Freight Broker Tips: What Questions Should Freight Brokers Ask Shippers?
Shipper partnerships are essential for freight brokers, but not all shippers are the same. Before committing to doing business, ensuring the shipper is a good fit for the brokerage is crucial. Asking thoughtful questions early on can save everyone a lot of hassle down the road. Once the relationship is established, it is essential to […]
7 Steps To Cargo Theft Prevention and Protection
Everyone involved in the logistics industry can benefit from a reduction in cargo theft. There are many ways to prevent and protect against cargo theft. This guide explains typical schemes and seven tips for cargo theft prevention. What is cargo theft? Cargo theft is the criminal act of stealing freight. It includes taking all or […]
Your Ultimate Guide to Freight Claims
Freight claims are a significant pain to shippers, receivers, and carriers. Everyone who has a stake in the shipping process can benefit from understanding freight claims and working to reduce them. In this guide, we define freight claims, explain the difference between liability and insurance, detail the main types of freight claims, and share our […]
15 Common Freight Accessorial Charges & How To Avoid Them
When shipping freight, it is helpful to anticipate the job’s total price accurately. The fees connected to shipping and receiving are a significant portion of the bill, but additional line items can accumulate and even increase the overall cost substantially. These other line items are often described as freight accessories charges. In this guide, we […]
Freight Consolidation: Definition, Benefits, & Challenges
Savvy shippers are always looking for ways to manage shipping costs. There are many different strategies to consider, and one of them is freight consolidation. In this guide, we define freight consolidation, explain how it works, detail the benefits, discuss the potential challenges, and explain ways to address each challenge. What is freight consolidation? Freight […]
7 Key Advantages of Working with a Freight Broker
These days, many shippers face the decision to use digital freight matching technology, partner with a freight broker, or coordinate shipping in-house. For some companies, hiring an expert to handle everything that is not a core business activity is rather simple. For others, the factors in the decision are less clear. With over 60 years […]
Double Brokering: Definition, Risks, & How To Avoid
When shipping freight, the parties typically work hard to avoid loss, damage, or theft of the goods. But these are not the only things to avoid. Shippers, carriers, and brokers must be on the lookout for fraudulent activities. Fraud schemes are rising, and the scams are becoming more complex, creative, and difficult to detect. Double […]
What Are The Best Freight Broker Training Options?
Being a freight broker is a rewarding and growthful career, but it isn’t entirely clear how to get started for many. If you have a friend in the field, they can help you get a foot in the door, but you will still need the knowledge and skills to do the job well. You have […]
8 Steps For Finding The Best Freight Broker For Your Business
With the right freight broker, your business can take advantage of many benefits, including lowering freight costs, reducing empty miles, moving freight quickly, proactively addressing issues, and more. But how do shippers find the best freight broker for their business? There are many factors to consider and many options available on the market. To simplify […]
What is a Load Board?
Shipping is a significant part of society. Nearly everything we use for business and daily life is transported by a truck at some point. An extensive network of communications, relationships, and negotiations supports the ubiquity of trucking logistics. This network of brokers, agents, shippers, and carriers needs a place to connect, especially online, and this […]
8 Supply Chain & Transportation Industry Trends To Look Out for in 2023
Now that the world is moving on from the pandemic, supply chain trends are evolving, and there is a search for a new equilibrium. But it’s not a simple process. Geopolitical events, interest rates, consumer spending, and many other factors also impact the supply chain and transportation trends. So, what is in store for 2023? […]
LTL vs. FTL Shipping: What Are The Differences?
There are countless acronyms in the freight logistics industry…3PL vs. 4PL, B/L, QVW, LTL vs. FTL, and more. If you are involved in the logistics industry in any way, it is crucial to be familiar with the terminology. For instance, if you are a shipper, you must know how to talk about and search for […]
Inbound vs. Outbound Logistics: What Are The Differences?
Both inbound and outbound pertain to the transportation of goods and are critical processes for every business that deals with physical goods. Inbound and outbound logistics span an extensive length of the supply chain, from supplier to manufacturer and finally to the end customer. Regardless of where you fit in this puzzle, it is vital […]
Freight Broker vs. Freight Forwarder: What Are The Differences?
Freight brokers and freight forwarders are both a part of the logistics industry, and the titles sound like they could possibly refer to the same position, but that is not the case. Even though they both involve managing freight logistics, freight brokers and freight forwarders are distinctly different positions. So, what are the key differences […]
Why Freight Customer Service Matters in Freight Broker Industry
Customer service is an art form. While there are many ways to describe and evaluate customer service, it really is something that must be felt to be understood. Businesses can follow specific guidelines and best practices to deliver decent customer service, but the special, unique, personal touches take customer service to the next level. All […]
The Importance of Shipping Lead Time in Freight Broker Industry
The supply chain has countless complex, interconnected moving parts and stakeholders with distinct responsibilities. It is in the best interest of everyone involved in the freight broker industry to keep the supply chain moving smoothly, and one facet worth highlighting is shipping lead time. If you are wondering, “what is lead time in shipping?” you […]
Freight Broker vs Dispatcher: What Are The Differences?
