Before jumping in to freight broker training, it’s a good idea to learn the different skills, roles, and responsibilities of a professional freight broker.
The job of a freight broker will vary depending on whether you’re an independent broker, or you’re a freight broker who works for a larger transportation company.
However, generally speaking, these are the things that you will be responsible for as a freight broker agent.
Things to know before starting Freight Broker Training
Managing customer relationships
A freight broker needs to be good at building relationships. Successful brokers maintain close contact with their clients – both shippers and carriers. Building your contact list for both of these groups will play a big part in your success. You will want to be the first person that comes to mind for both shippers and carriers when they think about who to contact regarding work. Build great relationships and you will make your job as a freight broker much easier.
Communicating with shippers and carriers
Having strong communication and interpersonal skills is also important. You need to maintain regular contact with shippers and carriers. Shippers will need to be up to date how their shipment is progressing, and supplying them with appropriate and up to date information about their shipment will go a long way in building trust. Same thing goes for Carriers. You will want to make sure that you communicate with them about available work that you have for them. Make yourself a valuable resource of information for both parties.
Negotiating rates
This will be a big part of your job. Negotiating rates with shippers and carriers will determine how successful you will be. You always want to be fair to both shippers and carriers and you also need to make sure that you have enough margin for your services or company that you are profitable and are providing a valuable service.
Being up to date on the latest freight industry best practices
The landscape of the transportation industry changes regularly. Whether it’s freight classifications, fuel surcharges, related legislation, etc. you need to be up to date as much as possible on everything that’s happening in your industry. The freight broker who can do the best job keeping their shippers and carriers up to date with the latest relevant information on the industry will bring great value to their business, and be a valuable resource.
Knowing and understanding industry terminology
Do you know what a bill of lading is? What about LTL? Do you know who the consignee is, or what intermodal transport is? The most successful freight brokers will be those who can speak the language of the business. You will need to know all the terms and lingo associated with your business.
Finally, you will need to be up to speed on all the relevant legal issues surrounding freight transportation. To be successful, make sure you cover all the bases, leave no stone unturned and be diligent in working with your shippers and carriers. Build yourself up as the go-to resource and you will be able to build a successful career as a freight broker.
