Trinity Logistics, a leading third-party logistics (3PL) provider, proudly welcomes Jimmy Bryant as its new Director of Agent Support. 

Hosting a wealth of experience in the logistics industry, Bryant previously held a Senior Director position at Rockfarm Supply Chain Solutions, where he successfully managed and developed their Agency Program for the past six years. Previously, he served as a Sales Director for a large brokerage in Indianapolis. 

“Trinity has always stood out for its exceptional agency program,” said Bryant. “What truly sets Trinity apart is its unwavering commitment to staff development and the overall growth of everyone involved. I chose Trinity because of its strong culture and supportive environment. I’m excited about the opportunities to advance our Freight Agent Program.”

“Jimmy’s ability to understand the unique challenges faced by Freight Agents quickly impressed me,” said Greg Massey, Senior Vice President of Agent Development. “His track record of achieving sustained growth while providing top-notch service and support aligns perfectly with Trinity’s mission of being the best, not necessarily the biggest.” 

Trinity is enthusiastic for the insight and experience Bryant brings to the company and its Freight Agent program. 

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 and as a Top Company for Women to Work for in Transportation by Women in Trucking.

Find your Purpose to re-engage in your Freight Agent business. Then seek out Trinity Logistics to help you live your Purpose and grow to your fullest potential.

We recently held our Virtual Freight Agent Conference and had the pleasure of hosting Ken Coleman of the Ramsey Group as our featured keynote speaker. He customized his presentation specifically toward Trinity’s Freight Agents with great tips for small business owners on how to “Re-Engage In Your Freight Agent Business”.

His message focused on finding your passion and working within that area as much as possible. It’s all about fueling up on “the juice” – the enthusiasm that comes from doing what you were put on this planet to do!

In the spirit of development and continuous improvement, our Agent Support Team followed up by taking the “Get Clear! Career Assessment” by Ken Coleman to clarify our top talents, passions, and professional mission. From there we created a purpose statement to identify the work we most excel at and most enjoy.

Talent (what you do best) + Passions (work you love) + Mission (results you care about) = Your Purpose Statement

TALENT – WHAT YOU DO BEST

Every workplace skill is grouped into 12 categories of Talent. Those 12 are then segmented into three subgroups: Super Talents, Solid Talents, and Subpar Talents.

Super Talents

Think of your top three talents as high-performance tools. You want to spend the majority of your time on work that involves these talents!

Solid Talents 

Your six Solid Talents are valuable because they support your Super Talents and can be improved upon.

Subpar Talents 

Everybody has weaknesses! You want to be aware of your three Subpar Talents. These are talents that you can let someone else be super at so you don’t have to waste too much of your time trying to develop them.

PASSION – WORK YOU LOVE TO DO

All work can be grouped into 15 categories of Passion. This is work that excites you and makes two hours feel like 20 minutes.

I Love It!

You’ll be most fulfilled when you spend about 75 percent of your day working within your Top three passions. You’ll be engaged, enthusiastic, and effective!

I Like It!

Spending 20 percent of your day on this work is about the right mix. Too much of it will make you frustrated and unhappy.

I Could Take It or Leave It!

Let’s face it – there are some things you don’t like to do. No more than five percent of this work is the goal for the greatest satisfaction.

MISSION – RESULTS YOU CARE ABOUT

The results of work can be grouped into six categories of mission. Discover the contribution you want to make through your work and the “why” behind it. There are three possible feelings about the results of your work to consider.

I Care Deeply

It’s personal! You see the results of your work as a crusade that must be waged and won. Your work is providing a vital solution to a big problem that specific people have.

I Connect With It

It’s cool. You see the results of your work as an important and valuable solution to a problem some people have.

I Couldn’t Care Less

It’s whatever. You see the results of your work as the basic need to keep getting your paycheck.

TIME TO BRING IT ALL TOGETHER

The puzzle comes together when you align all these into your Purpose Statement.

Working with Talent only can make you successful.

Working with Talent and Passion can give you job satisfaction.

Working with Talent and Passion and Mission will lead you to your Purpose. This is where you can achieve success, experience satisfaction, and find significance in your work and in your life.

LET US TAKE THE HARD STUFF OFF YOUR PLATE

Once you know what these are, how can Trinity Logistics help you focus on what you’re best at and handle or help those subpar skills?

From our experience, we’ve found that most Freight Agents excel in skills like communication, building relationships, and managing many priorities. They love talking to others, learning about their needs, and finding solutions to meet those needs.

But what often slows them down or drains them are those non-revenue generating activities. These are the ones where they’re not really connecting with a person or fostering a relationship. Tasks like vetting carriers, handling invoices and bills of lading, or dealing with claims when they happen.

