When starting a truck brokerage company, it may sound like a good idea to use free Google software. Free is good, right? Start-ups always look for ways to cut costs to keep the overhead down. But when we’re talking about brokerage software and rate cons, free may be the last thing you want. You need a system to prevent the business from breaking down into chaos. Brokerage software produces rate cons. If it doesn’t, then there’s a problem.
Brokerage software is a database program that produces rate cons and keeps every shipper, load, and rate detail organized and searchable in one place. A rate con (rate confirmation) is the legal document that commits a broker and carrier to a load. Free Google Docs and templates can create the document, but they cannot organize or quickly search the data behind it.
New to rate confirmations? Start with What Is a Rate Con? for the details every rate con should cover.
Free templates have the same catch. See why brokers shouldn’t depend on rate con templates to run their business.
Want to put that rate con data to work? Read More than Matchmaking: Freight Brokers and Data to see what shipper and carrier details every broker should track.
What Is a Rate Con?
A rate con, or rate confirmation, is a legal document. It commits both sides to the transportation of goods – all the limits, restrictions, the pickup location and the destination. All the details are to be included in a rate con. From the trucker’s perspective, it’s what’s expected and the rate the job pays. For the shipper, it’s the explanation of their expectations – how their load will be handled and when the delivery is scheduled.
You don’t mess around with rate cons. Just throwing something into a Google Doc is the last way to handle a rate con.
It’s Too Easy to Miss Critical Details
Not every load is handled the same way. If a shipper has a request for one shipment, that doesn’t mean their next shipment will have the same requirements. Omitting critical details will still create a legally binding agreement that could be used in a court.
So you set up a template. That’s good enough, right?
Maybe not. Depending on a template where you have to fill out all the details on the document. In these cases, it’s far too easy to skip data. Or place it in the wrong space – like switching the pickup and delivery locations.
So you build an entry form. Google can do that.
Yes, it can. And then what?
Data Usage: Finding Rate Con Details Later
Once you put data into a Google Doc, what good is it to you?
Can you find the same shipper again? Or the rate paid for a previous shipment? Or any of the other details a rate con covers?
Google may be great at searching the internet. It’s not so good finding details inside your documents or spreadsheets. When you’re looking for an important document, don’t expect Google to find it inside your Google Drive or Google Workspace (which isn’t free.)
Why Rebuild the Wheel? Use Brokerage Software
When you think about the complexity of a brokerage business, there are dozens of pieces of data that must be tracked – or be found again later. That kind of data requires a database program with the ability to search multiple ways in a variety of fields and quickly.
Let’s emphasize that “quickly.” Are you confident in your ability to search dozens of Google spreadsheets or doc files quickly? Time is money, right? You can’t waste time searching through one file at a time. You don’t make money searching files.
Brokerage software skips all that development time that should be used to cultivate new shippers or new drivers.
You don’t need to rebuild the wheel. You need to use it instead.
TruckingOffice Brokerage Software Produces Rate Cons
It’s that simple and at the same time, very complex. Using TruckingOffice Brokerage software, you have all the data you need at your fingertips. No more opening and closing dozens of Google files. Everything in TruckingOffice’s Brokerage software is already organized and available in a moment’s time through advanced search options of the database.
Organization is the key to running a freight brokerage business. TruckingOffice is the way to get organized and stay organized.
Give us a try today. Our free one-month trial will open all the features in our software package. You can try everything and discover how easy it is to start right away – the right way. Contact us today for your free trial of TruckingOffice Brokerage Software.
Brokerage Software and Rate Con FAQ
What is a rate con in freight brokerage?
A rate con, or rate confirmation, is a legal document that commits both the broker and the carrier to transporting a load. It covers the limits, restrictions, pickup location, destination, delivery schedule, and the rate the job pays. Leaving out critical details still creates a legally binding agreement that could be used in court.
Can I use Google Docs for rate confirmations?
You can, but it is risky. Typing details into a Google Doc or template makes it easy to skip data or put it in the wrong place, like switching the pickup and delivery locations. Once the data is in a document, Google is also not good at finding it again inside your Drive files.
Is a rate con template good enough for a new brokerage?
A template is better than nothing, but you still fill in every detail by hand, so errors slip through. Shipper requirements change from load to load, and a template will not catch what is missing. Templates also leave your rate con data scattered across separate files.
Why do freight brokers need brokerage software?
A brokerage tracks dozens of pieces of data that must be found again later, from shippers to the rate paid on a previous shipment. Brokerage software stores that data in a database you can search quickly in multiple ways, so you skip building your own system and spend that time cultivating new shippers and drivers.
How does TruckingOffice Brokerage Software help with rate cons?
TruckingOffice Brokerage Software produces rate cons and keeps all your brokerage data organized in one database with advanced search options. A free one-month trial opens every feature in the software, so you can start right away.
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