Trinity Logistics, a leading third-party logistics provider (3PL), is thrilled to share that its Technology Team has been recognized as one of the Top 10 Technology Teams by OnConferences. This prestigious award honors organizations that have demonstrated exceptional innovation, technical expertise, and a commitment to delivering leading solutions. 

Trinity’s Technology Team plays a vital role in supporting the company’s operations and delivering exceptional service to its clients. The Team is responsible for developing and implementing cutting-edge technology solutions that enhance efficiency, improve customer service, and drive growth. 

“The Trinity Technology Team continues to deliver innovative solutions driving business outcomes and effectively supporting our Team Members,” said Russ Felker, Chief Technology Officer at Trinity Logistics. “From cybersecurity to integrations to data availability to custom development, they consistently provide exemplary service and support for Team Trinity and its partners.” 

OnConferences is a leading provider of educational conferences and networking opportunities for professionals across many industries. Its Top 10 Technology Teams award is determined through peer and community voting. Voters are instructed to select teams that they have seen make a significant impact on their own organization or within the broader industry, contribute to their professional community through thought leadership, drive innovation, and demonstrate exceptional leadership. 

Trinity’s Technology Team and their dedication to excellence, innovative practices, and leadership have set them apart as a top-performing team. The Team has made remarkable achievements like a full migration to the cloud in only eight months, multiple new customer and vendor integrations, improved and differentiated functionality within Trinity’s custom Transportation Management System (TMS), and increased data availability for Team Members and the company’s Agent partners. These accomplishments helped them stand out from the rest of the submissions, distinguishing them as an outstanding Team.   

Trinity Logistics is committed to investing in purposeful technology and great talent to ensure its respected culture and exceptional service stay at the forefront of its continued success. As the company continues to grow and evolve, this recognition serves as a testament to that ongoing promise. 

About Trinity Logistics

Trinity Logistics is a Burris Logistics Company, offering People-Centric Freight Solutions®. Our mission is to deliver creative logistics solutions through a mix of human ingenuity and innovative technology, enriching the lives of those we serve. 

For the past 45 years, we’ve been arranging freight for businesses of all sizes in truckload, less-than-truckload (LTL), warehousing, intermodal, drayage, expedited, international, and technology solutions.

We are currently recognized as a Top Freight Brokerage by Transport Topics, a Green Supply Chain Partner by Inbound Logistics, and a Top Company for Women to Work for in Transportation by the Women in Trucking Association.

About OnConferences

OnConferences is a leading organization that connects top professionals across various industries, promoting collaboration, innovation, and thought leadership. Through conferences, awards, and networking opportunities, OnConferences provides a platform for executives and organizations to exchange insights, fostering growth and development within their respective fields.  

SEAFORD, DE, July 18th, 2023 – Trinity Logistics, a leading third-party logistics (3PL) provider, is proud to share that the company has been named a Top 100 3PL by Inbound Logistics.

Every year, Inbound Logistics publishes its annual 3PL edition including its Top 100 3PL list. The theme of this year’s edition surrounds growth. Outsourcing supply chain, logistics, and transportation solutions to a trusted partner is important to prepare or position companies for times of growth. Hundreds of 3PL companies submitted credentials to be considered this year and IL selected the top 100 3PLs to help companies manage growth, efficiently meet demand, and improve service while holding down costs, with Trinity Logistics selected in that list. 

Trinity Logistics has a long history of providing innovative and customer-focused solutions, offering a wide range of services, including warehousing, multiple modes of transportation, technology, and transportation management. 

“Trinity is committed to providing our customers with the best possible experience to help them grow and succeed,” said Sarah Ruffcorn, President of Trinity Logistics. “This award is a wonderful recognition of the commitment our Team makes to our shipper and carrier relationships. We are honored to be known as a 3PL partner that companies can depend on to support their growth.”

This is the third year Trinity Logistics has earned recognition as a Top 100 3PL by Inbound Logistics. The recognition is a testament to the company’s growing brand of People-Centric service and customized logistics solutions available to businesses of all sizes and growth goals. 

