Benefits of Digital Booking and Digital Quotes
It Gives Carriers Options
Brokers today are working hard to treat their carriers more like their shippers. That means finding ways to serve those carriers better and giving them options is a great way to do that.
Some carriers would rather book a load or send a quote digitally. They can do that on their own time, even after hours, and have the peace of mind of knowing that their equipment will be utilized. It also helps carriers avoid uncomfortable negotiations if they wish. They can simply send the quote and see if it’s accepted or if they receive a counteroffer. Communication through a digital platform can help some people that get anxious about situations like that cope.
Of course, not every carrier is interested in or comfortable with digital booking or quoting. Some of them still prefer the old-fashioned method, where information is exchanged over the phone or via email. That’s fine! Digital tools are about giving carriers options that work for them. Interested carriers can reach out in whatever way suits them best. Parade still streamlines the booking process, making it faster and easier to get loads booked.
It Saves Reps Time
Digital booking and digital quotes can save reps a ton of time. Rather than searching through carriers, calling, emailing, and receiving countless no thank yous, digital booking and quoting tools mean that the carriers come to you. Through Parade’s partnerships with top syndication services, customers can post directly to the leading load boards with minimal effort.
Got a digital quote that just won’t cut it? The negotiation process can also be handled digitally, saving even more time.
The process of getting a carrier assigned to a load once they’ve been found can also be quicker with the right digital tools. Once the load is in the system and posted, reps merely need to sit back and wait for a hit. Once the carrier is onboarded, it merely takes a quick confirmation from the rep to get the load assigned.
It Saves Brokerages Money
One of the key reasons brokerages should add digital booking and quoting to their repertoire is money. These digital tools save brokerages money in a couple of different ways.
Time Saved Equal Money Saved
When it takes less time to cover a load, the brokerage saves money. That rep can use the time they saved to book the next load or build a meaningful carrier relationship that may allow for volume discounts down the line.
Loads with Digital Interactions Tend to Garner Higher Gross Margins
There’s a broad audience of carriers looking to book digitally, and with a rate already set, loads that have some sort of digital interaction (load booked digitally, digital booking attempt, digital quote, or even the most basic opening of an email) tend to bring in higher gross margins.
The carriers who interact with these loads digitally are seeing the rate upfront, and they know that the load could be booked by another carrier at any moment. Carriers know they can’t wait for the rate to raise on a load that has digital booking and quoting enabled, so if they’re willing and able to cover it, they’re likely to snap it up at the rate set.
Plus, Parade has tools to help brokers set the perfect price to get loads booked fast and at a fair but favorable rate.
Not Sure Where to Get Started?
Parade’s capacity management solution connects with some of the top syndication services in the business to provide our customers with digital quoting and booking tools, allowing them to post directly to load boards from Parade. Digital bookings and quotes can be managed through the Parade platform to make sure you don’t miss a thing.
Interested in learning more about the benefits Parade’s digital booking and quoting features can offer to your freight brokerage and how they work? Reach out to the team at Parade to get a demo.