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A Typical Live Training Session
Some clients come to live training in El Paso (currently in Dallas and Houston) with a brokerage company already registered. That’s great. But, for those who still need to register their business, we can go through the training first and then circle back to get their broker authority. A $2,200 deposit will get the ball rolling toward setting up a company and will allow me to lock in a meeting room.
Clients come in from all over the country as well as many locals from El Paso, Las Cruces and the oil fields.
At the beginning of each training day, clients usually grab a cup of coffee and then we chat for awhile. I’ve already spoken to one or both of the clients before meeting them face-to-face but I want them to refresh our previous discussions.
It’s always a real pleasure to listen to their stories and current activities and it’s a chance for me to connect with their future plans as well.
And I get to see their emotion.
Nearly every client comes in energized and that’s great. The energy increases with each day. The wheels in their heads start churning faster and faster. Not one client has indicated he or she is running from something. They are looking to the future.
Some have children and this is a great family operation.
After chatting awhile it’s time to do the application for the DOT and MC#s. I let them share their screen with me via Zoom while we’re in the room together so I can follow along as they complete the form. It’s sort of tricky in places and takes about 40 minutes or so.
Immediately, they are given their DOT# number after submitting the form.
Then we do the application for the BOC-3.
Then we talk about the trust fund or surety bond.
Sometimes we call the trust fund/surety bond provider for them to discuss several options. Those folks can explain their program alternatives better than I can.
We can’t process the UCR application for a day or so because their business name is not in the system yet. Usually, however, on the second or third day we do the UCR application.
We also talk about contingent cargo insurance and they types of people they’ll be dealing with whether they be large or small companies. We discuss the differences between LTL loads and full truck loads.
So this organizational work is necessary and, once out of the way, we are ready to jump into the details of brokering freight.
We first talk about the “tools of the trade” – calculating rates, rate negotiations, selecting and using a load board, etc. Rates and load boards are always what they are concerned with.
We then talk about finding shippers and loads and we look at each page of the Shipper set-up package. My training here consists of forms that you’ll modify and use in the business. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel on this paper work.
We discuss several strategies for finding loads; there’s no one or two right ways to get loads. The question you want to ask is, “How many different ways can I find loads”? This is better than asking, “What is the best way to get loads”?
Then we get into the session dealing with finding and prequalifying trucks. We view the pages for the set up package which is similar but a bit different than the one for the shipper. You also have to know what you are doing in carrier selection. There’s a lot of confusion here. You have to know what to do to avoid being negligent when selecting a carrier. Is taking “reasonable care” enough to keep you out of a law suit?
The next session deals with financial, credit and legal issues that brokers need to be aware of. Brokers will be extending credit to shippers and carriers will be extending credit to you, the broker.
Good cash management is essential.
You’ve got to really nail every thing down as far as knowing what to do and what not to do.
We also discuss some of the “backroom” requirements as the broker gets invoiced by the carrier and the broker then invoices the shipper.
There is a sequence to all of these requirements and procedures and knowing what to do and when to do them is a bit foreign to most clients. But these requirements and procedures become more clear once the broker gets into action as a broker.
It’s really exciting to see how clients progress as we focus on details at times and then focus on the big picture as well. At some point, the “lights come on” as we go back and forth between the details and the big picture.
The following two training sessions deal with legal issues that brokers need to understand. You need to know your legal standing so you don’t get intimidated by an occasional shipper or carrier who may try to confuse you.
The very last session deals with industry resources. You’ll get a college education on logistics and supply chains if you consistently follow some of the resources over time.
So much of this business is experience and knowledge. They go hand in hand.
After two days or so we are ready to end the training and I always look forward to hearing from clients after they get back home and get started.
Listen, training COULD GO ON for days and days but here’s what my 20+ years of experience tells me – trust me, by the latter part of the second day clients have absorbed enough of the content.
They want to get out and start to make things happen! They are pumped!
With the live training or telephone and Zoom training, there is unlimited support. This bottomless support provides a sense of comfort to clients.
You don’t want to have questions come up after three or four months of brokering and not have anywhere to go for answers or for some input.
So there you have it.
You can take part in this live training if you get on board now. I’ve been doing some traveling but plan to be back in El Paso next March. Time flies – I’ll be there before you know it. But right now it’s Dallas and Houston.
Of course, I’ll be available for telephone and Zoom training throughout the winter months for anyone from anywhere. It’s powerful.
Call me if you have questions or if you are ready to get a slot saved for live training (or grab the Zoom training).
By getting on board now, if it were me, I’d be building a database of produce growers and carriers over the winter season.
I had one client that had over 200 loads at one time and he could not find enough trucks. Don’t you really feel sorry for him?