This is not a business you run with post-it notes and reminders written on the back of envelopes. Freight brokers must be organized. When loads get lost (they will) or drivers get lost (they will) then you need to know how to find the information to solve the problems immediately, even if you're a hundred miles away from your office.

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Instead of tearing our hair out, trying to remember which driver handled a load back in February, wouldn't it be easier to have a system that you could ask? Spreadsheets and doc files have their place, but in an emergency, searching through them isn't fast or efficient. It takes time that a broker might not have to spare. Organization isn't about having all the data online - it's about having it accessible on demand.

With that information, a savvy freight broker can provide a customized service to a shipper. Provide the right trucker who can handle their load - and make a customer for years. That's how to build a successful trucking business.

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We've had several recent blog posts about rate confirmations (rate cons.) One point we've made time and again was that a rate con is a legal document. There are times when a broker or a shipping company has to pass off the load to another trucking company. Maybe they don't have the proper equipment or a driver available for the load. But it's the responsibility of the contracted trucking agency to notify the client of the new plans for a new rate con to be prepared, but the old one is no longer valid.

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But you have to re-enter all the terms and fine print every time you use it. Is this really "free" when you have to spend time doing the same work over and over again? The best solution isn't free, but it will save you money and headaches.
Then there's the problem of billing. A PDF rate con created by a rate con template doesn't link to an invoice. How can you track it? Has the trip been billed? Has the driver been paid? Is it tracking the load for you?

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Brokers need to make sure they've got a steady cash flow. That means they have to manage the money in the fastest way possible. That only happens when the invoices for rate cons are sent out in a timely fashion. That's the biggest strength of TruckingOffice Brokerage software -- all of the rate cons you create lead directly to the invoice you need to send to shippers. For companies that use TruckingOffice PRO trucking software, your rate cons immediately import into their software, which makes your drivers very happy and willing to work with you again.

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A rate confirmation is a legal document. It commits both sides to the transportation of goods - all the limits, restrictions, the pickup location and the destination. All the details are to be included in a rate con. From the trucker's perspective, it's what's expected and the rate the job pays. For the shipper, it's the explanation of their expectations - how their load will be handled and when the delivery is scheduled.

You don't mess around with rate cons. Just throwing something into a Google Doc is the last way to handle a rate con.

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Because we're working with the government, don't expect this to be a quick process. Do as much as you can before you file your request so no delays will slow your roll. Save up for those fees now and be ready to hit the road running!

If you're a new broker, using a good freight brokerage software is the best way to start your business. TruckingOffice Brokerage Software has a free trial to help you learn the job and keep you organized!

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Dispatching Software Is Necessary I know I’m not the only one out there who started driving a truck and decided I wanted to own another truck. More trucks.  I wanted […]

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