Benefits of Direct Shipper Communication With Carriers

Read Time: 3 minutes

Most people already know that having excellent communication is vital to any successful relationship, both personal and business-wise. It can be frustrating for all involved when poor communication occurs between shippers and carriers. 

In a few short years, the freight industry has gone through a dramatic overhaul as technology, apps, and expectations for faster service have made an already competitive landscape even more so. 

With today's tight market and tighter capacity, direct shipper communication with carriers can give shippers an advantage over their competitors.

What Goes Wrong When Communication Goes Wrong

When shippers do not have control over their communication channels, a lot can go wrong. There can be confusion over when loads should be picked up and delivered. 

Freight could be delivered late due to miscommunication. However, delivering the cargo too early can also be an issue that comes from miscommunication. For example, consider how Walmart addressed its issues with on-time deliveries in 2017.

Having products for customers shopping in stores and orders that customers ordered online arrive on time is vital to Walmart. When products and orders arrive late, customers are disappointed and blame the store. However, while late shipments are a big problem, loads that come ahead of schedule can be just as big an issue. 

When a product arrives earlier than expected, it can cause backups in the stores' stock rooms and distribution centers. Late and early freight arrivals throw off Walmart's precise supply chain. Therefore, in 2017, the company announced that they would begin to find suppliers for late AND early deliveries.

However, with more customers, like Walmart requiring more precise, narrower delivery windows has also led to bottlenecks. This issue has increased the number of driver "detentions," which is not just a carrier issue, but also a direct shipper issue, too. Too many times truckers sit idle and wait for their rigs to be loaded or unloaded. 

This problem costs not only the carrier money but also shippers. Improved communications can help avoid some of the bottlenecks. Still, it needs to be coming from both shippers and carriers/drivers.

Five Benefits of Direct Shipper Communication

Especially now, with the challenges facing both shippers, carriers/drivers, and customers, improved communication is more critical than ever. Here are four benefits you can achieve through direct shipper communication with carriers.

Benefit #1 – Improved Carrier Relationships

Carriers who suffer delays due to bottlenecks with loading and unloading are losing money. Improving communication can help keep drivers moving and reduce bottlenecks. 

In a tight market, freight carriers will gravitate towards "Shippers of Choice."

Benefit #2 – No Playing Phone Tag

Having the ability to directly communicate with carriers, in addition to GPS to see where trucks are, helps direct shippers get real-time information about where their loads are. There are no missed calls or unseen emails.

Benefit #3 – Improved Customer Relationships

Improving communication with carriers also improves customer relationships because shippers can quickly let customers know when there are delays or issues with their shipments.

Benefit #4 – Improved Efficiency

Better communication means improved efficiency throughout the freight process. The direct shipper achieves its goal of on-time deliveries. Carriers experience shorter wait times that drag their effectiveness down. Customers are happier with being kept in the loop of the status of their shipments. Improving communication is a win-win for all stakeholders in the shipping process.

Improve Carrier Communication with Cargobot

Cargobot is an innovator in the inland freight industry with our features that help direct shippers achieve their goal of improving communications with carriers. With our app:

• Shippers connect directly with carriers, not a middleman.
• Know where your freight is in real-time and when it will arrive at its destination
• No more missed calls or emails, all communication is through the app
• Store all essential documents in one place, with real-time uploads via Cargobot's mobile apps.

Get connected with Cargobot today and achieve improved communications with your carriers!