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I believe dispatching is like a Chess game, you gotta watch and learn quite a lot before you start making your own strategies. It all depends on your playing style, some love to play more aggressively, asking for crazy rates, underrating brokers and their offers, some will be more conservative, and offer fair prices for covering lanes, and maybe making a good contact for future loads.
I believe dispatching is like a Chess game, you gotta watch and learn quite a lot before you start making your own strategies. It all depends on your playing style, some love to play more aggressively, asking for crazy rates, underrating brokers and their offers, some will be more conservative, and offer fair prices for covering lanes, and maybe making a good contact for future loads.
The point is, everything will be related to your personality and there is not one best dispatching strategy, as long as you focus on the main job, keeping all aspects covered, maintaining a good link with your driver, understanding they are a human being, therefore, they feel sick, tired, angry, lonely, etc. and being there for them is also part of the Job.
The point is, everything will be related to your personality and there is not one best dispatching strategy, as long as you focus on the main job, keeping all aspects covered, maintaining a good link with your driver, understanding they are a human being, therefore, they feel sick, tired, angry, lonely, etc. and being there for them is also part of the Job.
I would say, being extra careful with the details, will be a great advantage at the beginning. Also do not take something for granted. Always confirm EVERYTHING; trust people, but take additional precautions.
I would say, being extra careful with the details, will be a great advantage at the beginning. Also do not take something for granted. Always confirm EVERYTHING; trust people, but take additional precautions.
-Andrew
Every day will bring something new, so learn from each of those situations to better yourself as a dispatcher.
Every day will bring something new, so learn from each of those situations to better yourself as a dispatcher.
- Be consistent with the good work.
- Talk to the driver when you wake up and when you are going to bed. Remember that they are all different and you have to schedule yourself with their rhythm.
- Always confirm everything. It will be a lifesaver when situations go badly.
- Be with your driver during their appointment times, even if the load is confirmed and the driver is checked in. It lets him know you are on top of the situation and have everything under control.
- Remember that we are a tool for drivers, so let them know you are always there for them.
- Get to know the driver, but keep it professional. They have a lot of things and situations that we have to be in control of. And we need to listen to them when they are frustrated.
- Every night, make a list with the priorities for the next day, so you can have a schedule and be more efficient in the process.
- When you don't know something, ask the team. There will be someone that has more experience with the situation you are dealing with that can help you.
- Be conscious that we are the ones generating work and money for the truck when we are looking for options, so it is a huge responsibility to handle their whole company, family and dreams.
- Don't leave a task halfway completed, just finish it and then focus on the next one.
- Find your way to succeed. Work hard, learn quickly, be proactive and flexible (some situations are out of our comfort zone, but just learn how to handle the problem and learn by going through it).
- Never try to talk like you are teaching the driver, just let him know we are learning from him and doing our best for him.
- Know your driver; his likes and needs, so you can build a strong relationship with him. Remember the more reliable a relationship is, the better it will be for everyone.
- Learn to listen.
-David M.
First, to be successful dispatching, you have to take into account some steps.
First, to be successful dispatching, you have to take into account some steps.
- Be honest, know yourself, know your capacities and be aware of what needs to be changed or improved by you. That's the way for us to accept that something is going well or not, and to be able to change it on time. That would improve your behavior and development as a dispatcher and also you're relationship with your driver.
- Be honest, know yourself, know your capacities and be aware of what needs to be changed or improved by you. That's the way for us to accept that something is going well or not, and to be able to change it on time. That would improve your behavior and development as a dispatcher and also you're relationship with your driver.
- No matters how annoying a driver could be. He is part of the company since they decided to work with us. You have to keep yourself calm and accept that being a driver is hard sometimes. So it is normal if they get out of base someday and get mad at everyone around. It is just part of the job. It is not only booking loads and giving updates, you have to learn how to understand each other and be someone for them to trust as well. It's like being a psychologist at times. If there is something you did not like from them, like rude behavior, you can politely talk to them when they finally are relaxed.
- No matters how annoying a driver could be. He is part of the company since they decided to work with us. You have to keep yourself calm and accept that being a driver is hard sometimes. So it is normal if they get out of base someday and get mad at everyone around. It is just part of the job. It is not only booking loads and giving updates, you have to learn how to understand each other and be someone for them to trust as well. It's like being a psychologist at times. If there is something you did not like from them, like rude behavior, you can politely talk to them when they finally are relaxed.
- Keep in mind that your job is not only what you are going to earn money from. Every profit comes from everyone's effort. So you have to trust your partners, be a support for them and work as honestly as possible. Don't forget that your results talk about who you are and how you do your job.
- Keep in mind that your job is not only what you are going to earn money from. Every profit comes from everyone's effort. So you have to trust your partners, be a support for them and work as honestly as possible. Don't forget that your results talk about who you are and how you do your job.
- Be responsible and don't forget that this is a family, but not for you to take advantage of it. Don't forget you signed a contract to be able to work 24/7. So if a driver needs you, you will have to be there for him/her no matters what and obviously be helpful, that's the most important thing.
- Be responsible and don't forget that this is a family, but not for you to take advantage of it. Don't forget you signed a contract to be able to work 24/7. So if a driver needs you, you will have to be there for him/her no matters what and obviously be helpful, that's the most important thing.
