Some Things to Ponder Before Accepting Your Next 3PL Role

What questions should you be asking before accepting your next 3PL position?

Everyone gets excited when they have an offer for a new position and you decide to move forward without knowing everything about the company. A few weeks or months go by and slowly you start to realize that things aren’t quite adding up. The nervous energy kicks in and you’re thinking, “How could I have avoided this?” and “Maybe I should have done a bit more research before accepting this position.”

Set yourself up for success from the beginning by asking these important questions:

1. Brokerage Authority

You’ll always want to make sure your future employer is operating under a legal FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) authority.

2. Pricing

Is their pricing competitive in this market and for the modes you are most comfortable selling/moving? Will you be able to win new business or spend your time chasing bids and carriers with no success?

3. Service Offerings

Do you specialize in selling and moving Full Truckload shipments, but the company you are looking at is only competitive in LTL? Ask about your book of business and see if it’s transferable.

4. Insurance

Will your freight be covered in the event something goes wrong? Ask about surety bonds, general liability, auto liability, excess liability, and worker’s compensation.

5. Discounts

Do you specialize in LTL shipments? What kind of LTL discount does this brokerage offer their LTL customers and can you compete in this market?

6. Dispatching Process

So you won the freight, you booked the carrier, but now what? Make sure you know who is handling your freight and in charge of on-time pickups and deliveries. Will you be handling this or will there be a team to assist in ensuring your freight arrives on time?

7. Carrier Relationships

You won the freight, but who’s going to move it? Ensure that your potential employer has carrier relationships and dedicated services to offer your customers. With carrier relationships come better rates and more spot quote and bid wins!

8. Carrier Payment

How is this brokerage paying their carriers and when? This goes hand and hand in getting and keeping carrier relationships.

9. Carrier Compliance

Make sure the company is using carriers with legitimate authority, insurance, and CSA scores.

10. Years in Business

How long has the company been in business? Will you be working for a start-up or a seasoned brokerage and how will this affect your success?

11. Associations and Awards

What associates does this company belong to? Being a part of a reputable association can make your sell a bit easier and assists in casting a solid company reflection.

12. Technology

What kind of technology platform does this company use? Do you work off of Excel spreadsheets or do you have access to a load board with load history and track/trace functions? What kind of pricing tools do they use to quote shipments?

13. Training

Will you be put through a training program and for how long? Do they offer a ride-along program?

14. Culture

What is the atmosphere like in the office and will you mesh well with the environment? How many people are in this office and what kinds of amenities are offered?

15. Leadership and Career Advancement

How strong is the company leadership and what does your growth path look like?

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact CS Recruiting at any time!