John Swanson’s Post

Knowing your minimums vs your zones can make all the difference.

At Transportation Insight a part of our supply chain consulting offering is ensuring the customer is selecting the right carrier and service for their shipments to reduce cost and ensure a high customer experience. One example of this is for customer to often consider the alternatives outside of LTL – especially for minimum weight shipments. This has become a great alternative given the landscape of less-than-truckload carriers has evolved and the news of carriers filing for bankruptcy and other service disruptions. #transportationinsight #supplychainconsulting #ltl

If You Ship LTL - What You Need To Know About Transit Time 😀 We have a lot of clients who do not ship LTL freight frequently enough to master all aspects. Brokers, carriers, 3PL’s, and Full Service Logistics Providers (like us) can be a good source to help you. If you decide to do it yourself, and even if you are using one of these businesses, it is important in LTL shipping that you understand (at least on a high level) how transit times and other things in LTL shipping work.  🚗 You can’t know everything about LTL shipping, we certainly don’t but we know a lot. Understanding “transit time” in the terms of how a carrier sees it, is important to your mental well-being and setting expectations for your customer or consignee when you make a sale for an item that will be shipped via LTL freight. ⏳ This is kind of like Tulsa Time. If you don’t know what Tulsa Time is, look up the song and take a listen, by Don Williams. 🚚 Transit Time (TT):  TT refers to the days your shipment is in transit. Pick-up and delivery days do not count. So always add two days to the TT (one for pick-up and one for delivery) to get your shipment from point A to point B. It is important to note, TT is ESTIMATED, it is not guaranteed. The best practice is to always communicate this to your customer. With LTL there are guaranteed options, but the cost for these shipments are significantly higher than a normal LTL shipment. If a carrier misses a guaranteed shipment, the best they will do is remove the guaranteed charges and charge you for a standard shipment. COMMENTS: TT’s are only as good as the carrier. There are some carriers that stick very close to their advertised TT’s and there are those that are nowhere close to their advertised TT’s. We’ve had shipments that were advertised as two days TT that took three weeks to arrive to their destination. While this is not ideal, staying in touch with the carrier for your shipment can help and keeping your customer apprised will help keep the pressure at bay. #inxpress308 #damagedshipment

In multiple LTL shipper surveys we've seen that tracking can be a major pain point, and it's no secret that it can have a huge impact on customer relationships. Today's environment is different than it was 5-10 years ago, in that customers expect transparency and real-time updates. They want to be informed right away when an issue arises. The traditional way of tracking (visiting multiple websites or calling/emailing carriers) can slow you down and leave your customers in the dark. MyCarrier's advanced API connection allows for the instant sharing of information between carrier and shipper (and vice versa). This means you can view the status of every shipment, from every location, on one easy-to-view calendar. Plus, you can choose to send automated tracking alerts to customers so they know exactly when and where their shipment is at all times. We love talking to our shippers and hearing that real-time tracking has made their jobs easier and their customers happier. Watch as Shaun Moss and Jordan LaBorg provide more insight into the value of knowing where your shipments are at all times! #tracking #shipping #LTL #freight #logistics #supplychain #manufacturing #warehouse #smallbusinesstips

Basing your pricing for freight brokerages off of their annual revenue is so smart…Every broker inflates that number by at least $50M. What is the best pricing structure you’ve seen in the logistics tech world?

Last week, I found myself on the phone with SHIPSTA by Freightos customer stuck in a familiar dance (and one that’s becoming more and more frequent). As rates change and capacity fluctuates, they end up needing to updating rates more often. But if the past few years have proven anything (think Red Sea, COVID and other logistics headaches), it’s also that building trusted partnerships matters more. These two ideas contradict head on. But here's the thing: frequent updates don't have to mean frequent headaches for anyone! With the right technology, it becomes easier for BCOs to refresh rates (which is key). However, this doesn’t need to mean that a digital shipper creates mountains of analog processes for logistics providers. Imagine a world where: Your LSPs can easily view and update only the rates that have changed You get real-time comparisons with market rates The entire process takes minutes, not days By streamlining the rate update process, you’re not just saving time. You’re also giving LSP partners the tools to be more responsive, competitive, and aligned with our needs. It's a win-win that fosters stronger, more collaborative relationships. The key is to view technology not as a replacement for human interaction, but as an enabler of more meaningful partnerships. Are your tools taking into account that you need to be a good partner? #Procurement #Logistics #raterefresh #freightprocurement #supplychain #marketdevelopment #fluctuation

Love the expansion of services. One more sharp tool for shippers to consider as they develop their Carrier Mix Optimization while balancing the client experience needs. Shipware#supplychain #shipping #ecommerce

With rising freight costs and high customer expectations, it’s more important than ever to run an efficient, cost-conscious transportation operation. That brings us to the discussion of #RATEBASES —the total gross charge carriers apply to their shippers for the cost of a shipment. It can be easy to think you are getting a great discount but it may not always be as good as it sounds, this heavily relies on the Rate Base. It's a good idea to always compare gross charges between carriers; not all rate bases are equal. #PROTIP: If you haven't yet, consider fixed rate bases for consistency, savings, and efficiency!#Needhelp? Contact Us Today: https://lnkd.in/dbdKbNTN #Logistics #Shipping #FixedRateBase #MinuteMonday #FreightWise

Tracker Logistics works with Priority1 to bring top of the line technology to our customers. Companies of any size can gain the benefits of a powerful transportation management system and excellent customer service. Shippers no longer need to check multiple websites or send multiple emails. They can pick their favorite LTL carriers, get instant truckload quotes, and manage their entire freight process from one place. #ltl #shipping #freight

𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝘽𝙖𝙨𝙚 (𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩) - what is a rate base? why should I care? 10,000 ft view 👇 𝘿𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 ↳A rate base is the initial gross charge for a shipment before discounts. Think of a rate base as a “list price" → In a retail store, the list price is the cost to you before any discounts or promotions are applied. 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚 ↳ All carriers publish their own rate base, and each rate base is different; comparing several carriers’ agreements side by side is difficult. But I have an 88% discount... It's a common misconception that a higher discount always leads to a better price. In reality, an 88% discount in the same lane with two different carriers can result in two completely different rates, highlighting the intricacies of carrier pricing. 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙯𝙚𝙙 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝘽𝙖𝙨𝙚 ↳ Provide fixed charges across carriers, making it easier for shippers to compare costs and manage expenses. This system also helps avoid unexpected cost increases from carriers' General Rate Increases (GRIs) and allows for fixed rates over contract periods. #𝙋𝙍𝙊𝙏𝙄𝙋: If you haven't yet, consider fixed rate bases for consistency, savings, and efficiency! 👨💻 Need guidance or a second set of eyes? Message me or click the link in the comments. #Freightwise #Kuebix #Logistics #Shipping #Heretohelp