, we discussed the impact long-term rates had on the railroads as a contributing factor to the creation of rail controlled, door to door product.  But there are other reasons the rails have created this service.

Equipment availability in a given area varies at different times of the year. There may be extreme variation in equipment that result in an area being completely out of equipment for some months and having an excess of equipment in other months. A good example of this would be the empty equipment supply in Los Angeles, CA.  During fall peak season, equipment is very tight out of California due to all the import freight coming in from Asian markets that must deliver in the interior of the country so it is available for the holiday shopping season.  During January and February, there has typically been a lull in shipping from the west coast, so they become over-supplied.

To take advantage of this fluctuation in equipment supply, the rails decided they needed to have more control. To do this, the rails had to begin offering a service that was more transactional in nature, something they could change to reflect more current flows and to have more control over the flow of the boxes.

Rails began taking on the operational requirements that had been the domain of the IMC.  By working with drayage carriers they were able to cobble together a complete door to door offering.  The rates put together are spot market rates, which allows the rails to consider their network and box supply to raise or lower prices based on a day by day rate basis.

There are other contributing factors to the rails deciding to offer door to door service, but rates and equipment supply are obviously at the top of the list.  The rails have come up with a way to maximize their revenue.  But the door to door offering doesn’t address every need, every day.  There are still opportunities for the shipper and the IMC to participate.  Next time, we will go over some of the advantages that can be realized by the shipping community.

Check in on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month for more information on intermodal and how it can benefit you!

0 comments

Training Tuesday:Addressing Problems

Training Tuesday: Handling Problems

It doesn’t take long for anyone in the transportation business to realize that occasionally bad things happen to good people. You name it, it can and occasionally will happen.

When customers aren’t happy, whether it’s because a shipment is late, damaged or lost, five things can happen—and four of them are bad:

THE CUSTOMER DOESN’T LET US KNOW THEY WERE UNHAPPY WITH SUNTECKTTS’ SERVICE. NOT GOOD.

THE CUSTOMER CHANGES CARRIERS IN SILENCE. NOT GOOD EITHER.

THE CUSTOMER TELLS HIS OR HER FRIENDS. WORSE.

THE CUSTOMER TALKS TO THIRD PARTIES. WORST OF ALL.

THE FIFTH OPTION IS COMMUNICATION.

The best possible outcome is that your unhappy customer talks to you.  This gives you a second chance to understand their needs, identify and correct problems, and convert your dissatisfied customer into a happy customer – one who’ll keep coming back.

Here are the proper procedures to best help your customer.

1.Inform the customer as soon as you can—they’re absolutely going to find out—no news travels more swiftly than bad news.

2.Get to the point quickly by saying something like, “You’re not going to like hearing this”

3.If your customer approaches you with a complaint, don’t interrupt.  Don’t become defensive.

4.Take complaints seriously, no matter how trivial the issue may seem to you.

5.Don’t create distance from SunteckTTS by referring to it as “they.”  Use “we” instead, and proudly stand behind our service without making excuses.

6.Apologize sincerely.

7.Avoid focusing on fixing the blame; instead focus on fixing the problem.

8.Let your customer suggest alternatives.  Every customer has some idea of what they want as a solution to every problem.

9.Do something extra. Correcting the problem isn’t always enough.

10.Trust the customer’s sincerity.  It’s better to err by believing too many people than by not believing enough people.

11.Never just say, “I don’t know.” When you don’t know an answer, simply say, “I’ll look into the matter,” and then look into it, soon.

12.Empathize with the customer.  If you can’t relate to the complaint itself, at least relate to the process of complaining.

13.If the timing is appropriate, ask for future business—let the customer know this does not represent SunteckTTS’s usual high quality of service.

14.Follow-up.   Make sure the customer is truly satisfied.

15.Don’t let it affect your interaction with the next customer. And most importantly:  Most customers will accept occasional mistakes.  How you deal with the problem and how you resolve it is what will distinguish you as a real professional.

16.Always remember that listening to your customer is the best way to help in an uncomfortable situation.  Some people want to be listened to even more than they want their problems solved.

Check back next Tuesday for more tips on Selling SunteckTTS. The full playlist of videos can be found on our YouTube channel.

0 comments

Training Tuesday:Overcoming Objections

If it weren’t for objections everybody would be in sales. Without objections there’d be no need for companies to pay big, fat commission checks. So, while none of us likes objections, we must accept them as part of the business and make sure we know how to overcome them.

