3 Important Lessons I Have Learned from My First Month as a Freight Broker

• ·????? Introduction

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After completing my Transport and Delivery course at the University of Arkansas, I thought there wasn’t much more to learn about this industry. I remember thinking I had figured out pretty much all there is to know about the transportation world from the course, but I was more than wrong. Every aspect of my job has taught me something completely new about the industry, especially regarding brokerage. Here are three important lessons I have learned in my role as a capacity procurement intern at JB Hunt.

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• The Relationship Between Margins and Service

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With a decrease in volume and an increase in capacity in the space, winning freight from customers has become an increasingly difficult challenge. There are a few things that can be done to make yourself a winner in the eyes of a potential customer. These things include spectacular service, a reputation of reliability, and competitive pricing. JB Hunt has been able to keep its doors open through this freight recession, and that is because they are excellent in all of the previously listed categories.

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As a freight broker, it is my job to maximize margin dollars by enlisting the services of outside carriers, but never at the expense of service. In this industry, finding a balance between a healthy margin percentage and outstanding service can feel like walking on eggshells. With that being said, margins are essential for the sustainability of the business, and pushing too hard for margin dollars can cost you greatly, sometimes even causing a service failure. I’ve learned that it's important to find a common ground where both the carrier, customer, and JB Hunt can stay satisfied. There are times when a loss must be taken on a load, but it is done so to ensure that the load is covered, and our relationship with our customer will not suffer.

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• Importance Of Support Teams

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I greatly underestimated the scale of JB Hunt’s Truckload (JBT) division. Many teams work together within JBT to ensure smooth running, and the cohesiveness and organization of it all is truly impressive. Since my job is to broker power-only loads, I am in constant contact with the trailer team and regional equipment managers to help find empty trailers all over the country to complete a load.

When appointments are missed, or there is an error in communication with the customer, the customer experience team is there to work things out with the customer, and quickly find solutions to problems that seem unsolvable to someone in my position.

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All these teams within Truckload, whether they are a cost or they are revenue-generating, are crucial in the success of the process of a whole, and my job could not be done without their expertise and ability.

• What It Means to be an Intern

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Coming into this internship, I hoped to gain knowledge about the industry. I wanted to understand what a corporate job could look like, to hone in on what it is I really want to do with my career after completing school, to network and put my name out there. All those previous prayers have been answered. I have learned so much, found out what I like, and made connections with some of the smartest people I have ever met. But that’s not all.

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I found out that I know so little about things that I assumed would be second nature to me. I was humbled by the scale and inner workings of the business, and how much can go into what seems like a simple business model. Being an intern means finding something that you think you can be successful doing, and making your name known by the people around you by working hard, asking questions, and putting your knowledge on display every day.