6 ways CargoBarn helps shippers protect their bottom lines

The Current Environment: 

Carriers, retailers, and shippers are adjusting their business practices to protect their bottom lines. As capacity remains tight, carriers can afford to be increasingly selective about which shippers they choose to work with and the type of freight they take on, slapping rate increases on shippers they deem “difficult,” or avoiding their freight altogether. 

Meanwhile, retailers are responding to shipping delays that disrupt their dock operations and cost them money—either through inefficient staffing or by not having product available on shelves for consumers to purchase. Many retailers have responded by implementing increasingly punitive non-compliance fines for missed delivery times (both early and late) as well as for incomplete orders. Walmart’s On-Time, In-Full (OTIF) policy, for example, combines on-time delivery measurement with order fulfillment metrics to determine overall compliance. Non-compliant shipments are assessed a fine amounting to approximately three percent of the value of the load.

Shippers, in turn, have been compelled to make changes to their transportation approach in order to adjust to this new reality, and protect their margins.

Shelter from the Storm:

Partnering with CargoBarn can be essential to success when market conditions are fast-changing. Here 6 benefits that shippers see when they collaborate with a CargoBarn to mitigate risk in a dynamic marketplace:

1. Access to capacity.Unlike asset-based providers, at CargoBarn we have virtually unlimited access to truckload capacity. This breadth of capacity options provides flexibility and allows shippers to find the optimal balance of price and service to fit their strategic needs.

2. Drop trailer programs.A nearly sure-fire way to avoid missed delivery appointments is by utilizing a drop trailer program, in which full trailers are “dropped” at the receiver’s dock, with the driver picking up an empty trailer and departing to pick up another load. At CargoBarn we have unique relationships with a wide variety of carriers, that are uniquely positioned to set up and administer drop trailer programs on behalf of shippers. By avoiding potentially excessive load and unload times, the freight will be more attractive to carriers.

3. Flexibility. With constant footprint changes and an ever-evolving customer base, it’s helpful to work with a 3PL that can react quickly to a change in network. Shifting volume, setting up new lanes, and finding capacity in markets you traditionally haven’t been active in can be challenging, but CargoBarn provides the speed and flexibility required to make the adjustments relatively seamless and pain-free.

4. Technology. CargoBarn brings a variety of transportation technology to the table, including robust Transportation Management Systems (TMS) that provides real-time visibility to shipments in transit, collects shipment data to drive business intelligence, and creates efficiencies.

5. Perspective. Through our broad carrier and shipper relationships we have a bird’s eye view of the market and can share proactive insights on market conditions and trends, in turn providing shippers with timely business intelligence for proactive decision-making. For instance, we can help you anticipate general rate increases (GRIs) and plan accordingly. Through our intimate understanding of your supply chain and business objectives, we can identify opportunities for mode optimization and consolidation, thereby reducing total landed costs, and mitigating risk.

6. Expertise. We work with a variety of shippers and can offer a breadth of expertise, offering solutions developed through hard-won experience on behalf of other clients. For example, we have immense knowledge of major retailer’s compliance programs and access to their online scheduling tools which is an invaluable resource that can put cash back on the bottom line through the avoidance of costly noncompliance fines for shippers with a retail customer base.