ThibodeauxBayou
Not a Member
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
Last edited:
Will Work For Loads
- Thread starter ThibodeauxBayou
- Start date
mrgoodtude
Not a Member
Tibs
Maybe I should go to work with you (paint a big ole crayfish on my truck)..
As far as $1.65 a mile nuttin wrong with that..
Congrats
Maybe I should go to work with you (paint a big ole crayfish on my truck)..
As far as $1.65 a mile nuttin wrong with that..
Congrats
A big red crawfish would probably look better with the blue than the blue and purple. But, please don't do it. You'd deprive us of some of those neat pics. Hunt'in freight and hauling it too takes a lot of time. As my folks found out.
mrgoodtude
Not a Member
Thanks Colonel
easyrider2697
Expert Expediter
congrats Tibs, looks like that hour or so of you time has already paid off, good luck in 2008
arkjarhead
Veteran Expediter
Maybe you found a good customer that will keep your wheels turning. No offense to you, but getting that deal so easily kinda makes you wonder why some of these big outfits are having such a hard time finding new customers and trucks are sitting all over the place empty.
Easy?? Yes. No. Maybe. Depends on from what altitude you are looking at it from.
I, in the past suggested very strongly to my associates, O/O, drivers, that each and every business they drove by was a potential customer and all they had to do was ask.
Over a long period working with folks, how many doors did they knock on???
ZERO, that I know of!!!!
I, in the past suggested very strongly to my associates, O/O, drivers, that each and every business they drove by was a potential customer and all they had to do was ask.
Over a long period working with folks, how many doors did they knock on???
ZERO, that I know of!!!!
Tennesseahawk
Veteran Expediter
Not so, Col. Jay and I made it a point to hand out cookies (business cards) when things looked potential. There was more than one time where we chatted with office ppl about what you had to offer. Just because you don't hear about it, doesn't mean it doesn't happen.
Thib... I envy you! You have a lot of what it takes to run the independent part of the biz successfully... salesmanship and determination... and the ability to follow thru when your sale wins out. Good job!!!
I was talking to my wife the other day about how I can improve my weak sales skills, if and when I start my own business. My confidence is not the best.
Thib... I envy you! You have a lot of what it takes to run the independent part of the biz successfully... salesmanship and determination... and the ability to follow thru when your sale wins out. Good job!!!
I was talking to my wife the other day about how I can improve my weak sales skills, if and when I start my own business. My confidence is not the best.
greg334
Veteran Expediter
I am not so sure about this, it takes more then once or a few times to really say that one is successful. I don't see the big deal, maybe it was there was no one able to take the load during the holidays or what ever.
Don't forget this is like other businesses that provide services, it may be a good thing to step into an office of a shipper, present yourself and your truck as a good service provider but what happens when that shipper wants a truck to get something moved who is in St Louis and you are in Detroit?
Will you drive to the shipper to pick it up and move it for them?
Not likely and the chance of that shipper calling a second time is now slimmer then before.
Sitting with a few shippers as friends, BSing with them, they all had one thing that they kept saying, they don't have time to hunt for deals or trucks, if they did they would have time for other things too. They want service, not to worry about whether a new company can't do this or that for what ever reason and their loyalty is to their bottom line and their customer, not a service provider.
In service businesses coverage is everything, look at panther for an example and think why they have so many vans and truck but the ratio of trucks to loads is off by a few points. They cover a region where they think there may be a load at the expense of the owner, trying to capture a customer and then trying to maintain the relationship with the customer for what ever pennies they get. They work at it to do this because they know that companies will call others if they have to.
And T-hawk, you want to improve your sales skills, two words - Dale Carnegie. Look into the course and look into the business development stuff at Wayne state.
Don't forget this is like other businesses that provide services, it may be a good thing to step into an office of a shipper, present yourself and your truck as a good service provider but what happens when that shipper wants a truck to get something moved who is in St Louis and you are in Detroit?
Will you drive to the shipper to pick it up and move it for them?
Not likely and the chance of that shipper calling a second time is now slimmer then before.
Sitting with a few shippers as friends, BSing with them, they all had one thing that they kept saying, they don't have time to hunt for deals or trucks, if they did they would have time for other things too. They want service, not to worry about whether a new company can't do this or that for what ever reason and their loyalty is to their bottom line and their customer, not a service provider.
In service businesses coverage is everything, look at panther for an example and think why they have so many vans and truck but the ratio of trucks to loads is off by a few points. They cover a region where they think there may be a load at the expense of the owner, trying to capture a customer and then trying to maintain the relationship with the customer for what ever pennies they get. They work at it to do this because they know that companies will call others if they have to.
And T-hawk, you want to improve your sales skills, two words - Dale Carnegie. Look into the course and look into the business development stuff at Wayne state.
Well, I stand corrected I guess. All business places are potential, however.
Greg, problem solved when you align yourself with 5700 other trucks, can't hardly miss having someone in the area. Amazing as it may seem, you really don't have to stand alone to be Independent. Teamwork, ethics and being very good at what you do, goes a long ways.
