In a technology-driven world change is inevitable – and the freight industry is not immune.
According to Nick Hoffman, divisional logistics manager for CCS Logistics and co-founder of Linebooker, consumers worldwide have got wise to the fact that a lot of hidden margins and costs are added to services and products.
Information sharing coupled with on-line technology is changing the way the freight industry operates – and Linebooker is an example of this change.
It’s an online bidding platform for road freight and logistics. The idea around Linebooker is to use technology to facilitate online bidding and delivery execution.
The platform allows more transporters to compete and more customers to receive the best price.
It’s a system that is transparent, fair and easy to use, says Hoffman.
“One of our biggest challenges with customers has been for them to break away from the traditional way of arranging their transport requirements,” says Hoffman. “They needed to trust in our ability to deliver a service where no contract is required.”
According to Hoffman customers should not be bound to a contract but be able to benefit from lane balancing for example.
“Initially transporters saw us as competition, or worse, brokers,” he says. “Our rates are based on a booking fee that is transparent to them, but not for their account.”
The benefit, says Hoffman, is all round. “Customers have access to multiple preapproved transporters at the best price. The process is efficient and easy to use with very little complexity. Transporters, on the other hand, have access to many customers, payment within 15 days and can balance loads more easily. There are also no broker mark-ups.”
Hoffman believes Linebooker has introduced more transparency into the system while it makes transacting between transporters and customers simpler
“Our outlook is positive. We believe that Linebooker serves both the customer and transporter equally.”
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One of our biggest challenges with customers has been for them to break with tradition. – Nick Hoffman
