Tips For Finding The Right Transportation Brokerage For Your Business
If you have been working your way through new shipping and transport options for your business, you may be considering working with a transportation brokerage company instead of contracting directly with a single shipping company. This can prove advantageous in many situations, but only if you find the right brokerage firm. Here are a few questions that you should ask as you are determining which brokerage company you wish to work with.
What Licensing Do You Have?
Choosing a transportation broker is a serious decision and one you shouldn't make lightly. The very first thing you should ask of each brokerage firm you contact is what their licensing entails. It is important that you work with a brokerage company that carries a valid license that has been issued by the FMCSA. This ensures that your broker has the adequate licensing. Along with that licensing comes insurance protections and bonding. These are essential for protecting you financially against loss, damage, theft, and other types of fraud.
Do You Offer Any Additional Insurance Protections?
Because of the somewhat unpredictable nature of transportation brokerage, many brokers offer additional insurance protections for those clients who wish to pay for them. It pays to ask about any additional insurance that may be offered by each brokerage company if you are transporting anything of particularly high value, whether individually or in volume. As an added bonus, most of these companies that offer additional insurance also offer help with the claims filing, which can take strain and demand on your time away from your schedule.
What Experience Do You Have With These Types Of Shipments?
While most transportation brokers will have experience dealing with a wide variety of cargo types, it's important to find a broker that has dealt with your specific type of need. Remember that every type of shipment has its own unique requirements and handling needs, and a broker experienced with this will simplify your transport needs.
If your broker has experience dealing with your particular type of cargo, it eliminates some of the time-consuming special instruction and the risk of confusion about handling and management of the loads.
How Do You Select Your Carriers?
You should clearly understand the vetting process that your broker uses for all of the carriers they contract with. Ask about the vetting process and how that broker would ensure that each carrier is reputable. You should also ask about the history of each carrier, including how long the broker has worked with them and how reliable the agreement has been.
It may prove beneficial as well to ask if you can retain the right to exclude or prioritize certain carriers. This will allow you greater control over your deliveries, giving you a stronger sense of security with your contract.
What Tracking Options Are Available?
It can be somewhat disconcerting to turn your shipments over to a third party and have no ability to monitor the progress or ensure that things were delivered as agreed upon. For that reason, it is always beneficial to work with a freight broker that offers you a tracking tool to monitor your shipments.
Ask about the tracking options. You may be offered a variety of different choices, such as real-time tracking with GPS monitoring, progress tracking based upon different destination scans, or simply signature verification upon receipt. Decide what type of tracking is most important to you, and look for a broker that offers that option.
Working with a transportation broker will help you save your company significantly in your shipping costs. However, you need to choose the right broker to meet your needs, or you risk delivery problems and delays. Use these tips to help you find the right broker for your company's shipments.
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