Your main goal when faced with an objection is to turn the objection around into a reason to purchase our service. If a prospect raises the ever-popular “Your rates are too high” objection, counter it by saying, “Our prices accurately reflect the value you’ll be getting from Sunteck. And good value is important to you, isn’t it?”

Occasionally you’ll run into a prospect in the traffic or purchasing department who’s sure he’s seen everything there is to see regarding freight companies. In other words, he’s seen it all. You might hear, “Get right to the bottom line and show me your rates?” Generally, all this person really wants is attention, and to show you how much he knows about our industry. Recognize his expertise and give him all the attention he craves. This is always a better way to handle a tough customer than to put him down. With compliments and kindness you can eventually win him over, or at least wear him down.

“Sales are contingent upon the attitude of the salesman, not the attitude of the prospect.”
– W. Clement Stone

People love to buy but hate to be sold. Objections are inevitable. Not only should you expect objections, I think you should welcome them. An objection is a positive part of the sales process. A purchasing VP who gives you an objection is listening closely. They’re considering buying your service to solve their transportation problems. And most importantly, their objection gives you an opportunity to answer the objection and add one more good reason why they should buy from you now.

Expect objections, but never create them. Prepare a list of the top ten objections your customers and prospects have had with all their motor carriers in the past and then prepare two or three appropriate responses to answer each one.

When faced with an objection, first restate the question or statement.

  • “The rates are too high?”
  • “You feel your service is too slow?”
  • “You’re worried about damage?”
  • “You wish we offered next day service to Cleveland?”

Give the prospect an opportunity to confirm your understanding of his objection, and hopefully your prospective client will give additional reasons for his or her objection.

Clarify the objection.

  • “I’m curious why you feel that way?”
  • “Could you be more specific, please?”
  • “Do you need more information?”

Remember this is not a contest. Nobody should win or lose. This should be a conversation where two people are answering questions and gathering information.

After you’ve re-stated the question, and clarified the objection, and you’re sure you understand the objection fully, then answer it. Don’t just handle your customer’s objections, instead answer them. Answer the objection head on, honestly, simply, and succinctly. Handle objections early and often. A direct approach to handling objection guarantees greater sales results.

The right questions at the beginning of your presentation can help prevent objections at the end of it. For example, ask questions to confirm that your prospect has the authority to make a decision by himself to make sure you don’t hear, “I need to talk to Mr. Anderson about this,” right before you’re ready to close.

Be careful about what you say when faced with an objection based on one of your competitor’s services. I handle a prospect’s question, “What makes you think your truckload service to Akron is better than XYZ Truckload Carriers?” by responding, “I’ve never been a customer of theirs. I can only tell you what our customers say about Sunteck’s excellent service to Akron. I can be very specific with you about what Sunteck’s services are like. Then it’s up to you Mr. Prospect, to make a comparison.”

If I’m told that another carrier is also presently under consideration and asked to give an opinion of them, I reply, “It’s a fine company. The key is for you to determine who can give you the greatest value. Who’s going to help your bottom line? And when you run into difficulties, who is going to be there to solve your problems? I am. I’m the person who’s going to provide all of that for you. Through me and my access to all of the resources within Sunteck, we’ll get the job done.”

If you worked for a company that offered objection-proof service, you’d have no competitors. Every transportation company in the country has a shortcoming or limitation. If your prospect finds it, don’t try to prove him wrong. The fact that our service isn’t perfect doesn’t lower its potential value to the prospect, but the fact that you acknowledged the objection’s validity might help you build trust and rapport. Admitting our service’s imperfection also helps give the prospect a sense of control that may reduce his fear of making a buying decision.

When possible, let prospects answer their own objections. Sometimes you can stop an objection in its tracks by asking, “Could you tell me why you feel that way?” If your prospect can’t answer, then you and the prospect know the objection has little or no validity. If your prospect does answer with a more specific objection, you have a chance to eliminate it and move one step closer to the close.

Buying decisions are risky for your prospects. Choosing the wrong carrier can be harmful to the prospect’s career. Objections are the only way they have to help make sure that risk will pay off for them. If you can eliminate those objections, you’ll help provide the reassurance they need to say yes.

0 comments

Training Tuesday:Fact Finding

I’m a big advocate of consultative selling. But before I tell you how great I think the consultative sales approach is, I want to warn you of the negative impact this type of selling has had on some salespeople. Some sales reps visit a customer two or three times, ask them every question they can think of except the most important question of all – asking the customer to buy their service.

If on the second call you don’t ask for the shipper’s business, it then becomes a social visit and not a sales call. You can and should qualify the customer and re-visit their needs on a regular basis. If they’re qualified to buy and you don’t offer Sunteck’s help, then you’re doing them a disservice. On the other hand, if you keep calling on a customer who’s not qualified, you’re stealing time and money from yourself. Be sure after you’ve made a consultative sales call that you follow up by asking for their business.

Treat all your sales work as a consulting assignment. Consultative selling turns salespeople into experts and clients into partners. When you first meet the prospect take your “sell” sign down for the majority, if not all, of your first call.

The best salespeople are professional problem solvers. We’re in the business of solving transportation problems. But you have to know and understand the problem first before you try to solve it. You have to be willing to walk in the door without any preconceived notions as to how best to solve the problems identified.

Since you sell to other companies, you should consider yourself in the business of solving profitability problems. That’s the key concern you’ll ultimately be addressing: how to increase profitability. Everything you do should eventually lead to the goal of the clients’ company increasing its level of profitability. If you can’t break your sales efforts into solutions that help the customer, you’ll either base your sales on manipulating others or fail to persuade prospects that you’re offering anything of value.

On every sales call, be the student, because you really are. In real estate, they say it’s all in the location. In transportation sales it’s questions, questions, and more questions. You’ll be surprised and sometimes shocked at what a customer will tell you.

Not only is the consultative sales approach effective in finding the correct sales solutions, it’s also very helpful in eliminating people who are not potential customers, thus saving you time in the long run.

Even though it’s okay to call an initial visit with a customer a qualifying call, don’t only make the call to qualify. Make the call primarily to learn.

Sales listening is patient listening. Don’t anxiously wait for an opportunity to jump in and solve all the customer’s problems right away. After I ask a question I shut up and allow my prospect to speak. Sometimes I wait for several minutes. I don’t feel threatened by the silence. Most salespeople can’t stand a pause in the conversation. Take a deep breath, relax, and listen. Some prospects want to be listened to more than they want their problems solved. If a client or prospective client has had a bad day, let them talk about it. Don’t try to stop them. Once they lighten themselves of their burdens they can better concentrate on Sunteck’s services.

Everyone is so busy that asking for someone’s time is a big request. A prospect that agrees over the phone to give you a ten-minute appointment will give you an hour in person once you establish value. One of the best ways to establish value is to show that they are important and that you recognize that fact. People love to talk about themselves, their jobs, and their companies. Encourage them to do so.

“Pretend that everyone you meet has a sign around their neck that says MAKE ME FEEL IMPORTANT. Not only will you succeed in sales, you will succeed in life.”
– Mary Kay Ash

Transportation salespeople who have been in our industry for a long time should re-visit how they qualify and maintain accounts. It’s easy to start believing that you possess all the answers. Too often we make assumptions based on outdated information. Visit accounts often and ask questions. You never know what changes might have taken place since your last call until you ask.

Take notes! Taking notes during your meeting with the prospect can be one of your most powerful sales tools. It will reinforce the reason you made the appointment in the first place: to learn more about the prospect and his company’s transportation needs.

Taking notes helps you listen. There’s something about holding an empty notepad in front of you that makes you pay better attention to what is being said. It also makes it more difficult to miss important points.

Taking notes puts you in a position of authority. You can also glance at notes and questions you prepared prior to making the sales call. Taking notes will also encourage the prospect to open up. Taking notes sends strong positive signals to the prospect. It says, “I’m listening to you. I won’t forget. I’ll use the information you’re giving me to find solutions when I get back to my office.”

It’s a fine line between asking questions that will help the prospect solve their transportation problems, and a cross-examination. Be sure your prospect feels at ease. Be natural. The consultative sale should be a comfortable two-way conversation.

Never waste the prospect’s time. That may seem like an obvious point, but many of your competitors never know when to get to business, or for that matter, even when the appointment is over. There will come a point when the customer will be ready to move past the small talk, and usually it’s quicker than you might think. Your contact, like most of us these days, is short on time. Most traffic managers, purchasing managers, and other decision-makers you call on appreciate you getting to the point. You can tactfully do this without jeopardizing the emerging relationship.

First, give the prospect a reason he or she should answer your questions. Second, make sure everyone involved in the decision making process is present if at all possible.