Learn how Trinity Logistics helped these companies grow their business.

Thinking Trinity Logistics might be the 3PL partner to support your company’s growth?

We’ve recently covered ways you can find prospects and warm up your cold calls. You’ve got your eye set on a business you can help, so, how do you go from phone calls to closing a sale as a Freight Broker Agent?

A few weeks ago, we held our first educational and virtual Agent Conference of 2023. We had a great line-up of sessions hosted by members of Trinity’s Leadership Team as well as our featured guest Blythe Brumleve of Digital Dispatch, and Everything is Logistics podcast.

This conference focused on winning sales and growing strong customer relationships as a Freight Broker Agent. Sessions took us through the complete sales cycle – from winning your first shipment from freight leads to moving your customer towards dedicated freight, and then providing them with full freight management services.

Let’s start at the beginning; and share some smart, simple, and practical advice on closing a sale and winning that first shipment.

FROM PROSPECT TO CLOSING A SALE

First, develop your strategy for handling freight leads. Here are some suggestions from our top sales experts on how to effectively get your prospect’s attention, work your pipeline, and turn your freight lead into a new shipping customer.

Getting Your Prospect’s Attention as a Freight Broker Agent

When initially contacting your prospects, you often don’t have a lot of time with them. For that reason, you don’t want to be too generic. Just saying you’re with a third-party logistics (3PL) company with solutions and you want to talk about their shipping process won’t get you time on the phone with them.

You need to find ways to differentiate yourself and your services, so you stand out and get their attention. So, make sure you always have a reason for making that first call! Here are a couple of ideas to get you started.

Sell Your Capacity

Let’s say you have consistent capacity within a certain area. Try to find more prospects within that region and work with the same equipment. You can sell that capacity right away on your first phone call. Let them know who else you work with within that area, that you have capacity available that you’re looking to cover, and how you can help them.

It can be as simple as saying, “Hi new customer. I work with ABC Company in your area five days a week and have more trucks and equipment available that I think will help you.”

Sell Into Your Industry Expertise

Pick an industry to focus on that you are having success with or have specific knowledge of and target those prospects. Then, by having repeat conversations with similar prospects, you’ll develop a flow using industry-specific “lingo” and your knowledge of any unique scheduling requirements, equipment types, or loading/unloading procedures for those commodities.

You can say, “Hi, new customer. I work with this industry often, and I noticed you’re in a similar industry. I know the scheduling process or loading process needed within this industry well and I think I can help you.”

Both examples give your customer a specific reason why they should have a conversation and start building a connection with you right off the bat.

Remember, the goal of your initial call is to gather information and start a conversation. Most likely, you won’t get the decision-maker on the phone during your first call. That’s okay. If you can’t get on the phone with the decision-maker, try talking to someone in sales.

We know salespeople love to talk. They know their product and their customers and often have a relationship with the shipping manager. So, you’ll be able to learn more information about the company and its current process, and any objections they may have, that you can later leverage when you finally land a call with the decision-maker at the company.

Finding the Ideal Prospects Based on Strategy

So now we have some ideas on how to approach prospects but where do we find the folks we want to call? Here are a few proven tips.

1. Use Google Maps to find prospects geographically close to current customers when selling into capacity. Look at satellite and street images to get a good idea of what’s going on at their facility and on their docks.

2. Use Google Images when selling into industries. Search images by keywords (Ex: Industrial Generators) to find out who’s manufacturing or selling the commodity you are targeting.

3. Use LinkedIn & ZoomInfo to research the companies you identify and find contact information for the people you want to call.

Working the Freight Leads Pipeline

The most important thing is to keep it simple and establish a consistent rhythm. Quality over quantity is always the best approach and makes it easier to manage. Try focusing on a smaller group of qualified prospects with high intensity and a sense of urgency in your communication to gain quick momentum in turning over new shipping customers.

This means not holding onto stale leads. You’ll find not every prospect is the right fit and that’s okay. Let them go.

