Many years ago, I received a valuable lesson in LTL freight pricing about carrier-shipper communication and ensuring you get all of the facts upfront.
It’s simple: Make sure the price you agree to is right the first time. Neither the carrier nor the shipper want an “oops” moment because an important pricing component was left out. Good communication between all parties wins in the end.
What happens when the front-end work is not done? Here’s an example I once experienced:
A shipper in Greensboro, N.C., regularly used Old Dominion. On occasion, the freight needed to be broken down, carton by carton, and repalletized to ensure shipment integrity. You can imagine the enormous amount of dock labor that went into this task, which was not accounted for in the pricing agreement, in addition to a change in density.
Having a conversation about repricing is not a pleasant one for the carrier and the shipper. That’s why spending the time in the beginning understanding the nuances of the freight may seem like small details, but are important to give the shipper an accurate freight quote.
Our industry continues to be a relationship industry where proactive communication matters. At OD, we ask detailed questions and list assumptions about your freight in our bids. If we get that right, there won’t be any need to revisit the price, as I learned from the Greensboro shipper early in my career.
Contact us by email or simply call 1-800-235-5569 to be connected to an Old Dominion customer service representative.