In transportation a common theme is “cost is most important to me”… but does it have to be? Small-to-midsized specialty food companies have to focus on keeping their supply chain costs down to compete with the bigger food manufacturers. We have found our industry experience and customer service can really keep the total cost of their distribution low, while also saving them time and giving them peace-of-mind.
An effective transportation broker in the specialty food marketplace is successful by creating real advantages for customers through constant communication and familiarity with its clients’ customers. Understanding the receivers, 3rd party manufacturers, warehouses, and regional carriers give customers a head start.
To better explain, we can break down this service method into 3 simple points.
- 1. Understanding clients product
- 2. Focusing on clients’ needs
- 3. Being flexible for our clients
By understanding a client’s product, we are showing them that we have industry knowledge about their products. For example, one of our customers is a specialty food company in the state of Washington who relies on a third party manufacturer located in the Midwest. A common ground we have with this client is an understanding that there is a responsibility on our end, as its broker, to have a large amount of communication with the 3rd party manufacturer. They are just as much our customer as our client in WA, and we interact with them daily.
Focusing on clients’ needs doesn’t just mean waiting for a problem to happen and fixing it. Many customers in the food industry utilize 3rd party receiving warehouses that have very specific delivery hours and restrictions. Using knowledge of these various locations to let a new customer know what they can expect and how to prevent any issues upon arrival will end up saving them from accessorial costs.
Finally, we are flexible with clients. Shipping is never an exact science; customers can change their origin and destinations quickly, and manufacturers can have delays. By being flexible with customers and understanding how to solve these issues in a fast and efficient manner, we provide a level of customer service that is required by the food and beverage industry, allowing us to separate ourselves as an elite service provider.