A good rule of thumb with mid-size companies is that if you aren’t talking to the decision-maker within two weeks, then move on. This helps you keep up the momentum in closing a sale by removing old leads for new potential prospects.

When you finally get connected with the decision-maker at the company, use your initial conversations as a point of reference to buy yourself a few minutes of their time. For example, “I recently spoke with Holly Cooper from your sales team and came up with some great ideas to help with your freight”.

Just like in your initial call, define your reason based on facts you uncovered and sell into your capacity or industry expertise. Too many Freight Broker Agents will get to the decision maker and go back to the general 3PL solutions selling. Remember your unique connection on why you can help them.

More Quick Tips for Closing a Sale

1. Choose discipline over motivation. The reality is you aren’t going to wake up every morning feeling ready to set the world on fire! Set daily goals for yourself (X number of cold calls, X number of follow-ups, X number of new prospects added to pipeline, etc.) and stick to them.

2. Be consistent and systematic in your prospecting efforts. Use a good CRM to organize your pipeline, log notes from conversations, and schedule follow-ups.

3. BE YOURSELF! People buy from people. Be confident in yourself and your services and let your personality shine through.

MAKE CLOSING A SALE AS A FREIGHT BROKER AGENT EVEN EASIER

As a Freight Broker Agent, running your own business can be hard work on top of winning over new customers. That’s why we have an entire Team here to help you.

Let us help you gain more time to focus on what you do best, building relationships with shipping customers and motor carriers, while we handle the rest. In fact, many of our new Freight Broker Agents see over a 50 percent increase in business growth within their first two years at Trinity Logistics.

Every day, all day, your life as a Freight Agent is a steady stream of fires that need to be extinguished. From negotiations to late deliveries, and the phone ringing off the hook, keeping your head above water is the only thing that you dream about at the end of each day.

Remember those dreams of growing your Freight Agent business into a large income-producing machine? You knew that one day you wanted to take your business to the next level, but now the idea of taking time away just to pick up lunch is a pipedream – let alone planning a full-scale growth strategy.

So, how do you do it? How does a Freight Agent know when it’s time to take the leap into growing his or her business? How do you know what to do next? Keep reading to find out the first steps in recognizing the time for growth and moving your numbers in the right direction….Up!

How TO RECOGNIZE WHEN IT’S TIME TO GROW YOUR FREIGHT AGENT BUSINESS

Know Where You Are

The first step to reaching your growth goals, or even deciding what those goals are, is first knowing where you are now. This step always seems like a no-brainer. Sure, you know how much the deposit into your bank account is every week, but do you really know how it got there and how much you possibly left on the table at the end of the week?

This is where you have to take some time and learn your numbers inside and out. How many shipments do you move in a week? What is your average margin per shipment? What is your net revenue? How many customers do you arrange shipping for every week? Then, how do these numbers compare to this time last month? Last quarter? Last year? Have you grown since last year? Are you moving more shipments, but your deposits are the same? These questions will help you decide what your next step is in planning your growth strategy as a Freight Agent.

Know How Much it Costs You to Run Your Freight Agent Business

Don’t forget that time equals money! Do you have fees associated with the company you broker through? How much goes into your pocket compared to how much goes to the company? What does it cost to use their operating system, load boards, or ancillary services?

So, now that you know where you stand, are you ready to take the leap? Growth can be a scary thing, so here are two areas to help determine how to jumpstart your growth:

JUMPSTARTING YOUR FREIGHT AGENT BUSINESS GROWTH

Determine the Need for Additional Help

Are you a one-person operation moving 100 shipments per month? Think about the time it takes you to cover one shipment, track it, handle any issues that arise, and keep your customer informed throughout the entire process. Now multiply that by the number of shipments you have waiting to be booked, or in transit, each day. Maybe, it’s time to bring in some help!

You will never be able to bring on new business and keep the service level you need to maintain with your current customers when you are managing 15-20 loads per day all on your own. This seems to be a “sweet spot” for many freight agents. You know, that “magic number” to let you know that it’s time to bring in the help!