- Since you were hired to always be there and help drivers, they expect you will always do a great job. This is important because they mostly will see only your mistakes over your abilities and good things. That's why when you do something bad or make a mistake, they will remember this. So, one well done month of work, could be messed up by one bad day of work.
- Since you were hired to always be there and help drivers, they expect you will always do a great job. This is important because they mostly will see only your mistakes over your abilities and good things. That's why when you do something bad or make a mistake, they will remember this. So, one well done month of work, could be messed up by one bad day of work.
- Be honest, take care of your job and it will immediately make you reliable and that will make your drivers feel comfortable. Then they will talk about it with their colleagues, mates, friends and they will be working with us by the end of the year.
- Be honest, take care of your job and it will immediately make you reliable and that will make your drivers feel comfortable. Then they will talk about it with their colleagues, mates, friends and they will be working with us by the end of the year.
-Cristian
It's all about mindset. Having a "NO free time" mindset when you're working is key to efficiently dispatching and getting the job done. Whether it's for upcoming dispatches or future business relationships, it's all about always having something to do, regardless of the tasks you already completed. Think with every action you make "What am I getting paid to do?" Or "Is what I'm doing right now what will eventually bring profit to my driver?"
It's all about mindset. Having a "NO free time" mindset when you're working is key to efficiently dispatching and getting the job done. Whether it's for upcoming dispatches or future business relationships, it's all about always having something to do, regardless of the tasks you already completed. Think with every action you make "What am I getting paid to do?" Or "Is what I'm doing right now what will eventually bring profit to my driver?"
These mindsets can be "forced" into your brain by doing repetitively a task until it becomes your habit. These tasks are:
These mindsets can be "forced" into your brain by doing repetitively a task until it becomes your habit. These tasks are:
- Always have a cold calling lead list tab open in your browser and call it! Keep this tab open so your brain sees it consistently and has the need to do something about it.
- Always have a cold calling lead list tab open in your browser and call it! Keep this tab open so your brain sees it consistently and has the need to do something about it.
- Know your market research webpages: freight news outlets, Freightwaves, DAT Blog, etc... Have this always in mind every time you're feeling you have free time so you can see what will happen to the market, how it will behave and how it will perform with your lanes. Research them and take a look consistently at them.
- Know your market research webpages: freight news outlets, Freightwaves, DAT Blog, etc... Have this always in mind every time you're feeling you have free time so you can see what will happen to the market, how it will behave and how it will perform with your lanes. Research them and take a look consistently at them.
- Prospect out loads by calling loads posted for the same day, finding a really good paying load, telling the broker you have a truck, and ask the broker how often they have these loads, even if you don't have a truck there at that time. More often than not, they will have them consistently and you can have brokers on the ready when you go back to that area and the market is now cold to get out.
- Prospect out loads by calling loads posted for the same day, finding a really good paying load, telling the broker you have a truck, and ask the broker how often they have these loads, even if you don't have a truck there at that time. More often than not, they will have them consistently and you can have brokers on the ready when you go back to that area and the market is now cold to get out.
- Practice MecaNet to improve typing skills.
- Practice MecaNet to improve typing skills.
Make sure that everything that involves dispatching is done first. Prioritize booking carriers first before considering any other task. When dispatching, it is key to have a "move on quick" mindset. Do not overthink a load option. Ask the most important questions as soon as the broker picks up the phone to prevent any hold-ups or time wasted. Once you find out a load is not good, move on to the next one quickly.
Make sure that everything that involves dispatching is done first. Prioritize booking carriers first before considering any other task. When dispatching, it is key to have a "move on quick" mindset. Do not overthink a load option. Ask the most important questions as soon as the broker picks up the phone to prevent any hold-ups or time wasted. Once you find out a load is not good, move on to the next one quickly.
A dispatcher should be able to provide a load option at least every 10 minutes. A load option acquisition should not take more than 5 minutes on the phone with a broker.
A dispatcher should be able to provide a load option at least every 10 minutes. A load option acquisition should not take more than 5 minutes on the phone with a broker.
-Santi
-Communication is the most important thing. With the driver and broker company.
-Communication is the most important thing. With the driver and broker company.
- When booking a load, always aim high (ratewise). You will be able to come down to negotiate.
- When booking a load, always aim high (ratewise). You will be able to come down to negotiate.
- When you have the rate confirmation in your hands, double check and confirm with the shipper and receiver. Brokers like to play with the times.
- When you have the rate confirmation in your hands, double check and confirm with the shipper and receiver. Brokers like to play with the times.
- Always communicate if any issue comes in, before or after picking up or delivering.
- Always communicate if any issue comes in, before or after picking up or delivering.
- Never break a seal or do something with the load before notifying the broker. They should know everything that is happening with the load.
- Never break a seal or do something with the load before notifying the broker. They should know everything that is happening with the load.
- When getting loads without delivery appts, make sure they send you confirmation at least with the date you agreed, they like to change the rules and the rate confirmation will save you when you want to request detentions or layovers.
- When getting loads without delivery appts, make sure they send you confirmation at least with the date you agreed, they like to change the rules and the rate confirmation will save you when you want to request detentions or layovers.
- Make sure to do your numbers well to get a good reload, times and distances.
- Make sure to do your numbers well to get a good reload, times and distances.
- Always be aware of your drivers and loads, things can change in a quick second and we need to be there to help or attend their request.
- Always be aware of your drivers and loads, things can change in a quick second and we need to be there to help or attend their request.
-Daniel W.
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