Shopping Around: Is it Worth It

reputable shipping company

Before you read any further, we’ll give you an honest answer: No. Of course, that’s exactly what you’d expect a trucking company to say. Who would encourage customers to shop elsewhere? That being said, even if you’re trying to choose a trucking company in a different area (or even chose one of our competitors!), our recommendation stands. Choose a reputable shipping company and stick with it.

Why not shop around for a lower quote, you ask? Let’s get into it.

If you spend some time on Google, the odds are good that you’ll find someone who will ship your goods for less than BYX will. Most likely, those offering lower prices are owner operators. As you probably guessed by the name, owner operators buy a truck and haul loads themselves. They often work with freight brokers who coordinate with customers and take a cut of the profit. In September of 2019, California passed the AB5 law reclassifying workers and making it illegal to hire owner operators. Read more about the details involved in this here.

We already covered why freight brokers are unnecessary and a huge waste of money here, but there’s more to it than that. Even the best owner operator has significant limitations in comparison to a reputable shipping company like BYX.

  • Owner operators have limited capacity. Seems like a no-brainer, but one person can only make one delivery at a time. Their schedule is often tight and lacks flexibility because there’s only so much work one person can take on. If they’re busy, you’ll just have to wait. Even if they happen to be free this week, you never know what next week’s schedule will bring. If you need a last-minute pickup, you’ll likely be left scrambling to find another driver.
  • While they’re on the road, they can’t field customer service calls. Technically, they can answer their phone, but they can’t look up any reference numbers, add a shipment to the schedule or answer pretty much any question that requires looking up information. That means that either you’ll have to wait for answers, or you’ll be dealing with that ol’, middle-man freight broker we mentioned. Either way, it will take longer to get anything done; tracking shipments, scheduling a pickup, or getting a complaint resolved will all take a lot more time than it would with a reputable shipping company like BYX. The customer service just can’t match up.
  • It’s riskier. A reputable shipping company vets its drivers carefully. Good shipping companies have the financial and logistical bandwidth to make things right when there’s a problem. They also often offer insurance to protect your shipments in the event that they’re damaged during transport. When there’s an unforeseen delay to a time-sensitive shipment, they have the support to keep you in the loop and make the delivery as fast as humanly possible. A one-man shop has another customer on the schedule, and your shipment might end up his second (or third) priority.

When you choose a reputable shipping company, you get your money’s worth.

A quote from BYX probably won’t be the lowest you can find. But when you do business with us, you’re getting a lot more for your money; a dedicated customer support team, easy online scheduling, storage with a state-of-the-art warehouse management system, and a stellar reputation. You may pay a little more upfront, but you’re saving yourself from wasted time and money down the line. Whether that’s worth it or not is your call!

Are shipping quotes negotiable?

Before you try to talk down the price, think about it. The pricing structure of a reputable shipping company has been chosen for a reason. Everything is factored in, from paying drivers a fair wage to investing in fuel-efficient vehicles and the latest management tech. Our prices allow us to better take care of our employees and our customers. If we gave every customer a discount, we wouldn’t be able to offer such incredible service.

The same goes for any great shipping company like BYX. Great service isn’t the same as cheap service, so choose wisely!

Questions or comments? Feel free to share, or schedule a shipment online in minutes here.

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