Salesperson: “We currently work with General Motors, ASW Technologies, and (use your own local examples of similar companies) in several areas to improve their service while reducing their costs! I feel there’s a good chance we can do the same thing for you, but I’m not sure yet. Do you mind if I ask you some questions?”

The prospect expects to answer questions and they’ll give you their permission to proceed.

Salesperson: “At most of the companies I’ve mentioned more than one person was involved in carrier selection. Are there any other people here that would be involved in this decision?” (If NO, proceed on. If YES, obtain their names and ask if they could also be present). Next, move on to your questions.

The following list will provide you with good examples of questions that you can adapt to your sales presentation. Know the questions you’re going to ask before you arrive at the customer’s desk. The list below is provided to stimulate ideas that will help you customize your own list. The information you collect from the customer’s answers will increase your chances of putting together a great proposal after you’ve made the consultative sales call.

1. What does your company do? Manufacturing? Distribution?

2. What do you ship? In what quantities? Expedited? Air? Truckload? LTL? Intermodal?

3. What commodities do you ship?

4. Where do you ship? Intrastate? Interstate?

5. What are some of the cities you ship to?

6. How often?

7. What service level is required? To where?

8. How is your product packaged? Skidded? Banded? Loose?

9. Average weight?

10. What is the normal pick-up time? What unusual pick-up requirements do you require?

11. Are your shipments normally prepaid? Collect? If so, what percentage?

12. What are your average monthly freight transportation costs?

13. Who’s handling these shipments now?

14. How long have you used them?

15. Do you have any vendors that you receive products from on a regular basis?

16. Who chooses the carrier that handles those shipments?

17. Where are those vendors located?

18. What commodities are they?

19. What is the frequency of those shipments?

20. Who’s handling those shipments now?

21. How long have you used them?

22. What percentage of shipments is routed by your customers?

23. How do you feel about your current service?

24. How do you feel about your current pricing?

25. What would you like to change about your current carrier’s pricing?

26. What is most important to you: service, carrier stability, technology, or something else?

27. Why?

28. How do you rate carriers? How is the rating communicated to the carrier? How often?

29. What are the ratings of the carriers you use today?

30. If you could change one thing overall about your current logistics provider, what would it be?

31. Does this problem lead to… (Build up problem with multiple implications / need pay-off questions)?

32. Would you change anything else?

33. What would cause you to begin using a different 3PL or carrier?

34. What is the volume of your cargo claims? Do you experience any frequent service failures?

35. Would you be interested in our EDI capability?

 

Last, but not least, be sure to wrap up the appointment by asking for the next appointment, and by getting a positive response on a trial close. It should sound like this:

Salesperson: “Mr. Smith, I’ve learned a lot here today, and I want to thank you for taking the time to talk to me. We’re at the point now where we should set up another appointment, one where I can come back after having sorted through everything I’ve learned here, and show you more about what Sunteck may be able to do for your company. Is Thursday at 2PM okay?”

Prospect: “Sure, next Thursday at 2PM will be just fine.”

Salesperson: “Great! One last question ( pause ) if you like the program I develop for you, would you be willing to give us a try?”

OR

Salesperson: “I really appreciate you taking the time to answer these questions. Based on what I just learned, I’m confident there’s a fit between our companies and that we can definitely help you solve some of your shipping problems. I’m going to make a commitment to you to develop a customized proposal, which will include my recommendations to you and your company. What I’d like in return from you is a commitment to give us a shot. Let us prove how good we are. I’m confident you’ll be very happy! Can I get that kind of commitment from you?

“Great! I’ll need about a week to get with my team back at the office and develop a package just for you. Is this time next week good for you?”

Both of these approaches let the prospect know that when you come back for your second appointment, your sale sign will go up. It prepares them to say “yes” when you come back later and ask them to buy.

We’ve focused so much of our respective sales energies on the consultative approach that very little emphasis is placed on the sales presentation. I think this is a huge mistake. In the old days, many salespeople could care less about what the customer wanted or needed; all their energy was on the presentation. Nowadays some people in transportation have no definable presentation at all. They just go back to the customer and answer any questions or shipping requirements that surfaced in the qualifying call. I think both are hugely important—the consultative call and the presentation. Give your customer a dynamic sales presentation. He deserves it. It will make you stand out from the other freight reps.

0 comments

How willyou remember 2015?

