How Can I be a Better Customer?

How can I be a better customer? Most customers don’t realize the importance they play in their own supply chain, and in the lives of the transportation specialists that bump their docks every day.

Put yourself in the cab of the truck driver. For the less-than-truckload driver that has 10 more deliveries to make before he can start pickups, any time spent waiting reduces his efficiency, and may prevent him from coming back to make that pickup later in the day. For the long-haul driver, any time spent not driving is time they are not being paid.

Here are a few tips that can help you be a better customer:

• Be sure your freight is ready to go before scheduling the pickup. This helps minimize waiting and loading time, and allows the driver to get back on the road as soon as possible.
• Develop a reputation for loading quickly. Consistent load time performance and operating efficiently saves money.
• Ship multiple bills whenever possible. If possible, try to arrange for a pickup when there are two or more shipments. This eliminates being subject to a single shipment charge, and the cost of the pickup is spread across multiple shipments.
• Ship more product, less often. It is cheaper to ship six pallets once than to send two pallets every two days. When arranging for a pickup, let the carrier know how many pallets you have to be picked up. If additional orders are received during the day, inform the carrier so they can send a trailer with enough room to accommodate your freight.
• Create a partnership. Customer-Partner reviews are a great way to keep everyone on the same page. Make sure to have the right stakeholders involved, and meet frequently. Educate your partners in your reviews as to what is happening in your industry. Your partner should use this education to offer new ideas and strategies leading to more market competitive advantages.

Remember, you are not alone …we are in this together.

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