How do I know you won't drop the load? Logistics
The short answer
Answer with what you do, not with a promise. Say who covers the load, what you do when a carrier falls through, and when the shipper hears about it. Offer updates at fixed points and a named person to call. Admit that loads can fail, then show how you respond when one does.
Take this call against an AI buyerWhy buyers say it
A dropped load can stop the shipper's line and make them look bad to their own customers. They have been let down by a broker, or know someone who has. The question tests whether you will be honest about risk.
How reps lose the deal on it
- They say "that will never happen." The shipper knows it can, and now thinks the rep is lying.
- They talk about capacity in general. The shipper wants to know who calls them and when.
- They get defensive. A fair question turns into a fight.
Stronger lines to say
- “It can happen to anyone, and the question is what I do about it. Here’s the plan: who covers the load, when you hear from me, and who you call.”
- “I’ll call you before the pickup window, not after it. If a carrier falls through, you hear it from me first.”
- “Try me on the load with the tightest window you’ve got. If I can’t cover it, you’ll hear that before you tender it, not after.”
Questions reps ask about it
How do I answer if we did drop a load for this shipper before?
Own it before they bring it up. Say what happened, what changed since, and what you would do if it happened again. Do not blame the carrier alone. A shipper who hears a straight account of a failure learns more about you than from any promise.
What proof helps?
Specifics the shipper can check: a named contact, the update schedule and a plan for a failed pickup. If a reference agreed to take the shipper's call, offer it. Never make one up.
What should a fixed update schedule look like?
A message at tender acceptance, when the truck is dispatched, at pickup, once in transit on a long haul, and at delivery. Say who sends each one and what the shipper gets if a stop is missed. Keep it the same on every load so the shipper stops checking.
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