Becoming a Shipper of Choice isn't easy. It takes planning and work. It takes a commitment to partnership and continuous improvement. Sometimes an improvement effort is an attempt to make a big breakthrough. Sometimes it's the pursuit of incremental improvements over time. Both approaches to improving warehousing distribution services in Milwaukee provide benefits and both are needed to become a Shipper of Choice. Planning - Planning helps carriers anticipate load volume and frequency.
- Planning provides more predictable schedules.
- Planning allows more profitable schedules.
- Planning aids driver recruitment and retention.
- Planning helps hold changes and cancellations to a minimum.
- Planning reduces last-minute requests
Build Partnerships - Partnerships take trust. Notify carriers immediately regarding changes and exceptions. Honor bid commitments and established schedules.
- Paying quickly is critical to building trust and establishing lasting partnerships.
- Making billing and payment easy for the carrier is important for long-term relationships.
- Use technology such as integrated freight payment tools and online exception resolution.
Flexibility One size doesn’t fit all, so adapt your strategy to your unique business. Everyone’s network is different, so becoming carrier-friendly cannot be the same for all, so be flexible. Flexibility allows carriers to better plan their routes, maximize back hauls, and reduce the logistical pressure that is on them. When carriers schedule appointments with the vendor to pick-up the goods, they are still held accountable for on-time performance. Communicate and Collaborate Collaboration between the company, carriers, and vendors is critical. Conduct regular conference calls and listen to issues. Identify and apply corrective actions. Understanding that what is good for your partners will, in turn, be good for you. These efforts can result in direct improvements in turn-around times, reduced carrier rates and reduced driver detention charges. They also have indirect improvements that can be seen in improved relationships, reduced stress, and improved flow of goods. Becoming a Shipper of Choice and working to continuously improve warehousing distribution services in Milwaukee is worth the time and effort required.
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