As we all know, freight rates are complex and volatile. It’s hard to say you’ll find standard pricing for each type of shipment because these prices depend on many moving parts, especially demand, supply, and other factors that affect carriers directly.
Companies within the transportation space must find ways to feel confident about the amounts they should pay for each load. How can businesses do that? One effective method is sifting through your historical data and seeing the price you’ve been paying year over year for certain types of loads. With this number in mind, you’ll make better and more profitable decisions.
Trusting tech to tackle dynamic freight pricing
Here’s where technology and freight rate applications come into play. As we have mentioned, many companies are still hesitant to jump on the technology bandwagon as they see significant issues in its implementation.
But how can you take that leap of faith and trust new technologies for processes like freight pricing and ensure its success?
Three Elements of Successful Tech Implementation
Here are three elements to consider for successful technology implementation.
Change Management
Any change in business operations needs change management action plans. These include communicating internally and externally through different channels why the change is being implemented and how it will benefit the employees and customers. It’s critical to ensure everyone involved in the process is aware of what’s happening so you don’t have any delays in the implementation process.
Following up with employees and customers constantly will also allow you to know how the employees feel about the change and if they need any additional information to execute their part of the implementation process.
Getting feedback after the software is implemented will ensure you create improvement plans if necessary and take immediate action if the platform is not performing as expected.
Training
To avoid delays in results, creating a training program or sessions with your team and even with clients, if required to provide them with the information they need to utilize the new technology you are implementing properly is critical.
This training must cover all the software capabilities in detail to ensure everyone understands how to use it and they can start generating results quicker. It’s essential to have Q&A sessions where employees can openly gather all the information they need about the software.
Overcoming Resistance
It’s only natural that you’ll have some resistance as it takes longer for employees to adapt to new technology. There will be employees who disagree with the new processes and want to continue using more traditional methods. Overcoming this resistance means being patient and trusting the process. It’ll take longer for some, but in the end, if implemented correctly, everyone involved in the process will see the results and feel motivated to use the platform accordingly.
Changing to new methods of freight pricing will ensure your business stays competitive. As the demand for enhanced customer service continues to grow, you must provide top-tier experiences for your clients. One of the main aspects clients are looking for is technology implementation. Even though the industry is slowly adapting to tech, taking into account these three elements to implement your tech successfully will allow you to make the change process more seamless.
