Does Parade co-op data to make matches and help find more carriers?

Parade sources capacity from within your existing network of carriers. A key function of Parade is learning about carriers based on many different behavioral signals. Parade scrapes inbound truck lists from carriers, tracks search behavior within the carrier portal, compiles available trucks entered by carrier reps on the phone with carriers, and many other signals. We show you all available trucks you didn’t even know you had.

Parade also syndicates loads to a number of load boards (DAT, KeepTruckin’ and SmartHop, see our integration page to see a full list) First, carriers you know can book these loads digitally (Book Now). Second, we collect quotes from carriers you haven’t worked with before, helping you start the negotiation process. All quoting and booking behavior is later used for future matching and carrier profile building. Parade will also bring in posted trucks from some partner networks and add that to the capacity workbench. Carrier reps then have access to live capacity sourced from inside and outside your network, all in one central location.

 

Why is Parade’s approach to capacity/syndication partners preferable to other platforms?

By focusing only on our competency of Capacity Management Parade is able to integrate seamlessly with a host of capacity partners. This includes everything from DAT, SmartHop & 123Loadboard, to Project 44’s freight cooperative, along with dispatch platforms like aifleet or Cloudtrucks. We bring brokers a total of 14 different capacity that provide access to a broad and deep pool of available capacity. Thanks to our digital booking technology, Book Now, this always brokers the abiltiy to extended end-to-end digital booking and quoting capabiltiy wherever their carriers like to work. Parade gives brokers completed control over what gets posted and where.

Have a customer who doesn’t want any of their freight to be posted on a public loadboard? No sweat, we can configure that. Do you wan’t a core group of carriers to be able to book digitially on a specific partner? We can help you set that up. We bring brokers a total of 14 different capacity that provide access to a broad and deep pool of available carriers, small fleets, owner-operators. Thanks to our digital booking technology, Book Now, this always brokers the ability to extended end-to-end digital booking and quoting capability wherever their carriers like to work. Parade gives brokers complete control over what gets posted and where.

 

How does Parade use the profile it builds on my carriers?

The carrier profile within Parade’s capacity management is a critical to providing matches to broker teams with a high level of confidence. When loads are pushed to Parade carrier behavior, preferences and attributes are all considered before a match is made. The machine learning algorithm will consider if the load matches lanes the carrier prefers, based on quotes or loads booked, posted trucks emails, lanes, and other details. Parade will also consider if the carrier is able to move the load based on qualifications or attributes, like required equipment types and certifications, levels of insurance, ability to cover needed accessorial, etc.

 

Can I choose which loads get posted to load boards?

You have complete control over not only which load boards get used, but which loads get posted to those boards or capacity partners. We understand that our customers’ policies and internal rules are nuanced. Parade helps account for that with multiple configuration options.

 

When Parade posts to load boards what company shows as the broker?

While a Parade integration will facilitate the load being posted, and its subsequent removal, your brokerage will show as the posting entity. Parade is simply in the background proving the technology that improves your team’s efficiency and productivity.

 

Does using Parade mean my reps won’t be working the phones anymore?

When in Parade your carrier reps can have more focused and strategic conversations with carriers. By automating repeatable tasks like sending out offers, accepting quotes, and matching carriers to freight, your reps can focus on growing relationships with your carrier base. Reps are getting back the time in their day to learn more about how their carriers want to work with them, helping improve the overall carrier experience, lowering the number of one-and-dones, and driving carrier reuse.

 

What if my carriers don’t want to receive emails?

Configuring how and when your carriers are communicated with is a high value portion of managing successful relationships with them. Best practices dictate that brokers and reps work with their carrier base to let them know to expect emails with personalized freight and the ability to book and quote digitally so that the carrier knows they are coming. The majority of all carriers in the Parade network find these emails valuable, which is why we see unsubscribe rate of less than 1%. However, brokerages have the ability to configure email frequency and type to tailor the communication process best fitting your needs.

 

How do I get my carriers to adopt the platform?

With over 360,000 carriers active on the platform already, there is a good chance your carriers are already using Parade. Brokerages should expect to do some minimal education with their carriers on how to get them to interact with the platform, while highlighting the value of being able to digital book and/or quote freight in your network. Along with unlocking the ability to digitally interact with your brokerage, you will also be providing your carriers curated loads that match how and where they like to work. All of this drives efficiencies for carriers as they look to avoid running empty miles and combing through large available load emails.

 

Do I need a subscription for each of the syndication partners? What does that cost?

All but three of the capacity partners integrated with Parade are absolutely free to the user. In fact, getting setting up with most of the partners can be done directly in Parade during implementation. The other three partners require that brokers hold a direct commercial agreement with them. This agreement is strictly between you and the capacity partner. Parade does not determine rates or terms with any partner.

 

Do all of my loads get sent to Parade? (customer type, contract type, etc)

Your freight is unique and is going to have unique requirements. Deciding which loads are sent to Parade is easily definable during the implementation phase and completely within your control. Our CX team will work hand-in-hand with you to understand your business rules and processes in order to configure Parade appropriately, setting your team up for success.

 

How do I know which load/match type is most successful on Parade?

While some capacity signals are certainly stronger than others the success of the match type or matching capacity signal is variable. This is why the machine learning algorithm defining the matches and the confidence level of the match is so incredibly valuable. Parade looks at all available capacity signals by carrier, and considers them across 30/60/90 day time frames. By working in this manner Parade is able to define matches with high levels of confidence even as your freight changes, as your carriers change, as the market changes. There is no need for a team to adjust the weight of capacity signal for a lane or carrier, Parade recognized the changes in behavior and adjusts accordingly.

 

How does Parade get available truck emails? Just from me? Other Carriers? Do the carriers have to put it in a certain format? Do you have to integrate with my email server?

We work with your team to get carriers to send their available truck lists to a single email address that you own and host. Applying some simple forwarding rules inside your email server will push all those emails directly to Parade. This reduces the numbers of integrations need to pull value out of the platform. Your carriers can keep sending those emails in the same format they have always used, Parade can read them.

 

What happens if the email parsing fails?

While this is incredibly rare at less than 5% of available truck emails, we have an exception management process built just for this instance. If an email cannot be read, or errors occur, the email is sent to an actual human to review the email and address the data issues. Each time an email like this is kicked out it helps the parsing process learn and improve.

 

Who receives credit for a digital booking?

Driving digital bookings with carriers has a direct impact on bottom line performance for your brokerage and that is why at Parade we firmly believe your reps should get credit for all the digital bookings they are responsible for. Exactly how the rep gets assigned credit for the load is mapped out during the implementation process. The process for assigning credit is built to be as dynamic as your business, every business has a different way they prefer to handle this process. We have not met a load we couldn’t assign.