We understand that these tasks take you away from what you excel in and love and that’s why Trinity has full Teams ready to take those off your plate.

Now, what about those other skills that you want to grow in? Things like goal setting, prospecting, or strategy. Well, we take care of that too by giving you several opportunities to expand and grow your skills. Trinity has an in-house Education Team that provides you with many opportunities to continue your education and training in classes like sales skills, social media, industries, or modes. Virtual classes are held every month, giving you the same opportunities to learn and grow as our own Team Members receive. Additionally, we offer you access to our learning management platform offering classes that can be taken in your own time on an array of topics such as leadership, cybersecurity, and customer service.

You’ll also have the support of our Agent Support Team, who will work with you to learn about your goals, offer suggestions, encourage you, and help you stay on track. We also encourage you to spend time one-on-one for direct planning support and accountability reviews with our Agent Support Leadership Team Members.

So, if you’ve been looking for a 3PL partner that offers you more time to focus on what you love to do, take care of the rest, AND help you grow to be the best Freight Agent that you can be, then look no further. Trinity Logistics has over 30 years of experience aiding in the success of Freight Agent offices. We realize that Freight Agents are an integral part of Trinity’s business, which is why we aim to support and invest in them so they can grow their business to its fullest potential.

To start talking to one of our Freight Agent recruiters, call 800-846-3400 ext. 1908.

If you’d like to learn more about our Freight Agent Program, click the button below.

Building relationships in business is the number one way a freight agent can succeed.

Relationships are the key to success as a freight agent. You may think this concept is nothing new, but now COVID has changed the way we meet people and build those relationships. Gone are the days when you could walk into many companies and catch someone in the hallway or bring them lunch; many offices and buildings aren’t even open to visitors, and the person that you need to speak with works remotely. So, how do you genuinely build relationships to meet your customer’s goals and grow your business and network?

TIPS FOR BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS IN BUSINESS

Genuine Care

This can’t be faked. If you don’t genuinely care about helping someone meet their own needs or goals, there isn’t any other tip that will work. This also means that not every customer may be the right fit for your business, and you are not the right fit for them. That’s okay – because if you don’t genuinely care about the well-being and success of the other person, it just won’t work!

Learn About Your Business Relationship

I love asking new salespeople what it takes to build a relationship in business. I hear things like knowing birthdays, knowing what sports they like, or if they have kids. This is all great information to know, but when a customer is entertaining another broker, knowing their birthday won’t help very much! It’s all surface information.

Learning means knowing how you can help them. Find out other information, like what’s important to their business or what threats there are to their business. What are their company goals and values? What measures do they use to check performance? And most importantly, learn how their business works, from procurement to end user sales. This kind of information will prepare you to be the person they’re looking for when their business needs help.

Offer Help Before They Ask

Don’t you love it when someone goes out of the way to buy you lunch in advance, ultimately solving your unknown problem of figuring out what to have and making it? This same idea works for your customers and goes hand in hand with learning more about your customer. Spend time taking that knowledge to figure out how you can help your customer’s business succeed. By being proactive instead of reactive with your services, you can further strengthen your business relationship and show your commitment to your customer’s success. Solve those problems that they aren’t even thinking about solving yet.

Have Excellent Customer Service

Customer service is a top priority in building relationships in business. Perfecting your interactions with your customers so that they leave floored by your service will not only improve your relationship with that customer but open the door to new ones.

Be An Educational Resource

Learning about your customer’s business is key, but they also rely on you to be the subject matter expert on all things supply chain! You want to be a helpful and educational resource for your customers to rely on.

Keep Up With Your Contacts

You may not have the bandwidth to keep up with all your contacts, but routinely checking in or engaging with them is important. Of course, you don’t always have to call or email. There are many other ways to engage with them, such as commenting on something they shared on LinkedIn or sending them a congratulatory card for a career milestone – every small interaction shows them that you’re keeping them top of mind and making them feel valued.

Go Beyond One Load/One Truck

Learning about a company’s business gives you the opportunity to help their supply chain process. Find out their real needs instead of just serving the load in front of you. How can you partner with them to solve the needs and goals of their business? Is saving on freight costs the most important thing?

Work with them to provide dedicated shipments that can be serviced more efficiently and effectively. If on-time delivery is most important to your customer, then work with motor carriers to make sure that they understand the importance of delivery and become familiar with their freight so that the customer gets exactly what they’re looking for.

Ask for Feedback

Instead of assuming your business relationships are happy, ask for feedback. Having open and transparent communication is the basic factor in building relationships in business. When you take the time to ask your relationships how they feel, you promote a conversation to uncover areas of improvement and further prove your commitment to them.