Greg, problem solved when you align yourself with 5700 other trucks, can't hardly miss having someone in the area. Amazing as it may seem, you really don't have to stand alone to be Independent. Teamwork, ethics and being very good at what you do, goes a long ways.
greg334
Veteran Expediter
Oh I know what you 're saying there.
I think that was my initial point but I got wrapped up in the other stuff. I think because I divide the two groups, independent and company owners, I tend to think that there is naturally a carry over from the latter to the former in regards to networking so an assumption that networking does not easily exist when it may could be a mistake. I simply never really had a need to explore that aspect of independence being condition to the company mentality I am trying so hard to shake.
Jefferson3000
Expert Expediter
It's hard to know when and where a customer will come. Sometimes they fall into your lap and othertimes they require a lot of persistence.
I've been to see a potential client and the guy spent only two minutes with me, telling me he had no use for me. The very next DAY he called for a quote on a job and he's been my steadiest customer this year. I've had others that ushered me through the office and introduced me to the traffic managers as a new vendor they would be using and even though I've been by many times, they've called only once.
It's definitely true that most new customers come to me when their normal avenues are tied up. Forwarders especially seem to be creatures of habit. Their present vendor may suck, but they will continue to use them just because they at least know what level of service to expect. (sucky)
Suddenly, one day that company isn't available and they have a need to call on me. I strive to deliver exceptional service and so they end up being very pleased and continue to call more and more. That's normally how I win a new customer, but it sure is nice when they come quicker. You just have to be tenacious and not take rejection as a personal offense.
I've been to see a potential client and the guy spent only two minutes with me, telling me he had no use for me. The very next DAY he called for a quote on a job and he's been my steadiest customer this year. I've had others that ushered me through the office and introduced me to the traffic managers as a new vendor they would be using and even though I've been by many times, they've called only once.
It's definitely true that most new customers come to me when their normal avenues are tied up. Forwarders especially seem to be creatures of habit. Their present vendor may suck, but they will continue to use them just because they at least know what level of service to expect. (sucky)
Suddenly, one day that company isn't available and they have a need to call on me. I strive to deliver exceptional service and so they end up being very pleased and continue to call more and more. That's normally how I win a new customer, but it sure is nice when they come quicker. You just have to be tenacious and not take rejection as a personal offense.
Last edited:
Critter Truckin
Expert Expediter
Amen. I've dealt with that in my short time (relatively) on the road. Just recently, we (Laura and I) were pretty much accused of not checking tire pressure, and the tires went bad. Then they were replaced, after the dealership said that we hit something. Like 4 times. Survey says??? X
Anyway, more to the point. We (Larry and I) did take the time to talk to people as potential customers. However, if those people say no, then there's nothing that you can do after that point. Not only that, If we're drivers, what makes people think that we are salespeople as well? The way I look at it, if you don't think the drivers "need" more than X%, then sounds like you don't "need" anymore salespeople. Just a thought.
Anyway, more to the point. We (Larry and I) did take the time to talk to people as potential customers. However, if those people say no, then there's nothing that you can do after that point. Not only that, If we're drivers, what makes people think that we are salespeople as well? The way I look at it, if you don't think the drivers "need" more than X%, then sounds like you don't "need" anymore salespeople. Just a thought.
Well, yes I guess. Might hand someone a business card(at the dock you are backed up to) takes ummm 10 seconds, or so. I aplaud the effort.
As someone wise once said "minimal pain is surely apt to get you minimum gain".
There in lies the problem from the employee attitude, like Greg says he is trying so hard to shake.
As someone wise once said "minimal pain is surely apt to get you minimum gain".
There in lies the problem from the employee attitude, like Greg says he is trying so hard to shake.
Critter Truckin
Expert Expediter
Pardon my horrible eyes... but did you just say the "employee attitude?" Don't you mean trickle-down? 10 seconds? That's funny. Seeing as how the usual (note I said usual) load/unload process takes upwards of about 10 minutes. That's 10 minutes I spend, even now, talking about the business that I'm in. Especially if the person/people I work for/with are decent people and treat me like a real person... not just as a warm body that fills a seat and holds the truck in a straight line. So I guess that pain would have been better off on your part making sure that your "employees" are better taken care of.
greg334
Veteran Expediter
Now this is what I said;
What I meant, and I know col got it, was I am not thinking outside the box and being proactive. I still have this FedEx mentality that the company will do the work for me and have just gotten kicked in the head enough from my wife to start promoting myself, my truck and my ability to actually make real money. I am late coming to the party so to speak with all that has happened in the last month around here.
What I meant, and I know col got it, was I am not thinking outside the box and being proactive. I still have this FedEx mentality that the company will do the work for me and have just gotten kicked in the head enough from my wife to start promoting myself, my truck and my ability to actually make real money. I am late coming to the party so to speak with all that has happened in the last month around here.
greg334
Veteran Expediter
Well you're sort of right, I just didn't view my tenure with the other companies as being an employee, I seemed to be far removed from that.
ThibodeauxBayou
Not a Member
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
Last edited: