7 Ways to Maintain a Positive Broker Reputation

As a freight broker, your reputation matters. And building your reputation as a trusted broker will increase leads and connections with carriers and shippers.

Carriers want to work with brokers who value them and work hard to stay compliant with regulations, making their job easier. Shippers, just like carriers, want someone who will get the job done efficiently and on time, all while showing they value the product that is transported. When a shipper or carrier has a positive experience with you, you can bet they will spread the word, giving you more connections and opportunities to grow your business.

With everyone going online to share what they love (or hate) about a company, your reputation matters more than ever. What people say will impact your business.

We’ll go over seven ways to maintain your good reputation and help you navigate recovering and repairing after a misstep.

7 Ways to Maintain a Good Reputation

Your reputation in trucking demonstrates how dependable and trustworthy you are as a freight broker. It will determine if carriers choose to work with you on a regular basis.

To solidify your position as a trusted freight broker and amplify your positive reputation, focus on these seven key areas.

1. Reliability and consistency in service
   Keep your promises and follow through on everything you say you will do. Meet deadlines and commitments, no matter the scale, whether it’s an on-time delivery or an email you promised to send by a specific date.
2. Transparency and honesty
   Transparency is an easy way to help others in the logistics industry trust you. Clear communication helps improve your relationship, ensures fair and accurate payments, increases efficiency, and helps prevent fraud—all of which improve your reputation as a broker.
3. Fair and competitive pricing
   Make sure your rates are competitive in the market. Avoid hidden fees or unforeseen charges by clearly communicating what they are and pointing them out in the contract before anything is transported.
4. Professionalism and ethical conduct
   Stay compliant with industry regulations and standards in all areas and update your terms of service when needed. Respect the interests of all parties involved in the process, and they will be more likely to return to you for more work.
5. Establish and maintain excellent customer service
   Address communication promptly and courteously; no one wants to be left waiting for days and days to hear back. Handle complaints with empathy and humility, working towards a resolution that respects everyone involved. You’ll establish long-term partnerships with both carriers and shippers, which will result in more business as they express their satisfaction with your practices.
6. Implement efficient technology and processes
   Leverage new technologies to make your business as efficient and organized as possible. Streamline what you can, delegate tasks when possible, and utilize tools to improve your business practices and efficiency. This includes transportation management software (TMS), freight load boards, customer relationship management (CRM), and accounting software.
7. Establish a strong online presence
   Whether actively engaging in social media or responding to online reviews and feedback, monitoring what people say is important. Market research shows that 89 percent of customers are more likely to utilize a business that replies to online reviews, and 57 percent say they would not be likely to use a company that fails to respond to feedback. This means positive or negative; leave a thank you for positive reviews, and do your best to respond to negative feedback right on the platform.

How You Can Move Forward After a Mistake

It’s impossible to go through your entire career without taking one misstep, but what matters—and what you can control—is what you do to repair and recover.

Here are three essential steps to take to keep your reputation intact after a misstep:

1. Acknowledge your mistakes and take responsibility. Own it when you mess up. Whether big or small, taking responsibility for your actions increases trust within the transportation industry rather than depleting it.
2. Communicate transparently with your clients and carriers. Transparency is key in the logistics industry, not only to build trust, but also when it comes to compliance and regulations. When you’ve made a mistake, immediately contact those affected (carrier and/or shipper) and explain what happened and how you’re doing to remedy the situation. If they feel in the loop, they’ll likely trust you to take care of it. They’ll also be more likely to work with you in the future if they see you handle missteps transparently.
3. Implement preventative measures to avoid future errors. Learn from your mistakes and do your best to prevent them from happening again. This might mean implementing new technology, making new partnerships, or delegating if you take on too much.

Protect Your Reputation

Your reputation as a freight broker matters more than you think. Luckily, you can build your reputation through transparency, consistency, competitive pricing, professionalism, and a drive to establish your business. Take matters into your own hands, and let others see why working with you will help build their business.