Freight Broker Software Blog

I was talking to a friend of mine, who runs a small freight brokerage business with satellite offices (agencies) in six locations across the US. I asked how business was going, he told me fine except he wished he had a better handle on what all of the agents were doing. "Like what?" I asked. He said that a couple of the agents only send what they have "invoiced" to the main office, nothing else. He said he knew they were missing loads, but didn’t know what, and didn’t know how to find out. I asked how all of his offices were connected, or if they were connected. He explained their operation as follows:

Each evening, just before closing, each agency is required to fax all of the loads that were loaded and the loads that were "invoiced" that day to the main office. The next morning, his billing clerk enters all of the information received the previous night into the software they are using, and creates a ‘duplicate’ original invoice that is actually mailed to the customer. Then the loads that are in transit are posted on a grease board in the main office where he can see pending invoices.

What he is afraid of is that some of his agents are taking freight and then realizing they can’t move it so they give it back or worse – just ignore it, fail to perform, and ruin his reputation with his customers. He calls this his lost revenue.

I explained that with good freight brokerage software, like that available from TruckMaster, all of his offices can be tied together in such a way that each office can only see the freight specific to that office, and at the same time he has total visibility. In other words, if one of his offices can't move a load, he can see it and offer to help. If he wants all of his agents to see all of the freight in all of the offices, or if he has agencies that want to share information, that is easily done.

With TruckMaster brokerage software and real time connectivity, each office can create its own loads, print carrier confirmations, create, print and mail its own invoices to the customers. A billing clerk in the main office doesn't have to waste time recreating loads and invoices that are already there, but would only manage the various receivables from the agents.

Agents can truly manage their own agencies while still under the umbrella of the main company. Additionally, as freight is entered by satellite offices, the master planners are able to see all of the freight, offer suggestions for efficiently handling the freight, or even move the freight as necessary. Also, corporate freight entered by the master planners can be assigned to localized agents for effective movement. It’s a case of agents helping the main company and the main company helping the agents. It’s a win-win situation.

Is connectivity right for you? If you have multiple offices or agents and you want to keep up with what they are doing on a real time basis, the answer is an emphatic yes!

Visit the TruckMaster Freight Brokerage Software website or call us at 888-891-9550 today and request a demo. See what connectivity can do to enhance and grow your business. Ask about our multi-office freight brokerage special.

Dale Clark
TruckMaster Solution Provider
TruckMaster Your Freight Brokerage™