Capacity Management for Freight Agencies? We Can Do That!
This feature shines a light on Parade’s capacity management for freight agents. It’s not technically a feature, since it’s more of an alternative configuration of the program, but it definitely deserves the spotlight since it gives the power of capacity management to freight agents, something that’s unique amongst capacity management vendors.
Here’s Why Many Capacity Management Tools Don’t Serve Freight Agencies
Not too long ago, capacity management simply didn’t work for freight agencies that provide logistics solutions to their agents. The sharing of capacity details between agents meant that they essentially had access to every agent in the company’s book of business.
That’s less than ideal since it can mean that less scrupulous agents will use the data to poach business from other agents in the group. Because data sharing often leads to this, most agents are strongly against sharing data, even with other agents in their group.
It doesn’t serve the company in any way for agents to pick off business from other agents within the company. The company keeps the same accounts and agents may feel less valued and less motivated to go find new business if they can either take it from other agents or have it taken from them by other agents.
For capacity management tools to work for freight agencies, each agent needs to be able to have access to a shared pool of capacity and the necessary data that comes along with that, but not all the other information like specific locations where trucks are picking up and dropping off or the names of shippers.
Parade is Designed with Freight Agents in Mind
When it’s set up for freight agents, Parade allows everyone with access to the system to see the details they absolutely need to see to find capacity (where the trucks are, where they’ve been, and where they like to go) but none of the load details that may provide insight into another agent’s book of business.
Whether your company uses a freight agency model or a freight brokerage model, a capacity management solution that’s designed with you in mind can help find capacity and improve ROI. Eliminating the data sharing that is problematic for agencies while still allowing a shared pool of capacity means that they have access to those capacity management tools like digital booking and automation without worrying that another agent will use that data to steal their customers.
How Can Freight Agents Benefit from Parade?
There are several potential benefits Parade can provide freight agents, including:
· Access to more capacity
· Easier carrier re-use
· Digital booking
· Access to reporting features that help agents make smarter business decisions.
· Improved margins
Giving each agent in the group doesn’t just help the agents; it also helps the group as a whole. When agents succeed, the company does, too.
Here’s How It Works
Parade for agents isn’t a separate product or platform. Instead, it’s a customized version of the Parade platform that brokerages across the country already use. We set up Parade for each customer based on their business and operational needs, and this is no different than the adjustments we make to suit a particular freight broker’s business model.
When we implement Parade for a freight agency, we set it up so that the capacity pool is shared, but each agent only has access to load details for their own loads. Our customized implementation means that we can support any domestic brokerage or agency model, including more complicated business structures like brokerages or agents who have both employees and agents working under them.
Freight agents are facing the same challenges brokerages are, and they deserve tech that’s designed to help them overcome those struggles and thrive. Reach out to the team at Parade here for a demo to see how we can help find the capacity you need and get ahead in today’s market.