Start looking for someone who shares the same values and work ethic that helped your business get where it is today. Then, have them slowly start taking on some of the day-to-day duties that keep your head submerged underwater so that you can do what you do best – build those customer relationships!

Analyze Your House

No, not your real house…your work house. What is the company you broker with costing you at the end of the day? What do they offer to help you grow? Here are some questions to start asking yourself to make sure that you are partnered with the right company:

Devoted Freight Agent Support Team

Are you just a number when you call and have to leave a message? Do you talk with an actual person who knows your business and cares about your success?

Reputable Corporate Presence

Does the corporate headquarters have executives that know the value of Independent Freight Agents? Do you have teams at the corporate level who are billing your customers and paying your carriers that understand the value of your customer? Does the corporate office consistently communicate its vision and company goals with its Independent Freight Agents?

Fees

Is it costing you to broker with your current company? Are you charged fees? Upfront costs? Do you understand any adjustments to your commission payments and are they justified?

Continuing Education

Does your current company offer consistent education opportunities to help you stay on top of the market? How about classes to help refresh your sales skills? Does your Agent Support team continually offer coaching opportunities to find areas of your business that have growth potential?

Taking a step back to analyze all of this information will help you realize when it’s time to take your business to the next level. Make sure that you know your numbers, that you are looking for the right person to help you, and that the company you are working with is dedicated to helping you grow. Taking the leap into growth can be scary, but the rewards are abundant. Go ahead, take that first step!

TAKE YOUR FREIGHT AGENT BUSINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Trinity Logistics has over 30 years of experience aiding in the success of our freight agent businesses, with many of our newer businesses seeing a 50 percent increase over a two-year period from joining. Consider joining our Authorized Agent Network today so you can gain more time to focus on your customers, and generate more revenue. We’ll focus on everything else. 

To learn more about our Authorized Agent program and all the ways we can save you time and help you build a successful Freight Agent business, feel free to contact our Agent Team by phone at 800-846-3400 x 1908 or click the button below! 

Are you prepared for your top customer to stop shipping with you?

We recently asked some of our top agents how they keep their businesses moving forward when times are tough. The biggest takeaway was simple but powerful; sales prospecting never ends.

THE SWEET SPOT

All too often we find ourselves in a “sweet spot.” You’ve built your business up with several steady customers and the daily loads come in like clockwork. You’ve worked hard, real hard to get what you have. Life is good and monthly cash flow is strong! It’s very easy to slow down or even stop sales prospecting for new business. I mean, come on, you’re too busy talking with the customers you currently have and booking their loads, right?

WHAT’S YOUR BACKUP PLAN?

Do you ever think about what would happen if your very best customer for whatever reason stopped moving freight with you? 

Are you prepared and do you have a backup plan?  

Many Freight Agents found the first several months of the Covid-19 pandemic a cold reminder of why they should always be sales prospecting for new business. Many very successful Freight Agents lost customers almost immediately due to the disruption in the market. Some Freight Agents’ businesses completely failed. 

Beyond the Covid pandemic, shortages of crucial materials or parts around the world happen from time to time. It can and does happen, many times, without or very little warning. 

Whether you’ve fallen victim to this or wish not to, there are things you can do today to be prepared. Remember, no business is immune to disruption.

NEVER STOP SALES PROSPECTING FOR NEW BUSINESS

Sales prospecting can be one of the most challenging parts of your business, so it’s easy to see why it can sometimes fall on the back burner once you’re comfortable. If you’ve found your sweet spot and slowed down, then start today working on generating new business through sales prospecting. You may say, “I don’t have time.” But, even if you dedicate just one hour a day to finding new business, you are going to come out ahead. 

Freight Agents must have the mindset to always be looking for new business. Without a pipeline of leads, you are not adding business from new customers. There are plenty of opportunities out there and many sales prospecting methods to drum up new business. Here are some tried and true methods that work. The Freight Agents I know that do this in their business are some of the most productive Freight Agents in the industry.

