Are you engaged in cargo transportation? This is excellent news! But do you know about all the subtleties of work? For example, how to negotiate favorable rates with brokers? Or where are the dead spots in the USA from where your truck will be stuck? Can you control all the documentation and the work of the trucker at the same time? We know who can. And these are dispatch services, as they say on this site.
Many novice owners of transport companies need to learn about all the subtleties of working with customers and drivers. After all, often aspiring business people are former truckers who have seen only one side of the job. To make your business break even and profitable, you should use the services of dispatchers. But who are they, and what are they doing?
What are the dispatch services?
The dispatcher is an indispensable specialist for every cargo transportation company. He is the intermediary between the client and the trucker. The dispatcher’s primary duties include communicating with customers, setting up services such as installation or repair, transmitting information to employees, and keeping careful records of services and transactions.
But the most critical responsibility the dispatching service takes is communication and establishing a healthy mutual understanding with customers. After all, it is thanks to this that the business has a constant profit, regular and loyal customers, and a lot of orders. This is the only way the company can develop, and the dispatcher’s work ensures this success with customers. Professional dispatchers are well-versed in logistics, truckers’ work, and cargo transportation. They know all the trucks’ names, drivers’ schedules, roads of the whole country, customer contacts, and features of filling out invoices.
Also, truckers’ collaborative work and schedule depend on the dispatching service. After all, these specialists determine the delivery time and conditions for the client. This aspect of the work requires excellent interpersonal communication skills because the dispatcher is constantly in touch with the trucker.
In addition, the dispatcher is responsible for maintaining detailed records of services and transactions: entering data into a computer, filling out declarations and reports, and collecting and providing all invoices that will be available for future use.
So, what are the primary responsibilities of the dispatch service?
- Take orders by scheduling flights and distributing cargo by car.
- Supervise the delivery at all stages, up to the receipt at the destination.
- Instruct drivers in detail before the flight, describing the features of the upcoming route and the specifics of the delivered cargo.
- Monitor the operation of intermediate control rooms.
- Maintain constant communication with the cargo owner and the driver on the route.
- Properly allocate fleet resources to avoid downtime.
- Keep a record of all completed orders.
- Use computer programs for control, accounting, and electronic document management.
- Ensure the safety of truck transportation, including the conclusion of contracts with insurance companies.
- Report to management with specific figures and facts.
Why do you need dispatch services?
You have already realized that dispatchers are responsible for many processes in cargo transportation — from communication with customers to route planning. And these are just some of the reasons why hiring a dispatcher will recoup all its costs many times. You will be able to focus on managing your company, truckers can concentrate on the route, and the dispatcher will do his job.
With a good dispatcher, you can do the following for your business:
- Make sure you are constantly busy with work and that your cash flow is permanently active.
- You get the best conditions for cargo transportation and rates.
- You keep your weekly income targets in a particular range.
- Your truckers always drive on proven and profitable routes to get to their destination as quickly as possible.
- Your truckers have a clear and precise departure schedule without overwork and extra free hours.
- You do not need to search for clients, negotiate terms and follow the documents.
All this is the time you will save for higher priority tasks because now it is the concern of dispatchers.
The truck dispatcher must be able to connect the interests of the shipper and the consignee. Also, the freight dispatcher in his work should consider the interests of the road carrier. His task is to find those ideal conditions for each party.
You will not have to search the Internet for customers and cargo for a long time – the freight dispatcher will do all this in a short time and, at the same time, will provide several options at once. The cargo owner can only choose the option that suits him.
The cargo dispatcher works in your best interests. It will save you time and optimize the search for free cargo.
How much do they earn? Often dispatch companies work for a percentage (5-10%). Why is this good news? Because profitable orders are now in the interests of your dispatchers. When you earn more, then they get more. Everyone is in black!
You save your time and get more profit.
