It’s been said that it isn’t what you know, but who you know that counts. Being part of a network broadens the market reach of any carrier company and makes its service more valuable to shippers.
Entrepreneurs are an independent breed by nature and tend to avoid being grouped together. However, savvy business people know that networking can create a lot of synergy to help them grow their company. Many of them probably participate in personal networking groups and various forms of social media to build their businesses, but they may be overlooking the benefits of leveraging their operations technology to gain access to an already powerful network.
More Than Just Technology
Unless a carrier runs on custom made courier software and has no need to connect with partners and customers, they are already part of a network that brings together all the users of that product or service. The combined power of all those users on a single platform can be a force for growth. The question becomes how to leverage that power and turn it into a value proposition for the end customer.
Shippers are often forced to deal with a variety of data feeds and types. They must utilize a diverse group of couriers and truckers to help them move their goods to market in a cost-effective manner. Unfortunately, this also means they have to go to great lengths to consolidate performance data and manage their carriers.
The Power of the Network
The power of any network is the strength of its common connections. If a courier company fully utilizes the communication capability of their courier software to manage EDI exchanges with shippers, they are accessing the technical power of the network. Their shipper customers recognize the advantage in dealing with a service provider who can provide a consistent, unified and reliable flow of data.
But when those owners wisely select courier software that provides a common platform for a broad group of carriers, they can leverage that physical network to drive connections to new shippers and new streams of revenue. Their customers prefer to work with proven technology and the carrier who possesses the right tools will find that they enjoy a certain preference from new or prospective shippers.
As with most things in business, technology is about who you know. Explore the many courier software options carefully and make sure the one you select will deliver all the networking power a growing company needs.