Don’t Forget Motor Carriers

Having a strong relationship with the motor carriers that you work with is as important as the customer! Motor carriers are the heartbeat of the industry, and can teach us so much about what is happening day in and day out. By building great relationships here, you also gain great insight into their business and they into yours. This makes communication during the load process so much better for everyone.

WE’RE HERE TO HELP YOU WITH BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS IN BUSINESS

Our tagline is People-Centric Freight Solutions® for a good reason. Our culture and services focus on people and building relationships in business. And we’re here to help you succeed. It’s important to us at Trinity to help our freight agents find ways to keep their businesses successful and growing.

Here at Trinity, we understand running your business is hard work, so we have an entire Team to help you. With over 30 years of experience aiding in the success of our freight agents, many of them see a 50 percent increase in their business over a two-year period from joining.

Let us help you do what you do best, building strong relationships with your shipper customers and carriers while receiving world-class support that puts you ahead of the competition.

Spend less time on those back-end tasks and more time learning about the people behind the sale and winning their business.

What does being an Independent Freight Agent with Trinity Logistics mean? We are so glad that you asked! Trinity Logistics is a leading name in the freight broker community, and a big part of our growth is due to successful partnerships with Independent Freight Agents.

what is an independent freight agent?

An Independent Freight Agent is someone who partners with a third-party logistics company (3PL) and uses their brokerage license so they can arrange transportation of freight and utilize the support services of that company. The Independent Freight Agent owns their own business and gets to focus on the part of the business that they do well (moving freight) while Trinity Logistics, in our case, supports them through back-office applications such as billing customers, paying carriers, and more.

Being an Independent Freight Agent is the best of both worlds for an entrepreneur! If you’re a freight broker, you’re certainly aware of the expenses that are associated with the business, not to mention one of your most valuable assets, your time, which oftentimes gets overwhelmed with handling non-revenue generating activities. This is a primary reason freight brokers look to partner with a 3PL like Trinity Logistics.

why work with trinity logistics?

There are a number of companies that an Independent Freight Agent could partner with, but what sets us apart from many others are all of the “extras” that come with being an Authorized Agent for Trinity. We take those “extras” very seriously!

Relationships

The first one has to be the relationship! The culture of Trinity is second to none and treats team members like family and that relationship extends to the Independent Freight Agent. There is a division in our corporate office that is set up for the sole support of the Independent Agent and becomes a liaison between the Agent and Corporate Services. Because of the close relationship with that group, our company is consistently celebrating the individual successes of the Agent office, celebrating new babies and milestones in the lives of the Agents, and serving as a sounding board when an Agent just needs to talk with someone.

Continuing Education

In addition to interactive training to get you comfortable with moving shipments as a Freight Agent with Trinity, our team continually offers training and education designed to assist you with your business. And we realize education can not be a one size fits all approach. For that reason, we not only offer training that is geared towards common mode, sales, or operations opportunities, but as needed, the team at Trinity will work alongside you to assist, educate and train for specific needs. One of Trinity’s Guiding Values is centered on continuous improvement. We don’t just put those words on a website, we offer the support to truly allow you to advance your skill set and knowledge to grow your business.

Operational Support

Part of the support that Trinity Logistics offers Independent Agents is not only administrative but operational as well. With corporate teams specializing in Less-than-Truckload, Intermodal, Warehousing, Drayage, International, and Managed Services, the Independent Agent can get the support of experts in these modes while maintaining full service to their customer. Additionally, as a company that has been an integral part of the transportation industry for more than 40 years, Trinity has a well-established relationship with the shipper and carrier community. ‘

Having the Trinity name behind you as a freight broker can be the difference when a shipper has a choice of where to tender their freight, not to mention the impact it has on carriers when they see multiple logistics companies with shipments that match their available equipment. Having that nationwide brand recognition and reputation gives a single-person office the power of a major player in the industry.

Reputation

Partnering with Trinity Logistics partners an Independent Freight Agent with one of the Top 3PLs, as named by Transport Topics and Inbound Logistics. We’re also under the Burris Logistics umbrella, further expanding our brand reach and the solutions we can offer shippers.

Additionally, Trinity has a great culture that’s been recognized for several years and you can feel that company pride any time you talk with someone at the corporate office. The biggest impact that Trinity’s reputation has for an Independent Freight Agent is the creditworthiness of the company. Trinity maintains a Five Diamond Broker rating on Internet Truckstop. Part of our entire strategic plan is to develop relationships with carriers and paying them on time is a huge part of that!

This Agent testimonial says it all:

“Whether training on new Trinity technology, answering a billing or claims question, or offering advice on a customer – they help handle it directly.  Each team member is a pleasure to work with and their positive outlook always leaves me smiling.” –  Lyn, Maryland

join our independent freight agent network

Independent Freight Agents are an integral part of Trinity’s business and we are consistently working to expand our program.