Both dispatchers and freight brokers play important roles in the movement of freight. Although it is easy and common to conflate the two roles, and they share many of the same roles, they are actually two separate jobs. In this guide, we clear up the discrepancies between freight broker vs. dispatcher. What is a freight […]
Severe Weather Preparation Guide for Freight Brokers
According to the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, adverse weather is the second largest cause of non-recurrent congestion. In metropolitan areas, truck drivers lose approximately $3.4 billion, equivalent to about 32 million hours, stuck in weather-related traffic jams. Weather events cause visibility impairments, high winds, precipitation, and extreme temperatures that impact vehicle performance, pavement friction, crash […]
Freight Broker News: 6 Freight Brokerage Industry Predictions in 2023
To be a successful freight broker, it is essential to anticipate future trends. If you are another transportation logistics industry stakeholder, keeping tabs on freight broker news is still helpful. After all, the freight brokerage industry plays an essential part in the flow of the supply chain. In this guide, we highlight key freight brokerage […]
Trucking News: 5 Trucking Industry Predictions for 2023
Trucking is one of the most resilient and dependable freight transportation methods in the United States. The trucking industry has undergone many changes throughout the years, and 2023 is no exception. In this guide, we highlight key trucking news predictions for 2023. 1. We Will See a Return to Seasonality Truckload shipping typically occurs in […]
12 Best Practices To Follow As a Logistics Account Executive
If you are looking to improve your performance as a logistics account executive or get an idea of what it is like to be in the role, reviewing a list of best practices can be helpful. In this guide, we share our top 12 best practices that logistics account executives can use to sharpen their […]
What Skills Make A Successful Logistics Account Executive?
Logistics account executives are important leaders in logistics companies, drive business growth, and significantly impact the customer experience. Whether you are looking to become a logistics account executive or improve performance in your existing role, it is important to review the skills required to succeed. This guide shares the top 10 skills we look for […]
The Importance of a Freight Broker Business Plan
As a freight broker, you connect shippers and carriers, but how do you make that happen? How do you take your freight broker business from idea to reality? This guide highlights why a freight broker business plan is essential, how to create one, and how to join a supportive and successful freight brokerage team. What […]
How Can a Freight Broker Provide Value to Shippers
No policy or rule stands in the way of shippers coordinating the movement of their freight. Shippers have access to load boards, shipper lists, and other tools to arrange loads. So why do many shippers turn to freight brokers to manage their loads? Like most aspects of business, it comes down to the bottom line […]
How To Stay Up To Date With Trucking News
Whether you are a driver or freight agent, staying informed about trucking news is essential. If you have been in the industry for a while, you probably already know where you prefer to get your news. If you are new to the industry or looking for more options, it may be hard to know where […]
How Freight Brokers Can Reduce Empty Miles for Truckers
Too commonly, truckers must drive back from a job with an empty trailer. These empty miles are impractical, wasteful, and a missed opportunity for profit. Driving with an empty trailer is not a great use of fuel or time. Plus, empty miles contribute to highway congestion, higher shipping costs, and higher pollution levels. Reducing empty […]
9 Ways You Can Improve Your Freight Broker Sales Calls
The key to being a successful freight broker is to focus on business growth. One of the best ways to drive business growth is by conducting sales calls. However, it is more complex than just picking up the phone and calling businesses. Conducting sales calls is truly an art form that takes skill, strategy, and […]
What You Need to Know About Freight Brokers Shippers List
As a freight broker, finding new shipper leads can take a lot of work. Terms like load boards and shipper lists often come up, but what do they really mean? In this guide, we define, evaluate, and discuss the benefits of shippers list for freight brokers. What is a shippers list for freight brokers? A […]
Common Freight Broker Mistakes and Tips for Success
Freight brokers have many responsibilities and tasks they need to manage skillfully. They need to market their services, prospect for clients, maintain relationships with carriers, move loads, navigate shipping challenges, maintain detailed records, bill clients, handle invoices, and more. To stay on top of the job, freight brokers must avoid many pitfalls. Here at First […]
35 Freight Broker Terminology Lingo You Need To Know
There are many important terms that freight brokers, and those who work with freight brokers, need to understand. In this guide, we highlight key freight broker terminology. Freight Broker Terminology Lingo 1. Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) ACE is a commercial trade processing system developed by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection department. The system requires […]