2015, freight, transportation

How will you remember 2015? Not everyone is looking back fondly. In a December 25th article, THE WEEK magazine reported some pretty disappointing survey results. Here are a few of them:

  • 69% of Americans believe that the nation is on the wrong track
  • 72% feel that the country isn’t as great as it once was (Bloomberg Politics)
  • 59% stated that the economy is doing poorly (CNN/ORC)
  • And, 61% believe that the American Dream is broken and that only the wealthiest can get ahead

Face it, the loudest voices you hear are typically the pessimists, and there’s no shortage of them. There’s nothing wrong with being realistic, but there’s a difference between being realistic and being pessimistic. I prefer to look on the bright side of things, especially as it pertains to our business in the coming year. And, I’m not the only one. On December 3rd, BB&T Capital Markets published a report titled ‘Freight Brokers Can Take Advantage of Weak Economy’. Here are some highlights from their report:

“We are a little mystified why there is not greater enthusiasm for freight brokers. Brokers do well during periods of loose capacity or tight capacity, i.e., when the market has volatility”

“We believe larger brokers have opportunities to gain market share the next few years in ways that not everyone appreciates”

“As regulations the next two years (ELDs, speed limiters, etc.) make asset carriers less productive, many will experience cash flow problems and will rely on “quick pay” programs that larger brokers offer, but many small and mid-sized brokers do not have the balance sheets to pay carriers in 7 days or 48 hours, etc., while waiting for shippers to pay in 30 to 60 days”

Freight brokers, when aligned with the right back office service provider, are positioned for growth for the foreseeable future. Don’t give in to the naysayers. Focus on what you do best. Continue to invest in your business. Embrace change and technology, and stay positive and confident.
Anyone can take the pessimistic view – one other survey result from THE WEEK found that 44% of respondents think machines with artificial intelligence could wipe out the human race (Monmouth University Poll). Okay, I’ve seen the Terminator movies – that may happen……..but probably not until 2018.

Happy New Year to you and to your computer (I can’t take any chances. Your laptop could be my next boss).

Dave Dallas
laptop

0 comments

A specialnote about grief

Grief-QuotesMy name is Jillie Duval, and I am the Office Administrator at Sunteck in Jacksonville. You will usually find me at the front desk or pushing around my cart (that I love so much!). After some events occurred in my personal life back in June of this year, I approached Kristen, our Marketing Manager, about writing a special kind of blog post for Sunteck and so, here we are.

I wanted to write a post about my Dad, Sunteck and grief. I felt like I would never get this blog post written, every time I wanted to start, I never could. But here I am, snacking on a buffalo chicken wrap, half-listening to Dave Dallas and his antics, and writing this post – for some reason July 23rd at 2:00pm felt right.

On Friday, June 26th, it had become apparent my Dad’s time was near. I needed to leave, and quickly. Everyone at Sunteck was so supportive, and encouraged me to go. It was such a relief to hear directly from the executives, especially Ken our CEO, that I had their full support. My Dad passed away peacefully at Cornerstone Hospice at 1:15am on June 29th 2015.

I’m sharing such a personal story with you because I want you to know what a positive experience I have had at Sunteck. Everyone in the office has been so supportive. They check on me, have written me cards, and even sent a small donation to hospice in memory of my Dad. They do not expect me to stoically go on working as if this traumatic life event never occurred. If I need to cry, or vent, it’s okay. Throughout this past month, I’ve learned it’s okay to grieve but still remain a professional, hard-worker. I know this isn’t exactly ground breaking information, but I think we put too much pressure on ourselves to remain stoic, that we cause more harm than good to our health, well-being, and work ethic.

I wanted to write this post to let you know that you are not alone, it is okay to grieve, and it is okay cry. This does not make you unprofessional, or bad worker. Sunteck wants you to be happy, and healthy. I specifically wanted to reach out to drivers, because I cannot imagine being on the road for hours on end, suffering with grief, all alone.

I researched grief and I found a few resources that might be of use whether you are constantly driving, or in an office like me. Please feel free to take a look at them, and share them with others.

• http://www.opentohope.com/
o Open to Hope is an online community offering inspiration stories of loss, hope and recovery. We believe hope is the bridge between loss and recovery.
• http://www.adec.org/adec/ADEC_Main/Find-Help/CopingWithLossNew/Coping_With_Loss.aspx
o Association for Death Education and Counseling has a lot of resources such as documents, links to organizations, and finding a specialist in your area
• Check with the local or your local Hospice organization they often time have grief support groups throughout the week that you can attend – schedule permitting
• https://www.caring.com/grief
o A plethora of information about grief, care giving, and dying along with links to support groups and other resources

0 comments