We realize you have a choice in who you’d like to partner with in your business. However, if what you’re looking for is a long-term partnership that is supportive of your growth, offers you continued education to remain competitive, and most of all, is made up of a Team of people who are passionate, dedicated, and striving for excellence, then Trinity Logistics may be the Independent Freight Agent program for you. 

If you want to learn more about our Independent Freight Agent Program, click the button below! 

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! 

Trinity Logistics takes pride in being a leading name among independent Freight Agents. We have many benefits to offer through our Freight Agent Program, but the one we’d like to talk about today is education. Continuous Improvement is engrained in our culture, so we ensure all Trinity Team Members receive educational opportunities, and this includes our Freight Agent network.

WHY CONTINUED EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT IN A FREIGHT AGENT PROGRAM

There are many reasons why continued education is vital to your success. When you look at the most successful people in the world, they know and understand that we never stop learning. Additionally, the logistics industry constantly changes; it is never stagnant. New regulations take place or newer technology makes waves. Continued education is needed for you to stay current with the latest developments, skills, technologies, and more. Continuing your education is the best way for you to stay ahead of your competition. Many other careers need continued education and Freight Agents are no different.

WHAT EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES DOES TRINITY’S FREIGHT AGENT PROGRAM OFFER?

CONTINUED EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES

Trinity has an in-house Education Team that provides you with many opportunities to continue your education and training on business strategy, industries, modes, sales, and other skill sets you may need. There are virtual classes held every month, giving you opportunities to increase your sales skills and introduce you to any new Trinity technology. Most importantly, we offer our Freight Agents the same opportunities as our Team Members. In addition, there are many virtual courses offered outside of our monthly classes through our learning management platform. These courses can be taken in your own time and cover an array of topics such as leadership, cybersecurity, and customer service.

TECHNOLOGY TRAINING

Through Trinity’s Freight Agent Program, we provide you with the technology resources you need to be successful while offering you support every step of the way. When it comes to technology, we make sure to maintain a competitive edge in the market, giving you, your customers, and carriers access to best-in-class applications. We also have an entire team of in-house software engineers who work hard to make our processes easy and data accessible.

We never want to leave you feeling lost or confused, which is why our Freight Agent program Provides you with thorough training on current and upcoming technology. Through communication from our Agent Support Team, you’ll consistently be updated on any changes, big or small. Should you need any extra help with learning any technology, you’ll have your Agent Support Team available for any training and support.

INDUSTRY NEWS AND RESOURCES

Trinity’s Freight Agent Program keeps you up to date on what’s going on in the freight market and other related industries. As a Freight Agent with Trinity, you’ll receive an email every day with Daily Industry news you might want to know. In addition, each month, through Trinity’s Freightwaves’ Sonar account and other resources, we curate a Freight Market Update in our blog. You’ll also receive a monthly Agent Support newsletter giving you insight into any Trinity news.

ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT

Trinity has a Team dedicated to the support of our Freight Agents. Support Team Members will work with you to learn about your goals, offer suggestions, encourage you, and help you stay on track. Think you might need a little more help? We encourage spending one-on-one time through direct planning support and accountability reviews with our Agent Support leadership team members at Trinity. They have experience working with office structures of all sizes and can help dissect your business to get you closer to your goal numbers. They’ll be available to help recommend any educational opportunities and assist you with any of Trinity’s technology. You’ll never fall behind or feel unsure with the help of your own Support Team!

ANNUAL AGENT CONFERENCE

As a Freight Agent with Trinity, you’ll also be able to attend our annual Agent Conference. This year’s conference will be an all-day event held virtually on November 18th, 2021. You and your office are invited to hear from many speakers throughout the day, including members of our own Trinity leadership, sales directors, our Platinum Agents, and other industry professionals. In years past, we’ve had external speakers such as transportation economist Noel Perry and Transportation Intermediary Association’s Vice President of Government Affairs, Chris Burroughs.

This conference also includes workshops on the sales process and operations process for you to take part in and hone your skills and understanding. You’ll find technology and business resources available and even have chances to win some prizes!

PEOPLE MAKE THE DIFFERENCE

We can boast all day about the educational opportunities and benefits that Trinity’s Freight Agent Program offers you. But what really makes Trinity’s freight agent program different than others are the people behind it. It’s their commitment and dedication they have in helping you grow to be as successful as you want to be.

We realize you have a choice in who you’d like to partner with in your business. However, if what you’re looking for is a long-term partnership that is supportive of your growth, offers you continued education to remain competitive, and most of all, is made up of a Team of people who are passionate, dedicated, and striving for excellence, then Trinity Logistics may be the Freight Agent Program for you.

Take the first step today and get connected with Trinity’s Agent Recruiting!