Your rate is higher than what I pay now: logistics
The short answer
Do not drop the rate. Ask what the shipper pays now and what comes with it: fees after delivery, late pickups, tracking and who handles a problem. Compare all in cost and service. If your rate is higher for a reason, say what it buys. If you cannot name one, offer to cover a load and let the shipper judge.
Take this call against an AI buyerWhy buyers say it
A shipper checks any new rate against the one in their head. A lower rate looks like a clean win. They may also have seen a low rate turn into extra fees after delivery, which is why they ask.
How reps lose the deal on it
- They match the rate and cannot cover the load. The shipper pays for a missed pickup.
- They say "you get what you pay for." The shipper hears an excuse.
- They compare rates only. The cost of a late load never enters the conversation.
Stronger lines to say
- “Fair. What are you paying now, and does that include everything: fuel, accessorials and detention?”
- “If mine’s higher, I should be able to say why. Is it the pickup time, the tracking or the carrier I’d put on it?”
- “Let me show you the gap on that lane: what my number includes that theirs may not. If there’s no gap, I’ll say so and we’re done in two minutes.”
Questions reps ask about it
Should I ask what the shipper pays?
Yes, in plain terms. Ask what is included, not only the rate. Shippers share when they believe you will compare real cost. If they will not, ask what the last problem load cost them.
When is it right to hold my rate?
When you can name what the higher rate buys, such as a vetted carrier or a person who calls before a load is late. If you cannot name it, you are asking the shipper to pay for nothing.
What should I say when the shipper's current rate is below the market?
Say it without arguing. Ask how often that rate actually covers the load and what happens on the days it does not. A rate that gets rejected or arrives with extra fees after delivery is not the real rate. If theirs truly covers every load, tell them to keep it.
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