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Vehiport is a fresh face in the auto shipping industry with a whole new approach. Backed by years of experience, this local company aims to make shipping easy in a convoluted market through modern technology and a high level of transparent customer service. If you have ever shipped a vehicle, you have probably learned first hand that car shipping is a loosely organized industry. Because there are few standards, the level of service provided by shipping companies varies widely, and it is difficult to select, at first glance, a quality car shipping company. Instead of tediously sorting through stacks of quotes from potential shippers, make the process easy by determining first what kind of shipper you are looking for. The two different kinds of companies you will find are brokers and direct carriers. Brokers are agents whose sole interest is your interest. They typically do not own trucks but instead employ a network of trucking companies to get your vehicle delivered. Direct carriers own their own trucks and set their routes, however, they are largely inaccessible to the customer during the shipping process, may or may not have secure or flexible payment options, may or may not be licensed and insured, and may or may not have a scheduled truck available at the time they originally quote. The advantage of going through a broker, like Vehiport, rather than a direct carrier is having expertise and a wider reach of options on your side. A seasoned broker can quickly assess a carrier’s licensing status, insurance coverage, and service history with other companies, assuring that your vehicle is moved safely. In addition, brokers are more accessible to the customer throughout the shipping process and are far more service oriented since their business is customer service driven. They also tend to have more scheduling reliability since they work with a network of car carriers rather than any single fleet. Amongst brokers what is the difference? It can't be price alone since most reputable companies quote within the same general range. This is because most brokers--and carriers--use the very same nationwide network of vehicle carriers and thus all have the same basic pricing structure. Any given route has a minimum threshold price for moving a vehicle from point A to point B. As this threshold fluctuates with diesel fuel prices and seasonal trends, a mediocre broker can get a car moved by increasing the price to the customer post order placement, when the time for shipment actually comes. An excellent broker knows the trends. He can forecast with a high degree of accuracy what prices will be at the time of shipment. The results? A smooth shipping process. By not under quoting, your car is delivered on time and on budget. By knowing the trends and not over quoting, and excellent broker brings the best price to the consumer. More than price, the most defining and perhaps most critical difference amongst brokers is operating efficiency and the security of your financial information. For the consumer, operating efficiency translates into accessibility of services, accessibility of support, and ease of use. Vehiport, for example, offers 24/7 secure online access to your order. Not only is their dedicated team available by phone, but you also have the freedom to manage your shipment from beginning to end online, anytime, anywhere. Vehiport also takes seriously the responsibility of maintaining the security of your payments and financial information. Being fully PCI compliant, they meet and exceed the national standards that many small businesses overlook, standards that are critical to the prevention of fraud and identity theft. Empowered with knowledge, accessibility to your shipper, and security, shipping a car with an excellent broker like Vehiport becomes easy. Look for corporate endorsements or professional affiliations. Corporations are far more selective than individuals in who they endorse since they are putting their name and dollar on the line. Also, membership in professional organizations is indicative of a company’s long-term goals and viability since such associations tend to have standards of service that their members strive to uphold. Always, always, always ask about PCI compliance, AKA the security of your payment. And finally, be sure that you have 24/7 accessibility to your shipment order online. These are the factors that will differentiate a mediocre broker from an excellent one. Raechel Nebergall
Vice-President of Logistics at Vehiport
http://www.vehiport.com
raechel@vehiport.com
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auto, car, shipping, transportation, vehicle, moving,
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