You’re only as good as your carriers

Your supply chain will always be as good as your carriers. If your carriers are solid and reliable, odds are your shipments will be delivered quickly and efficiently. If they’re not, then you might run into some trouble.

How do you make sure to find a reliable carrier? Well, like finding good employees or good service providers, there’s no hard and fast rule. Finding great people to work with often takes a bit of trial and error. However, there are certain qualities that all great carrier networks share. Be on the lookout for these when evaluating new partners for your supply chain.

Manpower and equipment

Does the carrier network has the necessary people and equipment to get your shipments delivered? Depending on your types of shipment you might need multiple types of truck, such as refrigerator trucks or flatbed trucks. Or, for example, do you need drivers who are HAZMAT-certified? Make a list of all your requirements and go over them with your potential carrier to make sure they are the best fit for you.

Flexibility

Do you always ship full containers or do you want the flexibility of shipping LDL when necessary? Do you specialize in a specific type of shipment such as freight forwarding? Make sure you choose a carrier that offers both options and adapts to your needs.

Availability and responsiveness

This is probably both the most important one and the easiest one to overlook. It’s easy to get impressed by a shiny new fleet, but is your carrier responsive? Do they answer the phone when you call? A carrier who is always there to respond, especially in high-pressure situations, is worth its weight in gold.

Finding reliable carriers is certainly not easy. Luckily there are new logistics platforms such as Miami-based Quickload that do this for you. Its on-demand shipping service connects you with a reliable network of carriers that have already been vetted and certified. They are the reason why Quickload’s guaranteed delivery policy works.

Learn more about Quickload and its trusted network of carriers.

By: Pablo Torres