PREDICTING AND DUPLICATING YOUR BUSINESS

What if you could predict the outcome of your daily sales prospecting? Let’s use cold calling as an example. If you keep track of your numbers, you will get better. The key to making sales prospecting work well is knowing your numbers. Knowing your numbers creates predictability within your business. 

For example, can you prospect each day 1 pm – 2 pm and predict what is going to happen? Yes, you can if you track your numbers. But the key to a good business is the ability to duplicate an activity and get the same kind of response.

If you look at the diagram below, you’ll see a Freight Agent’s list of prospects that they have been calling on. In this example, you can see that the Freight Agent is calling on three prospective customers. They have made 35 dials and had 10 conversations with these customers. The result of these numbers has landed them one customer. This Freight Agent knows moving forward that it should take them that number of dials and conversations to land a new customer.

Tracking your numbers is very important because it will tell you the levels of your efficiency.  Set a daily or weekly schedule to spend some time sales prospecting and you will start to build momentum. Your confidence in this will grow, and you will improve, and start adding more customers. Try this for the next 30 days and see what happens. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the direction you are headed! 

ASK FOR REFERRALS

Referrals can be one of your easiest and most powerful sales prospecting techniques. Statistics show that 93 percent of consumers trust recommendations from colleagues, friends, and family. 

Spend some time reaching out to your past and current satisfied customers to ask for referrals, however, make sure you have a good relationship with them. It’s best to reach out to the ones you’ve helped just as much as they’re about to help you. 

A great tip for successfully gaining customer referrals is to get the timing down right. Choosing to reach out for a referral shortly after you’ve impactfully helped a customer with their logistics is ideal as they will be more likely to return the favor with any referrals they may have.

ALWAYS FOLLOW UP

Cold emails or calls that go unanswered or returned can quickly turn into a beneficial conversation if you follow up. Not following up is giving up and greatly decreases your chances of getting a reply. Perhaps when you initially reached out, your prospective customer was busy, forgot about your reach out, or simply didn’t need your services at the time. Following up not only reminds your prospective customer of your available services but broadens your awareness with them. 

In a recent study on sales prospecting, it was found that the most successful cadence based on email replies is six touches throughout three weeks. So unless your prospective customer has asked that you do not call or email them, continue reaching out and try to connect with them. 

ENGAGE IN SOCIAL MEDIA

Everyone uses social media and it’s a great way to find and gain new customers. Statistics show that those who tap in social media for their sales are 40 percent more likely to hit their revenue targets than those who don’t use it. 

There are many ways to use social media to your advantage. First off, you can showcase your expertise. Customers are looking for experts in logistics and supply chain solutions. They want to know who they work with can be a trusted resource for them. Showcase your knowledge by sharing and commenting on relevant industry articles, important freight market news, or any of your company’s high-quality content. Doing so can show potential customers that you know your stuff and can be a reliable source of support for their company. 

And make as many connections on your professional social media accounts as possible. The more connections you have, the more chances for new customers. 

Connect with the customers you close deals with or anyone you know in your industry. Connections with your current customers are a great way to find and gain referrals. Having a mutual connection with your prospects will automatically warm up your outreach and better yet, help spark a conversation with them from the start. 

KEEP YOUR BUSINESS SUCCESSFUL

Continued efforts for sales prospecting is a necessary evil for keeping a successful business. It’s the surest way to generate more business opportunities, close more deals, and keep your revenue incoming. 

If you’re bogged down by back-end tasks and need more time in your day to add in sales prospecting, consider joining Trinity’s Authorized Agent network. Trinity Logistics has over 30 years of experience aiding in the success of our freight agent businesses, with many new freight agents seeing a 50 percent increase over a two-year period from joining. 

Join our Authorized Agent network today and gain more time to generate more revenue. We’ll focus on everything else. 

All businesses want to grow, but growing a business isn’t an easy task. It is one of the toughest challenges that a company can face. And there are many ways to go about assisting and capturing on that growth. One option that I’d like to talk about today is on improving your logistics.

You may be the best at being the business idea maker, the manufacturer, the seller, but logistics and the supply chain can be confusing and complex. Trust us, we know. Choosing to work with a third-party logistics company (3PL) can help in removing those confusing and complex tasks, as well as aid in your company’s growth.

What is a 3PL?

Depending on the capabilities of your logistics provider, a 3PL is a service company that can handle several or every aspect related to logistics in your supply chain. This can include fulfillment, transportation, supply chain management, transportation tracking and tracing, inventory management, and more. 3PLs can either be asset based or non-asset based.

Not quite sure what that means? Click here to learn more.

3PL’s are a flexible service, meaning you can choose for help in one piece of your logistics puzzle, or have the 3PL assist with the whole enchilada that is your supply chain and logistics. This also makes 3PLs an affordable service because you can choose to get help on only what you need.

You can quickly see how working with a 3PL can help you with any logistics challenges you may be facing. But how can a 3PL improve your logistics overall? And how does that help with your company’s growth?

Lower Costs

This one is easy. Since all 3PLs handle logistics, they have the experience and relationships built within their networks to better run that aspect of your business. They are able to negotiate lower shipping rates and discounts on the services they use. Not to mention, 3PLs offer access to technology that you would otherwise have to pay for yourself. Without a 3PL, it can take you years to find the best shipping providers and services you need to run your logistics smoothly. Working with a 3PL expedites that process while reducing your costs.

Warehousing & Distribution

Need warehousing space? Rather than setting aside money every month on rent for warehousing that you may not always need, take advantage of a 3PLs connections and get warehousing when and where you need it. This means you could have stock warehoused in several locations, expediting your deliveries. Faster distribution means you’ll have happier customers.

Flexibility

3PLs offer flexibility in your logistics by being able to service you on-demand. You can cut costs by removing or reducing transportation and warehousing assets and outsource when demand increases. Companies that have products with a peak season, or increased demands during the holidays can call upon a 3PL as needed during the rollercoaster that is consumer demand.

Additionally, working with a 3PL gives you the flexibility to try different services to see what works best for your company. You can ship your products via truckload, try out intermodal shipping, or have the 3PL help manage your whole logistics operations with a TMS (transportation management system). You get to choose what works best for you company.

Experience

Speaking of what works best for your company, a 3PL will have that experience and insight. They know how to run and manage logistics operations efficiently and help you with that. Looking to expand into a new geographic region or try e-commerce? A 3PL can help by making recommendations on how to best move forward. Regardless of your challenge, a 3PL provider will have the necessary expertise to guide you on the most beneficial path.

Free Up Resources

When growing your business, you need to invest your time and money into where it would make the biggest impact. Logistics can take a lot of capital when doing it all yourself, so outsourcing to a third party can free up your resources. By focusing on what your team and company is best at and outsourcing the logistics, you’ll be able to provide your customers better products and service with your more efficient operations.

3PL Statistics

If you’re still not convinced about outsourcing to a third-party for your logistics, here are some statistics from the 2019 23rd Annual Third-Party Logistics Study. These go to show that improving your logistics can help your business in many ways.

• 75% of shippers said the use of 3PL services has contributed to overall logistics cost reductions.

• 91% of 3PL users report their relationships with 3PL providers are successful and their work has positive results

• 86% of shippers said the use of 3PLs has contributed to improved customer service.

• 58% of shippers indicate they are increasing their use of outsourced logistics services this year.

• 73% of 3PL users agree that 3PLs provide new and innovative ways to improve logistics effectiveness.

These are some of the ways a 3PL can help with improving your logistics and growing your business. Every company is unique and faces its own challenges. The first step in finding out exactly what can your company can improve upon is by having that initial conversation with a 3PL.

With 40 years of experience, a relationship-driven team, and the added benefit of being part of the Burris Logistics family, Trinity Logistics is the 3PL to help your business thrive.